742. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the specific measures being taken to address the health and safety of pregnant women in custody, in light of persistent overcrowding in the Dóchas Centre, operating above its 105-bed capacity and Limerick Prison's female wing, which has been reported as running at over 150% of its stated capacity; and whether pregnant women are currently being accommodated in cells without adequate medical access or privacy. [39467/25]
741. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to confirm the number of babies born to women in custody between 2021 and 2024; and to provide details on the supports available to pregnant women and mothers in custody, including whether all births took place in hospital settings. [39466/25]
740. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the percentage of pregnant women in custody who are on remand; the number of these cases that involve non-violent offences; and whether he will consider issuing revised guidelines to reduce the use of custodial remand for pregnant women, particularly in cases involving minor or survival-related offences. [39465/25]
739. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if she will commit to expanding the availability of community-based sentencing, specifically tailored for mothers with dependent children; and his any plans to introduce gender-responsive, family-sensitive alternatives to prison for women who do not pose a risk to public safety. [39464/25]
738. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if she will state clearly whether women with children are currently being held in the general female prison population alongside other prisoners; and if so, how this aligns with the rights of the child under the UN convention on the rights of the child. [39463/25]
737. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the percentage of female prisoners in the Dóchas prison who were pregnant on committal between 2021 and 2024, including the 22 pregnant women recorded in 2024 and the 12 to date in 2025; and if he will outline any measures being taken to divert pregnant women charged with non-violent offences from custodial settings. [39462/25]
332. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the urgent measures being taken to address the over-capacity crisis at Oberstown, which has recently resulted in the centre turning away remand children due to lack of space, including two facing serious charges; and the steps he will take to ensure that any increase in capacity is matched by investment in rehabilitative programming, trauma-informed care, and the training and protection of staff to prevent future cycles of reoffending. [36738/25]
331. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the actions being taken in response to the serious incident at Oberstown in which nine staff were injured–four requiring hospital treatment, including one with life-changing injuries–marking the third such assault in under two weeks; how he justifies operating the facility with dangerously low staffing levels, given that only 20% of the 2025 intake remains on shift; and the immediate steps that will be taken to implement independent safety reviews, proper restraint protocols, and PPE provision for residential social care workers. [36737/25]
293. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the steps being taken to ensure Ireland’s prison system complies fully with the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Mandela Rules), particularly regarding the use of solitary confinement, access to healthcare, contact with the outside world and access to rehabilitation supports; and if he will commit to publishing an audit of current compliance levels and a timeline for achieving full alignment with these international standards. [36740/25]
292. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when Ireland will finally ratify and implement the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture, given Ireland’s long-standing commitment and repeated calls from civil society and international monitoring bodies; if he will provide a clear timeline for establishing the national preventive mechanism; and to outline the barriers that remain to enabling independent, unannounced inspections across all places of detention, including Garda stations, direct provision centres, and Oberstown. [36739/25]
191. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the services currently provided for adult patients with epilepsy at a hospital (details supplied); the number and grade of staff that are currently attached to this service at this site; the number of current staff vacancies within this service; the number of epilepsy patients currently registered with this service; the number of patients currently awaiting first consultations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34685/25]
163. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the current official operational capacity of Oberstown Detention Campus; the number of beds actually available for remand, as of 20 June 2025; how this compares with demand on 20 June 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34909/25]
150. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the assessment that has been made of the risk to public safety posed by the release or non-detention of individuals accused of involvement in organised crime due to the lack of remand spaces; and if he will publish this assessment. [34910/25]
149. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of prison or remand places occupied in the past 12 months by individuals detained purely for immigration-related reasons; and the total cost of this to the State. [34908/25]
148. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration on each occasion since January 2024 where a serious offender was granted bail or released early due to prison or detention centre overcrowding, the nature of the offence that was, the alternative arrangements that were made for public safety, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34907/25]
679. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is aware of a situation concerning an international protection applicant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34526/25]
613. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to examine the case of a person (details supplied) requiring a temporary travel document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33623/25]
351. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of people referred to the probation service for a community service report who were found by that report to be unsuitable for community service and were subsequently not sentenced to an immediate term of imprisonment, in 2022, 2023 and 2024, in tabular form. [33423/25]
635. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration when he expects the State purchase of a hotel (details supplied) in Dublin for the purpose of IPAS accommodation; the extent or proportion of the property being purchased; the plans for further expansion of IPAS accommodation on the site; the expected capacity of the facility once this expansion work has been completed; if the leisure centre will be closed or whether it will be open to the public; the plans proposed to provide sufficient social and economic infrastructure to the local community in light of these developments; the plans proposed to foster integration of international protection applicants into the local community; if further tranches will be made available from the community recognition fund to the local area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32573/25]
601. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether individuals who have been issued deportation orders are eligible to access IOM return counselling; if so, how the service offering differs from that provided prior to a deportation order being signed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32043/25]
600. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the language or interpretation supports made available to individuals engaging in return counselling; whether these services are guaranteed and free of charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32041/25]
599. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the format in which return counselling is provided, including whether it is available in person, by phone, or by any other means; the measures in place to ensure accessibility for vulnerable individuals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32040/25]
598. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of persons that have availed of return counselling under the voluntary return programme in 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32039/25]
597. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for a breakdown of the average timeline between final refusal of international protection, the offer of voluntary return, and the signing of a deportation order, in respect of the 2,403 deportation orders signed in 2024 and the 1,940 signed to date in 2025, broken down by single adult males, single adult females, family units, and unaccompanied minors, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32038/25]
596. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average cost per voluntary return in 2024 and to date in 2025, including all associated travel, medical, and reintegration support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32037/25]
595. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of individuals and families that received reintegration grants in 2024 and to date in 2025; the total value of payments under each category, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32036/25]
594. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total amount spent under the voluntary return scheme in 2024 and to date in 2025, by transport, transit visas and associated costs, and reintegration grants, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32035/25]
593. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number and roles of professionals present on board, including medical staff, child protection professionals, psychological or trauma support personnel, independent observers, and Gardaí or private security contractors, for each of the deportation flights carried out to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32032/25]
592. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether protocols or standard operating procedures are in place to govern the provision of legal advice and interpretation services to individuals detained prior to deportation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32031/25]
591. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the access to legal advice and interpretation services provided to individuals detained in prison prior to enforced deportation by chartered flight in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32030/25]
590. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the top five countries of origin of children who have been issued deportation orders in each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32029/25]
589. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of individuals under the age of 18 who are currently in the State and subject to a deportation order, with a breakdown by individual year of age, and the average length of time since arrival in Ireland for each age group, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32028/25]
588. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total number of deportation orders issued to individuals under the age of 18 in 2022, 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025; for a breakdown of the total number, by individual year of age, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32027/25]
240. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department has engaged with legal rights groups, court reporters or family support services on the effect of the in camera rule on access to justice and public accountability; and if he will publish any submissions received. [30966/25]
239. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the specific safeguards in place to ensure that parties in childcare proceedings, particularly parents and guardians, can effectively participate in and understand the process, given the restrictions imposed by the in camera rule. [30965/25]
238. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of accredited media applications made to attend in camera family or childcare proceedings under section 40 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 or other statutory provisions in the past five years; and the number granted, in tabular form. [30964/25]
237. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department intends to bring forward legislative proposals to amend or relax the in camera rule in family law and childcare proceedings in order to improve transparency while safeguarding privacy; and if he will provide a timeline for any such proposals. [30963/25]
236. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the reviews or consultations that have taken place regarding the impact of the in camera rule on public understanding, media reporting, and litigants’ access to justice in family law and childcare proceedings; and if he will publish any findings arising from such reviews. [30962/25]
235. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of family law and childcare cases heard in camera in each of the past five years, by court level - district, circuit or high court, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30961/25]
224. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether an independent human rights observer or monitor was present on board the deportation flight to Nigeria on 4 June 2025, or present during the removal process; and if not, to explain the reason such monitoring was not provided for in this case. [30943/25]
223. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether any family groups, including children, were deported on the flight to Nigeria on or around 4 June 2025; if so, to state the number of family units; the number of adults and children in each group; whether any child welfare assessments were conducted prior to removal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30942/25]
222. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will list the locations of detention or accommodation where individuals were held or assembled in advance of the deportation flight to Nigeria on 4 June 2025, including the number of individuals held at each location; the duration of their stay prior to removal; and the legal basis under which they were detained, in tabular form. [30941/25]
221. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will provide a breakdown of the number of individuals deported to Nigeria on the State-co-ordinated charter flight that took place on 4 June 2025, including the gender of each person; the age of each person; whether each individual was an adult or child; if any were part of a family unit, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30940/25]
1074. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of staff currently working in the Citizenship Unit of the Department of Justice; how this compares with staffing numbers in 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30546/25]
1073. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the average processing time for applications for Irish citizenship; how this compares with average processing times in 2023 and 2024, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30545/25]
1072. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of applications for Irish citizenship received so far in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30544/25]