Results 4,421-4,440 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Garda Strength (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 54 together. The latest available figures show that Garda strength stands at just over 14,100, with approximately 2,000 civilian support staff. There are also 819 members of the Garda Reserve. As of Friday, 16 September 2011, some 380 members of An Garda Síochána had left or declared their intention to leave the force in 2011. As members intending...

Garda Strength (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: It is extraordinarily difficult to take the Deputy's questions seriously as he was in this House supporting a Government which signed an agreement to reduce the then Garda numbers of 14,500 to 13,500.

Garda Strength (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: It was also the Deputy's party which, in dealing with the Estimates and the finances for 2011, provided funding to the Department to pay the salaries of 13,500 gardaí as opposed to the 14,500 that were in place. It was the Deputy's party which entered into an agreement with the IMF and the EU to reduce dramatically by 1,000 the numbers of gardaí this year in circumstances in which they had...

Garda Strength (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: -----from a party which was financially incapable of ordering its affairs in a manner which would have guaranteed even the moneys available this year to pay the membership of the Garda force the salaries to which they were entitled and which does not deserve credibility of any description.

Garda Strength (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: First, I will give the Deputy some statistics in which he might be interested. To date, 28 gardaí at the rank of superintendent or higher have retired or notified their intention to retire in 2011. The Government has made six appointments to superintendent or a higher level since it took office. Additional appointments at these levels will be considered when the situation becomes clearer...

Garda Strength (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: As I understand it, the review the Commissioner is undertaking should be complete within the coming weeks. I expect to be engaged in a conversation with him arising from that review. Of course, there will be operational decisions for the Commissioner to make. In the context of my involvement as Minister for Justice and Equality, it is my obligation to ensure we have at senior level the...

Proposed Legislation (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The main purpose of the Criminal Justice Act 2011, as I stated in the Dáil when the legislation was being enacted, is to facilitate the more effective investigation of white collar crime and to reduce associated delays. The Act is targeted at specified serious and complex offences attracting a penalty of at least five years imprisonment, including offences in the areas of banking and...

Proposed Legislation (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am aware of the article to which the Deputy refers. It is worth stating that in regard to the section 19 offence and the Act in general, investigations and prosecutions will be subject to the exercise of discretion in the usual way by the Garda Síochána as to the appropriateness of such investigation and prosecution. In addition, an important safeguard in regard to the usage of the Act...

Proposed Legislation (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I do not expect it to be used in a wider context. I certainly do not expect it to be a section that will be utilised in the context of a simple theft case which gives rise to a possible prosecution in the District Court.

Legal Aid Service (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy will be aware, the context for many of the difficult decisions - I am sorry I must again remind him of this - which have had to be taken is the obligation to meet the commitments in the National Recovery Plan 2011-2014 and to meet our obligations to contain public expenditure, as agreed with the IMF and the European Union and as agreed by the previous Government. Expenditure on...

Legal Aid Service (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: It is amazing how many Bills were being prepared by the former Minister that never saw the light of day and on which I have discovered minimal work was done. There will be a Bill brought forward in regard to the area of legal aid. I do not anticipate that it will be published until the new year because of the other demands made on my Department. The group that the Deputy makes reference to...

Courts Service (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: As the Deputy has noted, the majority of the Fines Act 2010 has been commenced. It is important to note that section 14 of the Act, which has been commenced, places an obligation on the courts for the first time to take account of a person's financial circumstances before determining that a fine is to be imposed. This provision means that no person should be sent to prison for default...

Courts Service (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: A considerable number of outstanding fines precede the coming into force of the Act. In those circumstances fines would have been imposed, with the alternative of imprisonment if they were not paid. That creates a particular difficulty because it is important to ensure people pay the fines handed down by the courts and that the integrity of the justice system is not undermined. In the...

Courts Service (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I share the Deputy's view. Better forward planning would have ensured, as the legislation was going through the House, the arrangements were made to identify the appropriate IT changes required. It is unfathomable that the Bill was passed in 2010 and no financial allocation was made in 2011 to facilitate this occurring.

Legal Aid Service (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Legal Aid Board is a statutory, independent body in accordance with the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995. The matters raised by the Deputy are ones for the board. However, in order to be helpful to him, I have had inquiries made with the board. I had a meeting with its chairman following the announcement of the JobBridge programme to encourage use by the board of the internship scheme in order...

Legal Aid Service (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: As I said, the board is independent but I want to encourage it to use the scheme in order that the many young solicitors, in particular, who are currently unemployed will have an opportunity to get work experience and, in doing so, will do a public service by assisting the law centres that are under enormous pressure. There has been a huge increase in numbers seeking legal help from law...

Prison Inspection Reports (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: I welcome the inspector's report which I published on 30 May last. It is a particularly valuable and comprehensive report. In it, the inspector stated that the Irish Prison Service and local management should be aware by now of what he regards as best practice and that he expects by 1 July that all prisons will comply with this. However, he also appreciated that prisons will not be able to...

Prison Inspection Reports (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: It is my hope that they have been. I expect to get a full report shortly on the extent to which those aspects of the recommendations of the Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention have been implemented. I am anxious to implement all of his recommendations. Judge Reilly has done an extraordinary job. He is a man of great insight and is now an invaluable part of what I describe as the...

Prison Inspection Reports (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Department is engaged in an overall review of all aspects of the workings of the Department. The Prison Service is a separate service but is dependent on funding from the Department. It is not yet clear what the position will be with regard to retirements from the Prison Service or whether there will be a major difference this year from previous years. I expect to have a clear view in...

Crime Prevention (20 Sep 2011)

Alan Shatter: Tackling serious crime, including drug trafficking, remains a key priority both for the Government and for the Garda Síochána. These priorities are clearly reflected in the Garda policing plan for 2011. A key action in the plan is the proactive targeting by the Garda Síochána of drug trafficking, including low level drug dealing. Under the direction of the Assistant Commissioner at An...