Latest news with #JIMO'Callaghan
The Journal
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Minister to bring forward plans to purchase Dublin's Citywest Hotel
JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O'Callaghan is to bring forward proposals to purchase the Citywest Hotel in Dublin for asylum-seeker accommodation. The minister got Cabinet approval today to extend the use of the hotel for international protection and Ukrainian applicants for another three months, until the start of September. This will cost an estimated €17 million to cover lease of the facilities and the provision of services. Along with the proposal to purchase the 764-bedroom hotel, a detailed value for money appraisal will be brought to government shortly. Advertisement There is ongoing engagement between the minister's Department and the Department of Public Expenditure on the details of the planned purchase of the facility. The move to purchase the hotel comes as the Department of Justice stepped back from contentious plans to convert the site of the former Crown Paints in Coolock to Ipas accommodation. The site had been at the centre of many protests – some of which turned violent. The Citywest Transit Hub is used to provide emergency stay-over facilities for approximately 400-450 IP applicants and separately accommodation for 1,350 Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. Need more clarity and context on how migration is being discussed in Ireland? Check out our new FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online. Visit Knowledge Bank Related Reads Gary Gannon: Fear is what drives immigration protests in neglected communities, not hatred Anti-immigration picket over refugee accommodation sparks tensions in Dublin's Liberties Opinion: Irish people being against immigration is like Brazilian people being against football Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Bill to outlaw sex for rent and give gardaí power to remove protesters' masks approved by government
JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O'Callaghan has received Cabinet approval for legislation that includes the criminalisation of sex-for-rent arrangements, as well as measures that will impact sexual assault trials and the wearing of masks at protests. The General Scheme of the Criminal Law and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 will now be referred to the Justice Committee for pre-legislative scrutiny, the Department of Justice said. Once the Committee's report is received by Cabinet, 'work on finalising the Bill will be prioritised', the Department said in a statement. Sex for rent The proposed legislation would introduce two specific criminal offences concerning sex for rent. Those offences will be offering accommodation in exchange for sex and the advertising of accommodation in exchange for sex. There will be no need for complainants to prove that sexual activity has occurred and the proposed penalty is a fine of €5,000. The Department said the provisions would cover both rental agreements between landlords and tenants, and 'rent-a-room' situations. 'Any attempt by accommodation providers to exploit their position and prey on vulnerable individuals through these arrangements is completely unacceptable,' O'Callaghan said in a statement. He described such arrangements as 'an appalling abuse of power by unscrupulous individuals'. While O'Callaghan said this was 'a complex issue to legislate for' he insisted that car had been taken 'to ensure that the offences are clear, precise and limited in scope'. 'I am satisfied the provisions are workable and constitutionally sound, and do not create any unintended consequences such as inadvertently criminalising consensual relationships.' Counsellor notes Another element of the proposed legislation is an amendment that would affect the disclosure of counselling notes in cases involving sexual assault. As it stands, notes from the counselling sessions of survivors of sexual assault can be released to the defence in pre-trial disclosures if the court deems the content materially relevant to the case. 'I am fully aware of the distress and re-victimisation that disclosure of counselling records can have on complainants in sexual assault trials,' O'Callaghan said. Advertisement He said that reforms to the law made in 2017 have 'not operated as intended'. 'I am therefore proposing to amend the existing legislation by requiring that a disclosure hearing takes place in all cases and removing the provision that allows for this step to be waived,' O'Callaghan said. He also noted that complainants have described feeling compelled to waive disclosure hearings because 'they don't want to risk a successful prosecution or delay a trial'. 'This amendment will ensure that the original intention of the legislation will apply,' said O'Callaghan. 'However, I am continuing to look at how we might further limit release of these records as I recognise that disclosure hearings can be extremely difficult for complainants.' Masks The Bill will also give gardaí the power to require people to remove a face covering when they reasonably expect that it is being worn in order to intimidate or conceal a person's identity when intending to commit a crime. The Department said this will serve as 'a deterrent against disorderly conduct and intimidation at protests and in other public places'. The proposal has been criticised by People Before Profit and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties. TD Paul Murphy called it a 'worrying threat to the right of people to privacy, and their right to protest'. 'While people have the right to protest and that right must be respected, it is subject to the rights of others in our community,' O'Callaghan said, adding that striking that balance was a complex task for gardaí. 'It has become apparent that some protesters are covering their faces in an obvious effort to alarm and intimidate individuals in various scenarios or to avoid detection when committing a criminal offence.' Murphy said: 'We are seeing a general push against the right to privacy and the right to protest in the EU and elsewhere. Murphy said this was 'Black Mirror type stuff', and pointed to 'the German state criminalising protesters for speaking as Gaeilge', and the growing use of technology like AI and facial recognition to monitor ordinary citizens engaging in demonstrations. 'Protesters are not criminals and should not be treated as such. They have the right to wear a protective mask, scarf, religious face covering or sun-glasses without facing the threat of criminal charges.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Journal
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Minister wants to 'secure our borders' as 39 people deported to Georgia on chartered flight
JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O'Callaghan has said stressed that 'securing our borders' is a government priority as he confirmed that 39 people were deported to Georgia on a charter flight last night. The minister has said that the deportation is classified as an 'enforced removal' because the individuals had not complied with deportation orders. 'Before a deportation order is made, the person is offered assistance to return home voluntarily, this is the preferred option. In addition to enforced removals,' the minister said in a statement. Gardaí have confirmed that officers from the Garda National Immigration Bureau carried out the operation which saw 30 men, four women and five children deported. Each of the five children were part of family groups. 'Stepping up enforcement and securing our borders is a central commitment of mine. Swift and fair returns of people whose applications have been refused is the foundation of any modern rules-based immigration process,' O'Callaghan said. If people wish to move to Ireland, they must do so using the appropriate legal pathways. Removal operations send a clear message that our laws are to be respected and underscores this government's intention to protect the integrity of our immigration system. The minister also thanked gardaí for their work and said that 'further charter operations' are expected throughout the year. Last night's deportation flight followed the first such flight in February, when 32 people were deported , again to Georgia, on a chartered flight. Advertisement The minister said that all the people on last night's flight were Georgian nationals and that medical staff, an interpreter and a human rights observer were also on board the flight which landed in Tbilisi this morning. Focusing on the nationality of those deported, the minister said: 'It is also important to note that many members of the Georgian community are legally in the State. They contribute to the economy and the cultural and social fabric of our society.' Garda vehicles as part of the operation. Following the first deportation flight in February under a new government contract for charter flights, gardaí had released a video of the operation and it was widely publicised by the minister and the government. Photographs of this latest operation were released by gardaí this morning. In February, migrant rights group Doras had said the messaging surrounding deportation flights was a 'distraction' from the need for law reform. Doras said that it was concerned both by the messaging and 'the manner in which the deportations are being publicised by the government.' At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Justice Minister received approval for legislation to overhaul how Ireland responds to people seeking asylum in the State. The government is dubbing it 'the most significant reform of Irish asylum laws in the history of the State.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
