I thank Deputy Lawlor for his question. Earlier, I told Deputy Gould that, at present, Irish prison capacity was at 114%. The number I gave a few months ago was 5,444 or around that, so there is overcrowding in the Irish prison system. It is also the case that I have put in place measures to remove from Ireland persons from other jurisdictions who can, near the end of their prison sentences, be deported back to the c…
TDs / Jim O'Callaghan
Jim O'Callaghan
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
13
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
306,120
words spoken in the chamber
304,929 as a minister, 1,191 as a TD
360
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
8
topics asked about
Across 6 departments
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
What they ask about
The subject headings the Oireachtas filed their questions under.
Who they ask
The departments their questions were addressed to.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Questions asked 13 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 1,001 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 13 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 0 | 17 |
| March 2025 | 0 | 45 |
| April 2025 | 0 | 34 |
| May 2025 | 0 | 33 |
| June 2025 | 0 | 44 |
| July 2025 | 0 | 88 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 0 | 95 |
| October 2025 | 0 | 65 |
| November 2025 | 0 | 11 |
| December 2025 | 0 | 41 |
| January 2026 | 0 | 71 |
| February 2026 | 0 | 68 |
| March 2026 | 0 | 83 |
| April 2026 | 0 | 45 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 73 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 49 |
| July 2026 | 0 | 81 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 0 | 11 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 47 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 598 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
Not enough questions on record to compare.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Dublin Bay South 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Justice 23 January 2025 to 4 June 2025
- office Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 5 June 2025 to now
I am just looking for the actual figure, which I may not have in front of me, but already this year, I have deported a significant number of prisoners who are non-nationals and can be sent back to their countries of origin.
I do not have the statistics and so I am hesitant about giving them to the Deputy but it is certainly over 100 or 150 or so. If people who have been convicted of offences, which are obviously ser…
I assure the Deputy that it is happening. I have given instructions to the Prison Service and An Garda Síochána, which effects the deportations, when people are coming towards the end of their sentence, although it will not apply or be appropriate in every situation for capacity to be created where appropriate through removing people from the prison system. The law was amended earlier this year in the miscellaneous p…
Deputy Gannon's question arises in respect of the concession on foot of the request from the Law Society that I change the payment structure so that the payment would be split up. I proposed and have implemented a new payment structure that will see an initial payment upon request of €320 with a final €200 payable on receipt of the final order or 12 months after the initial assignment. My Department has put in place …
No.
Some 2,400.
The figures the Law Society referred to with regard to the drop related to what was happening in July. Being frank, in July there was widespread disruption in respect of the legal aid scheme in the District Court. That has now changed. Approximately 36 solicitors who resigned from the scheme have been reinstated. Last week, 11 solicitors were reinstated. In terms of the 2,400 new certificates that have been issued, m…
Nobody is asking solicitors to work for free.
In the budget yesterday, I procured €123 million for the legal profession in respect of the criminal legal aid scheme. They are not working for free. The Deputy can see the statistics about their earnings. I have no issue with that but my priority is to make it efficient for the public. On the negotiations, I have negotiated with the Law Society. Today, I sent a letter back to it. I got a letter from its president, R…
The change now is that, administratively, people can be paid in split blocks. That is now happening as a result of what the Law Society said in respect of me.
In terms of the multiple certificates, it is the case that the system was being abused. People were getting 50 or 60 certificates for one accused before the court.
It was never intended to be like that.
I can assure Deputy Gannon there were much more than three instances.
It is €123 million.
I was in Luxembourg last week.
I thank Deputy Roche for his question. His concern is to try to ensure that he gets as many Garda resources as possible into Galway and particularly Galway East. I can understand that. It is a desire shared by virtually all Members of this House. In order for that to happen, we are dependent on getting numbers into An Garda Síochána. I am pleased to say that at the end of August, there were 14,683 sworn members acros…
It is good to hear that somebody such as the Deputy who is aware of what is happening in local communities is prepared to be here and commend the work of An Garda Síochána. It does not surprise me. That is the response I get from virtually every Member of Dáil Éireann. They are extremely pleased with the service provided on a local basis by An Garda Síochána. The biggest demand I get in the House is to get more garda…
It is a very demanding and challenging job. People want gardaí everywhere. There are now many more units in the force than we had before. Traditionally, we did not have cyber units or the other specialist units we now have in An Garda Síochána and which are absolutely necessary. The most important unit is the garda on the beat or the community garda because people want to see gardaí in their community.
At the end of…
I thank the Deputy for his question and for being present at the event to launch the fireworks awareness campaign earlier this week. People need to be aware of the danger and devastating injuries can be caused by fireworks. We saw an example of it at the Dublin Fire Brigade training centre on Monday. We need to warn young people that if fireworks inflict injuries on them those injuries can and will be long term and d…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Aontaím leis ar an gceist sin. We spent huge amounts putting amenities in our communities, including playgrounds for children. Unfortunately, we have seen examples where they have been vandalised. That type of behaviour is unacceptable and the people doing it need be aware of two things: first, that they are destroying their local community and it is damaging their self-interest; and…
I hear what the Deputy is saying and I am happy to engage with him in respect of it. It is important to point out that, yesterday, an additional €11.5 million in funding was allocated for youth diversion projects. Those projects are available throughout the whole country, including in the Deputy’s constituency. I am sure they will be availed of for the purpose of trying to deter those young people who decide to go do…
I am very pleased to announce that I have been able to secure €5.9 billion for the justice sector for 2027. This will allow me to deliver a number of important priorities such as getting more gardaí on our streets, tackling the scourge of domestic violence and putting in place a fair and firm immigration system. I am also pleased to be able to announce that I have secured an historic investment in access to justice i…
I move:
That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure:
Proposal for a Counci…
I thank the three Deputies for their contributions. I welcome that all parties in the House are supporting the opt-in to the proposal in terms of the signing and execution of the agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Korea. It is clearly the case that PNR data is extremely important in combating serious crime. When we look at the agreements with third countries that have been opted into by Ireland,…
Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Korea on Passenger Name Record Data: Motion
I move:
That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure:
Proposal for a Counci…