Law « Thurles Information

Department Of Justice Begins Accepting Citizenship Applications Online.

Milestone in immigration digital modernisation programme.
Availability of online application service will improve customer service and process efficiencies.
Reduction of paper based applications positive for sustainability.

People are now able to apply for Irish Citizenship online at www.irishimmigration.ie.

The digitisation of the citizenship application process is a key milestone in the Department of Justice’s Immigration Service Delivery Modernisation Programme.

The Immigration Modernisation Programme will, over the coming years, digitise a number of currently paper-based immigration processes and introduce a portal system where individuals will be able to manage and view all aspects of their interaction with immigration services. This will improve efficiencies in the immigration system, improve the customer experience through the availability of comprehensive self service functions, improve data management and utilisation, and enhance border security capability and capacity.

The online Citizenship application service will allow potential new Irish citizens to complete their application form, upload necessary supporting documentation and pay fees online, making the application process easier and more efficient in a digital age.

It will also allow the Immigration Service to more efficiently and effectively manage applications for Citizenship, which have increased in recent years.

Note: The paper-based application will still remain available to those who cannot access an online service.

€3 Million Funding For Innovative Community Safety Projects Announced.

Waterford LEADER Partnership will receive €149,820 for the South East Farming Pilot, which will operate across South Tipperary, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford.
€3 million will be allocated to 30 successful community projects under the Community Safety Innovation Fund.
Funding will invest the proceeds of crime back into building stronger, safer communities.
Projects focused on holistic, community based responses to anti-social behaviour and crime.

The Minister for Justice Mrs Helen McEntee, T.D. has today announced the allocation of just over €3 million worth of funding to 30 projects which are adopting projects to improve safety in their communities.

Grants have been awarded under this fund to organisations or community groups that have innovative proposals to improve community safety and have not been able to access other sources of funding.

Under Budget 2024, €7.9m will be allocated towards community safety initiatives, including €3.75m for the Community Safety Innovation Fund, which is an increase of almost €1 million on last year.

Speaking today, Minister McEntee stated: “I’ve said consistently that the people who are best placed to know and respond to local safety issues are communities themselves. It’s vital that we empower our communities to proactively address safety concerns and in the process build stronger, safer communities.
This fund reflects the continued successes of An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau seizing the ill-gotten gains of criminals. That’s why I’m delighted that we have been able to increase the size of this fund to €3.75 million under Budget 2024.
Putting this money back into the community is a really tangible way of showing that there can be a direct link between the activities of law enforcement and improved feelings of community safety.”

Some of the themes focused on by this year’s successful applicants include projects aimed at reducing anti-social behaviour, improving feelings of safety in the community, supporting victims of sexual and domestic violence, promoting pro-social behaviour through education and sport and supporting those experiencing drug-related intimidation.

Minister McEntee will today visit two projects who will be receiving funding from this year’s Community Safety Innovation Fund. The Minster will visit The Esker Project in Athlone, who will receive €101,903 funding for a Domestic Abuse Community Awareness and Training project.
This project aims to create awareness of the prevalence and signs of domestic abuse and to build capacity within the community to respond appropriately and effectively to create safer communities for victims of gender based violence and domestic abuse.

This will be achieved by engaging various groups in the community to become Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) aware. Workshops, training, and support will be offered to employers, education settings, statutory agencies, and community groups among others to become DVA aware and responsive.

Minister McEntee will also visit the ‘Be Safe in Your Space’ project, run by Cultúr Celebrating Diversity in Navan, Co. Meath, who are strengthening relationships between migrant communities and An Garda Síochána.
This project, which will receive €150,000, seeks to improve relationships and build trust between An Garda Síochána and migrant communities, while simultaneously raising the migrant communities’ awareness of rights and laws in Ireland.

In addition, it seeks to give migrant parents the skills and confidence to deal with antisocial behaviour in their children, by activating parents’ ability to recognise signs of said behaviour (including on social media) and to give parents the necessary practical parenting advice.
It also seeks to create a robust community strategy to sustainably tackle these by engaging migrants living in local urban conurbations, and Gardaí working in community, drug traffic and detective units.

Other examples of successful applications include €147,175 to Bohemian Football Club for the North Inner City Sporting Alliance Programme.
The NIC Sporting Alliance Programme aims to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in the NIC area with a core focus of establishing a formal network of sports clubs and organisations. Underpinning this project is:

A multicultural educational resource designed for children aged 9-12 championed by sports ambassadors and delivered in primary schools and sports within the NIC area.
Workshops/Seminars delivered to all clubs in the Alliance.
Two large scale annual showcase events for the community/clubs.
Lusk Community Council in Co Dublin will receive €150,000 for its Creative Lusk project.

