Results 5,641-5,660 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Crime Levels. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: No. The Deputy suggested that I was engaging in a public relations exercise. That is not the case.

Crime Levels. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It is a public awareness campaign like those which have been developed by the police in the UK and the PSNI across the Border. The increasing use of knives is a problem on these islands. As I said in my initial reply, I deplore and abhor any violence involving knives. The figures show that there has been a significant reduction in such violence so far this year. There was a spike in knife...

Crime Levels. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy is answering his own question. The Garda is pursuing an initiative that involves prioritising its efforts to tackle knife crime. Figures published by the Central Statistics Office indicate that the initiative is succeeding. The number of knife-related crimes has decreased significantly, from 1,223 in 2004 to 1,032 in 2007.

Crime Levels. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda's efforts are having an effect. By criticising the public relations campaign, the Deputy is, in effect, criticising a valid effort by the Garda Commissioner, and the force as a whole, to do the very thing he is demanding, which is to increase public awareness of the danger of knives.

Crime Levels. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy should not use the term "public relations exercise" as a political smear.

Crime Levels. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Síochána is trying to deal with this issue properly.

Crime Levels. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It is a serious issue.

Crime Levels. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: That is what the Deputy did in his press release.

Crime Levels. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: You said I was engaging in a public relations exercise. You know it was nothing to do with me.

Crime Levels. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Síochána is responsible for the campaign.

Garda Complaints Procedures. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The confidential reporting system under the Garda Síochána (Confidential Reporting of Corruption or Malpractice) Regulations 2007 commenced operation in June of this year. The Garda Commissioner has issued a confidential reporting charter to all sworn members and civilian staff of the Garda. The charter contains the contact details of the confidential recipients to whom confidential...

Garda Complaints Procedures. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Obviously we all abhor what went on in Donegal and accept the recommendations which flowed from the Morris tribunal reports published to date, as well as those that will come from the further two reports. The Deputy must accept that fairly dramatic changes have been made by the House and the Government at the instigation of the recommendations of the reports and that will continue to be the...

Garda Complaints Procedures. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I did take the time to read the Morris reports, particularly since I became Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Indeed, I am in the throes of reading the two current reports, which will be published shortly. They are very large reports and I compliment Mr. Justice Morris on the way in which he has addressed the entire issue. He said in his third report that, subject to...

Garda Complaints Procedures. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I have no difficulty, as I said to my officials, in indicating publicly where the office is located. It is in a building in Harcourt Street shared by other bodies under the aegis of the Department, but it is safeguarded by security measures to the highest standards.

Departmental Agencies. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: As I indicated in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 768 on 24 September last, in the current economic climate it is incumbent on the State to ensure that the citizen is provided with services that give value for money and that are effective and efficient. It is also essential that there is the optimum level of transparency and accountability in the delivery of such services to the citizen....

Departmental Agencies. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: A cost benefit analysis is being carried out on this, but the total financial allocation for the five agencies mentioned is around €18 million for 2000. They employ 170 staff. I deny that the Government is trying to dilute the issue of adherence to human rights. We have a commitment under the Good Friday Agreement to have infrastructure on the protection of human rights, which will...

Departmental Agencies. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I do not need any lectures from the Deputy on the principles and the objectives of the Good Friday Agreement.

Departmental Agencies. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I would not stand over any removal of the section of the agreement which states that a human rights body would have to be established with a mandate and remit equivalent to that in Northern Ireland. That does not mean that the body cannot share in things like corporate services and other synergies. The Deputy refers to the issue of——

Departmental Agencies. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: ——cost effectiveness. Yes, that it what this is all about. There is an onus on each organisation, just as there is an onus on Departments with fewer Exchequer resources, to get value for money and to ensure that synergies can be put in place if they exist. Ultimately, the level of savings would not be significant if we got rid of all these bodies. We are just endeavouring to get value...

Departmental Agencies. (2 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte is intervening.