Results 4,161-4,180 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (21 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The total number of whole-time equivalent staff serving in my Department and its agencies is 2,256. This figure includes the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, which itself encompasses the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. My Department is required by a Government Decision of December 2002 to operate within overall staffing limits...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (21 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: As at 31 March 2008, there were 1,218 outstanding asylum applications awaiting a recommendation by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC). Of these, only 137 cases were on hands over 6 months. The Refugee Applications Commissioner continues to keep the procedure for processing applications for refugee status in that Office under ongoing review with a view to limiting the...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (21 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The costs to my Department in relation to delivering asylum services are included under the following subheads of the Justice vote: D1 (Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service); D2 (Refugee Legal Service); and D4 (Accommodation Asylum Seekers). The total costs under these subheads from 2002 to 2007 are set out in tabular format. Costs in €M to the Department of Justice, Equality and...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (21 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy will appreciate that funding for action on domestic violence encompasses direct action by identifiable victim support services as well as a broad range of actions across the justice, health, housing, education and family support sectors. Moreover, actions particularly by the State sector to deal with domestic violence may be part of a wider family support programme which is not...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (21 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength by Division for 31/12/05 to 31/12/07 was as set out in the table: Division 31/12/05 31/12/06 31/12/07 DMR South Central 707 738 773 DMR North Central 649 662 694 DMR South 556 595 623 DMR North 600 640 761 DMR West 679 719 758 DMR East 558 591 618 Louth/Meath 521 550 533 Carlow/Kildare 331 367 402...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (21 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Following the submission of a report and recommendations by an expert group on crime statistics, it was decided that the compilation and publication of crime statistics should be taken over by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, from the Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána Act 2005 consequently makes provision for this, and the CSO has established a dedicated...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (21 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I presume the Deputy is referring to correspondence dated 4 February, 2008 to my predecessor as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. A reply issued from my office to the Deputy in relation to the correspondence referred to on 20 May, 2008.

Written Answers — Stardust Inquiry: Stardust Inquiry (21 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The position remains as set out in my response to the Deputy's Question No. 455 on 20 May, 2008.

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (21 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The application referred to by the Deputy was received in the Visa Office, Dublin on the 16th May 2008 and is currently awaiting examination by a Visa Officer. I would expect a decision on the visa application this week.

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (22 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The importance attached to human rights compliance in policing in Ireland is highlighted by Section 7 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. This Section sets out the functions of the Garda Síochána, which include providing policing and security services with the objective of protection of life and property and of vindicating the human rights of each individual. Human Rights training forms an...

Written Answers — Parental Leave: Parental Leave (22 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: My Department is examining the issue of paternity benefit as part of a review of maternity, parental and paternity leave as promised in the Agreed Programme for Government and the Social Partnership agreement "Towards 2016". The issue of the introduction of a statutory entitlement to paternity leave was examined before, in 2002, by a working group, as part of the Review of the Parental...

Written Answers — Parental Leave: Parental Leave (22 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006 contains a provision whereby parents employed by the same employer may transfer all or part of their parental leave to the other relevant parent, subject to the employer's agreement. This Bill is currently awaiting Committee Stage in the Seanad. A wider examination of the issue of shared parental leave will be undertaken as part of the...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (22 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The target envisaged under the Agreed Programme for Government for the number of Garda Youth Diversion Projects is 168 by 2012. The interim target of 100 projects by the end of 2007 was achieved, with 29 new projects established that year. The Garda Commissioner has indicated that it is anticipated that between 15 and 16 projects will be recommended for establishment each year over the next...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (22 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The application referred to by the Deputy was received in the Visa Office, Dublin on the 10th April 2008. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the visa application was approved on 29 April 2008.

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (22 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Ministerial cars are driven by members of the Garda Síochána and are exempt from tolls in accordance with Section 62 of the Roads Act 1993. Accordingly, no cost arises to the Exchequer.

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (22 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that as part of Student/Probationer training all members of An Garda Síochána receive training to prepare for and assist them in the investigation of incidents relating to domestic violence. They receive this in two modules, namely Social & Psychological studies and Legal & Policing studies. Additional training is also provided as part of the...

Written Answers — Traffic Fines: Traffic Fines (22 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the parking tickets in question were issued to the person concerned on behalf of the local authority in the area mentioned and is therefore outside the remit of An Garda Síochána. My Department has no responsibility in respect of the matter.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (22 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship section of my Department in June 2005. Processing of the application has commenced and the file will be forwarded to me for a decision in the coming months. I will inform the Deputy and the person concerned when I have reached a decision on the matter.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (22 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship section of my Department in June 2005. Processing of the application has commenced and the file will be forwarded to me for a decision in the coming months. I will inform the Deputy and the person concerned when I have reached a decision on the matter.

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (22 May 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of Tallaght Garda Station on 30 April 2008, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 180. The Deputy will appreciate that, as with any large organisation, on any given day, personnel strengths of individual stations may fluctuate due, for example, to promotions, retirements and transfers etc. It is...