This will seek to creatively address anti-social issues using arts, curiosity and innovation in the town to connect with the “hard to reach” youths and present alternative role and peer models for the youth to engage with.

The Waterford LEADER Partnership will receive €149,820 for the South East Farming Pilot, which will operate across South Tipperary, Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford
It seeks to provide vulnerable young people with a social/care farming placement on a social farm in the southeast 2 days a week for 70 weeks. It will working with the youth diversion projects in the southeast region to identify potential participants.

A full list of successful grants showing Applicants, their Projects and Locations are shown hereunder:

1	1st Port of Ireland Sea Scouts	Scouting for Safe Harbour	Co. Dublin
2	WASP	WASP Community Education Programme CLG	Co. Dublin
3	Waterford LEADER Partnership	South East Social Farming Pilot	Co. Tipperary, Co. Waterford
4	Connect Family Resource Centre	Building Community Resilience	Co. Louth
5	Athlone Community Services Council CLG Re: Esker House Domestic Abuse Support Service	The Esker Project: Domestic Abuse Community Awareness	Co. Westmeath
6	Family Addiction Support Network CLG	Trauma in the Community	Co. Louth, Co. Meath, Co. Cavan
7	Waterford Local Community Safety Partnership	Consent Matters	Co. Waterford
8	Sexual Violence Centre	Connect Community Hub	Co. Cork
9	Ballyfermot Youth Services Limited	Outdoor Education In the City	Co. Dublin
10	Drogheda Women & Children’s Refuge	Finding Safety	Co. Louth
11	Enniscorthy Community Alliance	Enniscorthy Community – Plants and Places	Co. Wexford
12	Sailing into Wellness CLG	Atlantic Project	National Coastline
13	Foroige’s Cable Project	Thrive Together	Co. Louth
14	Dublin South City Partnership CLG	Four Community Safety Forums	Co. Dublin
15	Tiglin Challenge	Contrast Hydrotherapy Rehabilitation Programme	Co. Wicklow
16	Acts of Compassion	Ethnic Policing Forum Project	Co. Dublin
17	South Western Regional Drug & Alcohol Task Force	Safer Newbridge Community Partnership	Co. Kildare
18	Lusk Community Council CLG	Creative Lusk 2025	Co. Dublin
19	Citywise Education	Citywise Community Leaders	Co. Dublin
20	South Dublin County Council Healthy Ireland	Generation Connections in MacUlliam Estate, Tallaght	Co. Dublin
21	Cumas New Ross	Safety in the Community	Co. Wexford & Nationwide
22	Foróige	The LEAD Project (League of Equality & Anti-discrimination)	Co. Dublin & Nationwide
23	Longford LCSP and Partners	All Island Community Safety Network	Co. Longford
24	Ana Liffey Drug Project	Law Engagement & Assisted Recovery Smithfield /Broadstone Project	Co. Dublin
25	Bohemian Football Club Company	North Inner City (NIC) Sporting Alliance Programme	Co. Dublin
26	Cork Simon Community	Social Integration Outreach Service	Co. Cork
27	Cultúr Celebrating Diversity Ltd.	Be Safe in Your Space	Co. Meath
28	Moyross Development CLG	Community Safety Weapons Awareness Programme	Co. Tipperary, Co. Limerick, Co. Clare,
29	Inner City Organisations Network ICON	Community Safety Response to Child and Human Trafficking in the NEIC	Co. Dublin
30	Waterford Local Community Safety Partnership	Waterford Community Safety Wardens	Co. Waterford

All grants under the Community Safety Innovation Fund are subject to the terms and conditions as set out in the Funding Call.

Minister McEntee continued “One of the objectives of this fund is to encourage the development of innovative ways to improve community safety.
Each successful project has detailed how best the community wants to prevent crime and their proposals reflect community priorities and local safety issues.
My anticipation and hope is that this fund will continue to grow into the future, but also that the learnings and best practices adopted by these projects can be shared and utilised in other communities facing similar safety concerns.”

Suspect In Murder Of Tina Satchwell Due To Appear In Cashel District Court, Co. Tipperary.

