Results 4,201-4,220 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Organised Crime: Organised Crime (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There are, in general terms, two broad categories of organised crime groups operating in this jurisdiction. The first category consists of individuals / groups that are well established and tightly structured and are involved in drug trafficking, armed robbery and firearms offences. The second category involves groups whose activities are characterised by less cohesive group structures and...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy will be aware that in August, 2006, the Government agreed to the proposal of my predecessor for the establishment of a Committee (the Casino Regulation Committee) to report on the possibilities for a legislative basis for the strict regulation of casino-style operations in the State. The Casino Regulation Committee completed their Report in April of this year. It is a lengthy...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 76 and 82 together. Proposals for a Mental Capacity Bill are being developed by my Department in line with a commitment in the Government's Legislative Programme as announced by the Chief Whip on 25th September 2007. The proposed Bill is a response to the Law Reform Commission's Final Report on Vulnerable Adults and the Law and it will facilitate...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Currently, the Road Traffic Acts provides that a member of the Garda Síochána may, where he or she is of the opinion that a person in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place is under the influence of a drug or drugs to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of that vehicle, require that person to go to a Garda station and further require that person...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The group concerned received a special grant payment of €50,000 in 2006 on the clear understanding that it was a "one off" payment to enable the organisation to establish itself on a firmer footing. I have nothing further to add by way of response.

Written Answers — Drugs in Prisons: Drugs in Prisons (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 93 together. The Prison Rules 2007, which took effect from 1 October 2007, include specific provision for mandatory drug testing. Mandatory drug testing forms part of the Irish Prisons Service Drugs Policy 'Keeping Drugs Out of Prisons' which sets out the steps required to tackle the supply of drugs into prisons, provide adequate treatment services to...

Written Answers — Prison Discipline: Prison Discipline (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I would like to assure the Deputy that I am committed to implementing all appropriate measures to deal with the issue of mobile phones and other contraband being smuggled into Irish prisons. One of the major challenges in prisons worldwide lies in preventing access to contraband items, including mobile phones, which for obvious reasons, are viewed as highly valuable commodities which could...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I refer the Deputy to my answer to Priority Question No. 3 of today's date.

Written Answers — Joint Policing Committees: Joint Policing Committees (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 90 together. The 29 Joint Policing Committees currently established in a pilot phase operate under guidelines issued by my predecessor as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 23 May, 2007, following consultation with the Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. I believe that...

Written Answers — Recidivism Rate: Recidivism Rate (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I would like to inform the Deputy that Part 3 (including section 25) of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 came into operation on 18 May, 2007, on foot of the Criminal Justice Act 2007 (Commencement) Order 2007, (Statutory Instrument No. 236 of 2007). While there are no indications to suggest that the level of recidivism in this jurisdiction is particularly high by European standards, we will...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda officer appointed to conduct an investigation into the incident has completed his investigation and submitted a report to senior Garda management. Following consideration of the report a number of additional control mechanisms have been introduced to prevent a recurrence of such an incident. I am further informed that it is not Garda...

Written Answers — Garda Complaints Procedures: Garda Complaints Procedures (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Members of the Garda Síochána are called upon to interact with members of the public on a twenty four hour basis in a wide variety of situations — many of which are unavoidably contentious. In the vast majority of cases these interactions are handled in an exemplary and professional manner and do not give rise to difficulty from a litigation point of view. However there are a tiny...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I refer the Deputy to the commitment by Government and the Social Partners in Towards 2016 to review the level of statutory entitlements to maternity and paternity leave before the end of 2008. Work will commence shortly on this review. The Deputy may also note that the commitment in the Agreed Programme for Government is, over the next five years, to increase paid maternity leave by five...

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that installation and commissioning of the first phase of the new National Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) went live on 22 October 2007. While the previous system met Garda requirements over the last ten years or so, advances in technology mean that the new system offers significant new capabilities and capacity including the ability to...

Written Answers — Garda Civilianisation Programme: Garda Civilianisation Programme (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I welcome the reports of the Garda Inspectorate and the Advisory Group on Garda Management and Leadership Development on these issues. I fully support the Garda Commissioner in the continued implementation of the civilianisation programme proposed for the Garda Síochána and am happy to say that significant progress has been made to date in the recruitment of civilian staff by the Garda...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The total personnel strength of An Garda Síochána as at the 30 November 2007, the latest date for which figures are readily available was 13,780. The total number of Gardaí including trainees as at the same date was 14,823. The accelerated annual intake of approximately 1,100 students will continue to ensure the Government targets in this area are being met. The detailed allocation of...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In accordance with EU Directives, relevant legislation and national public procurement procedures, a Request for Information (RFI) for the provision and operation of safety cameras on behalf of An Garda Síochána was published on the Government's procurement website on 24 November, 2006. Following the evaluation of the submissions received in respect of the RFI a total of six...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As I indicated in my reply to an earlier question on the same topic on 9 October last (No. 158), work on the scheme of the Judicial Council Bill to build on the report of the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Ethics is at an advanced stage of development in my Department. That Report recognised the need for a procedure for dealing with complaints of judicial misconduct which, while serious...

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Services: Garda Vetting Services (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) is currently well-advanced in the phased expansion of its criminal history vetting service to all sectors and organisations having client groups of children and vulnerable adults. In the case of the sports sector, this expansion is being managed in liaison with the Irish Sports Council (ISC), which is represented on the multi-agency Implementation Group...

Written Answers — Prison Deaths: Prison Deaths (13 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The person referred to by the Deputy was found in his cell by prison staff at Limerick Prison at approximately 9 p.m. on the 1st of December, 2007. He was examined, in the cell, by a doctor who pronounced the prisoner dead. In common with all deaths in prison custody, the cause of death is a matter to be determined by a Coroner's Court.