Written Answers Nos. 399-406
399. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice if he will provide an update on the latest developments with legislation to disregard historic convictions for offences which targeted the LGBTQ+ community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23725/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, a progress report from the Working Group to Examine the Disregard of Convictions for Certain Qualifying Offences Related to Consensual Sexual Activity between Men was published on Thursday, 5 May 2022 by Minister Helen McEntee.
The Victorian-era laws which were repealed by the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 caused immeasurable harm to generations of gay and bisexual men, criminalising and stigmatising them simply because of their sexual orientation.
Since the publication of the Progress Report in May last, work has been ongoing to progress all of the next steps in the report. A public consultation was launched on 4 November 2022 and closed on 9 December 2022. As part of the consultation, affected persons and representative organisations were asked to provide input on a number of key issues, based on their lived experience.
One hundred and forty-eight (148) submissions from individuals, LGBTQI+ representative organisations, other non-governmental organisations, trade unions and political parties and representatives were received. Their responses have informed the final recommendations of the Working Group.
The Government wants to ensure that any potential scheme is as effective and accessible as possible so that we can exonerate those impacted by these outdated laws.
The most recent meeting of the Working Group took place recently at which final recommendations were agreed by the Working Group.
The report and recommendations of the Working Group are currently being finalised.
400. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Justice when his Department will publish the parental alienation research study considering the draft report was received by his Department at the end of November 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23767/23]
View answer401. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Justice if his Department has commenced a public consultation on the issue of parental alienation legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23768/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 400 and 401 together.
As the Deputy may be aware, last year, my Department committed to undertake a public consultation on the issue of parental alienation as part of the Justice Plan 2022. The consultation was an opportunity for individuals and organisations to offer their views and experiences of parental alienation, its impact and how it could be responded to in the future. The consultation was an open one and concluded on 24 June 2022.
The Department of Justice also arranged for independent research on parental alienation to be carried out. A final report was received by the Department and is now being reviewed.
It is intended that both the research report and results of the consultation will create a deeper understanding of the concept of parental alienation and subsequently inform the Department’s consideration of policy and law in this area.
Work is ongoing to integrate the results of the public consultation and commissioned research to finalise a report for the Minister outlining any resulting recommendations to inform policy in this area.
Once finalised, it is intended to publish both the research report and the policy paper on the Department’s website. I expect this to occur in the coming weeks.
402. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Justice if a decision is due on the application for naturalisation made by a person (details supplied); and the status of the application concerned. [23806/23]
View answerThe naturalisation application from the person referred to by the Deputy continues to be processed by my Department.
I am advised that an eVetting invitation will shortly issue to the person concerned.
The granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements not only within the State but also at European Union level and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
I understand the extended wait times can be frustrating for applicants and my Department has been working hard to clear backlogs.
It is recognised that all applicants for citizenship would wish to have a decision on their application without delay. However, the nature of the naturalisation process is such that, for a broad range of reasons, some cases will take longer than others to process. In some instances, completing the necessary checks can take a considerable period of time.
My Department is taking a number of steps to speed up the processing of applications and a number of digitisation measures have been introduced to increase efficiency in the process, including eVetting and online payments. The end result of the digitisation process will be to free up more staff to focus on processing applications in a timely and efficient manner, to improve service to our customers and reduce waiting times.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility at: INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
403. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice the total number of protection and safety orders secured in courts in the Republic of Ireland where the respondent was living outside the jurisdiction for the past available 12-month period; the number of these that were successfully served on the respondent; the means by which they were served. [23888/23]
View answerManagement of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the Judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas: oireachtasenquiries@courts.ie.
To be of assistance to the Deputy, I have referred his question to the Court Service for direct reply.
404. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Justice for an update on an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23897/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, I obtained approval from the Government to close the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) to further applications from 15 February 2023. The IIP Unit has published a FAQ concerning the closure on my Department's website, which will be updated with any further arising questions from the closure, and is available here: www.irishimmigration.ie/faqs-closure-of-the-immigrant-investor-programme-iip/.
My Department does not comment on individual applications.
405. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice if leave to remain can be granted in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23998/23]
View answerThe person referred to by the Deputy holds a Stamp 1G immigration permission until 20 December 2023.
A Stamp 1G indicates that a person has permission to look for employment in the State under the Third Level Graduate Programme. When an applicant has completed their studies in Ireland and gained an award at Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or above, that person may qualify for a Stamp 1G for 12 months.
Where an individual receives an award at Level 9 NFQ, they may qualify for a Stamp 1G for up to 24 months subject to the overall limit of 8 years on student conditions that applies. Graduates at level 9 NFQ or above who qualify for a Stamp 1G permission will be granted the permission for 12 months initially, further details are available on my Department's website at www.irishimmigration.ie/my-situation-has-changed-since-i-arrived-in-ireland/third-level-graduate-programme/.
It is open to a prospective employer to make an application for an employment permit on behalf of a Stamp 1G graduate, and where the employment permit is granted they can register the permit at their local registration office where they will be issued with a Stamp 1 immigration permission.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to my Department by email using the Oireachtas Mail facility at INISOireachtasMail@justice.ie, which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Question process. The Deputy may consider using the email service except in the cases where the response is, in the Deputy's view, inadequate or too long awaited.
406. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice why legal aid cannot be offered to a person (details supplied); if the matter can be investigated as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24000/23]
View answerThe matter of resource allocation is an operational matter entirely for the Legal Aid Board, which is the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995. I, as Minister for Justice, have no role in these matters and, as Minister, I cannot comment upon individual cases.
In accordance with circular 25/2016, agencies under the aegis of Government Departments have a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Legal Aid Board's dedicated address is oireachtas_enq@legalaidboard.ie.