A male, aged in in his 50s, was arrested by Gardaí at a bus stop in Youghal on Thursday last, following the ongoing Garda investigation into the murder of Ms Tina Satchwell.
We understand the arrested man has since been charged and is expected to appear before a special sitting of Cashel District Court, Cashel, Co. Tipperary at 10:30am, tomorrow morning, Saturday, October 14th, 2023.

His arrest follows the discovery of human remains on a property at Grattan Street, Youghal, Co Cork, on Wednesday, October 11th last; same remains having now been confirmed as being those of Ms Satchwell, using available dental records.

Her remains were located in a walled-up area under a stairwell, where it is believed fresh renovation work had been carried out in the immediate area.

Ms Satchwell was last seen alive in March of 2017 last and Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster, together with anthropologist Dr Laureen Buckley, both attended at the scene on Thursday last, with Dr Bolster carrying out a preliminary examination of the remains, now identified.
Her decomposed remains have since been removed to Cork University Hospital for a further indepth examination, which is expected to reveal details of how Ms Satchwell met her tragic demise.

Garda College, Templemore, Co. Tipperary Welcomes Attestation Of 126 Garda.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee TD, has welcomed the attestation of a further 126 members of An Garda Síochána at the Garda College, Templemore, Co. Tipperary today.

The newly attested Garda members have now completed their training and will be assigned to Garda Divisions throughout the country.

Of the 126 attesting today, 91 are men; 35 are women and 5 were born outside of the Irish State.

Speaking at the event today Minister Of Justice Mrs Helen McEntee said: “I want to congratulate the recruits passing out in Templemore today and wish them all the best in their future careers.
Their commitment to public service and building stronger, safer communities is something to be commended and which we are all grateful for.”

Minister McEntee and the Garda Commissioner Mr Drew Harris announced, at the attestation today, that the age limit for joining An Garda Síochána is to increase from 35 to 50.

Minister McEntee stated further, that she and Commissioner Drew Harris both believe that the age should be changed in advance of the next Garda recruitment campaign, in order to give as many people as possible the opportunity to apply to An Garda Síochána.
The entry age limit of 35 has been in place since 2004, when it was increased from a limit 26 years of age.
A new age limit of 50 is being chosen to widen the opportunity to join An Garda Síochána, but to also ensure there is an appropriate period of time, between someone potentially entering at 50 and retiring ten years later.
As part of the budget package for An Garda Síochána announced earlier this week, they have also provided for a 66% increase in the Garda training allowance to €305.

The retirement age is currently set at 60, but Minister McEntee has also held discussions with Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe on this issue.
The change to the entry age can only be made by way of regulation following approval by the Cabinet, and Minister McEntee will bring proposals to Government shortly. The announcement comes at a time when Garda recruitment is accelerating following a Covid enforced pause, during which the Garda College in Templemore was closed.

Minister McEntee concluded by stating: “I am delighted that Garda recruitment, both in terms of Garda members and Garda staff, is gaining significant momentum after the Covid-enforced pause. Another class will enter the College on Monday, another in December, and we have provided funding for the recruitment of between 800 and 1000 new Gardaí in 2024.
One of my key priorities as Minister for Justice is to build safer and stronger communities by reducing and preventing crime, continually working to enhance national security and transforming and strengthening An Garda Síochána.
I am committed to ensuring they have the resources they need, as reflected in the unprecedented budgets over the last 3 years, now reaching €2.3billion for 2024, a 23% increase on 2020.
We are not only investing in recruitment, but in a range of other supports too – we are ensuring better protections for Gardaí, through the introduction of body worn cameras and stronger penalties for assaults on frontline workers; we are supporting the Commissioner to modernise ICT to improve efficiencies in the organisation; increasing the number of Garda staff to free Gardaí up for frontline duties; and the recruitment of a Reserve class for the first time since 2017 next year.
Another priority for me is delivering on the reforms recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing through the enactment and commencement of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill which will strengthen the governance and oversight of An Garda Síochána, and will enhance the safety of our communities through greater collaboration between a range of public service bodies, not just An Garda Síochána.
I truly believe that the new recruits are joining the organisation at a time of massive opportunity both for them and for the organisation – they are joining a police service that is continually developing to ensure it is world-class, and we are giving them every support to ensure they can achieve that.”

Justice Budget 2024 Expected To Build & Secure Stronger, Safer Communities.

Record budget of €3.5bn for Justice sector.
€2.3bn budget for An Garda Síochána is €172m increase on 2023.

Budget 2024 Highlights:

Garda:

Funding for Garda Vote up 23% (€430m) since 2020 to €2.3 billion.
Recruitment of between 800 and 1,000 new Gardaí and 250 additional Garda staff in 2024.
66% increase in training allowance (to €305 per week).
€6m provided for wellbeing initiatives, medical costs and over 2,500 units of body armour.

The total gross allocation for the Garda Vote in 2024 is €2.31 billion, an increase of over €172m. This takes into account the pay increases payable under Building Momentum.
The extra €172million also includes provision for:

Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence and Community Safety:

€12m increase in funding for Zero Tolerance strategy, including a new DSGBV agency, and support for the delivery of refuge accommodation.
An increase of €3.5m to a total of €7.9m for community safety initiatives including establishment of partnerships nationwide and a National Coordination Office.
A further €2.9m (+10%) in funding for Youth Justice Strategy bringing the total budget to over €33m.
€3.6m in additional funding for GoSafe speed cameras with a further €0.5m investment in CCTV schemes.

Prisons/Probation:

Irish Prisons Service budget increased by over €27m to €439m.
An extra €9m in staffing to provide for 65,000 additional hours to deal with the current pressures and the recruitment of more prison officers.
€2.5m additional allocation for the Probation Service will fund expansion of JARC (joint agency response to crime), community service and restorative justice, providing effective alternatives to prison.

Other:

€9m to make progress in restoring criminal legal aid fees with a 10% increase in early 2024. Following the Budget, more work will be undertaken with the legal professions on further strengthening criminal legal aid.
€1.4 million to provide courts staffing to support the additional judges nominated by the Government.
€21m to further accelerate International Protection processing, with 125 additional staff to be recruited by end 2024. €6m to continue the response to the war in Ukraine.
€5.5m to the Legal Aid Board to recruit new staff, increase investment in ICT and provide for additional costs directly related to the increase in immigration applications.
€2.2m to support victims of crime including the “Know your Rights” campaign and implementation of the new Human Trafficking Action Plan.
€4m for first year of new Gambling Regulatory Authority.

Courts Vote:

The total gross allocation for the Courts Vote in 2024 is €183 million, including capital funding of €67m.

The Courts Service will receive €1.4m for up to 35 additional staffing to directly support the work of new members of the Judiciary.
€1.4m more to provide for the progression of e-Probate and other elements of the Courts Modernisation Programme; to simplify the processes in court proceedings and make the services more accessible to all.
€2m in extra support to meet the additional operational costs across the Courts Service.

Data Protection Commission:

The total gross allocation for the Data Protection Commission Vote in 2024 is €27.9million.

The allocation for the Commission will continue to increase in 2024 and builds upon an increase of 60% since 2020 (€11m). This reflects the important role played by the Data Protection Commission in safeguarding privacy rights. The total allocation of almost €28m will provide for restructuring to a new three Commissioner operating model and the move to new headquarter premises in Dublin.

Policing Authority:

The allocation of €4.4m will provide additional resources for the establishment of a new body the Policing and Community Safety Authority in 2024 which will replace the Authority and Garda Síochána Inspectorate.

The Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee today welcomed the significant increase in Budget allocation of over €3.27 billion in current expenditure plus €274m for capital projects for the Justice sector in 2024, with a particular focus on building stronger, safer communities.

This unprecedented budget will strengthen the work of An Garda Síochána and the criminal justice sector to prevent and detect crime and protect communities; allow for the establishment of the new statutory agency to support victims and work to eliminate domestic, sexual and gender-based violence; and fund the nationwide rollout of Community Safety Partnerships.

Budget 2024 continues to build investment in diverting young people away from involvement in crime, to make youth diversion projects available in every community in Ireland for the first time, with an increased focus on weekend activities and marginalised young people.

It will also invest in our prisons, including new staff in a number of areas such as a Rapid Prison Building Unit to drive the Government’s intention to provide over 400 new prison spaces over the next 5 years.

It also supports the development of effective alternatives to prison through a number of multi-agency projects which will also assist in dealing with the acute pressures in the prison system.

Funding continues to grow in respect of the Department of Justice work in responding to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and in processing increased applications for international protection. Making more decisions and adjudicating on appeals quicker, while maintaining fair procedures, delivers for customers and relieves pressure elsewhere, supporting a balanced system.

Budget 2024 supports the rollout of critical modernisation and digitisation needs across the Justice sector and facilitates further growth of the Data Protection Commission to safeguard people’s privacy.