Results 5,801-5,820 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 was commenced with effect from 1 August 2006. The relevant order is the Criminal Justice Act 2006 (Commencement) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 390 of 2006). Section 72 creates the offence of contributing to, or participation in, an activity of a criminal organisation. The intention behind the contribution must be to enhance the ability of, or facilitate...

Written Answers — Victims Commission: Victims Commission (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy may already be aware against a background of a need to review the mechanisms and services put in place by specific agencies to assist victims of crime, my predecessor established the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime (CSVC) in March 2005. The CSVC was established with a three year remit to disburse funding for victim support measures and to develop a framework for...

Written Answers — Garda Reserve: Garda Reserve (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: There are a range of reasons not all applicants secure a place as Reserve trainees. It must always be borne in mind that membership of the Reserve is a spare-time voluntary service and so applicants may not always be available to attend for interview or take up a place in training when it is first offered due to family, work or social commitments. Applicants must first of all meet the...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Report of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), on its visit to Ireland was published on 10 October 2007, together with the response of the Government of Ireland to the issues raised by the CPT in that report. In its response to the issues raised, the Government set out in considerable detail the efforts made to deal with the...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The accelerated intake of 1,100 Garda recruits per annum is on course to meet the Government's recruitment target. The personnel strength (all ranks) of An Garda Síochána on 31 May 2007 was 13,140 with a further 1,349 recruits in training making a combined strength of 14,489. As of 31 March 2008, the latest date for which figures are readily available, there were 13,900 fully attested...

Written Answers — Organised Crime: Organised Crime (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I refer the Deputy to my answer to Question No. 13 of today's date.

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda authorities established an Organised Crime Unit on a temporary basis in November 2005 to target organised criminal gangs. The Garda Commissioner has now established the Unit on a permanent basis with a complement of seventy. A review of its activities and strength is ongoing. Since its establishment, the Organised Crime Unit has pro-actively targeted...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As I indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question 9121/08 on 4th March 2008, any significant extension of Garda search powers beyond those already available in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 gives rise to consideration of highly sensitive issues, including ones of Constitutional importance. In this regard I have in mind, for example,...

Written Answers — Refugee Appeals Tribunal: Refugee Appeals Tribunal (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, the Refugee Appeals Tribunal is a statutory independent body established under the Refugee Act, 1996 to deal with appeals against negative recommendations in respect of applications for refugee status issued by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC). The Tribunal has been in operation since November 2000 and comprises a full time Chairperson...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The information sought by the Deputy about the number of applications for asylum received in each of the last 5 years is set out in the table below. Asylum Applications Received — 2003 to 2007 Year No. of asylum applications received 2003 7,900 2004 4,766 2005 4,323 2006 4,314 2007 3,985 Total 25,288 Timescales for the processing of asylum applications Asylum applications are...

Written Answers — Sentencing Policy: Sentencing Policy (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 56 together. Sentence management processes have operated in the prison system for many years to the benefit of prisoners and the community. Over much of this time, the development of these processes to their full potential has, however, been constrained by a number of factors. New regulatory, organisational and working arrangements together with the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006 provides a mechanism by which persons detained in the Central Mental Hospital may be released conditionally or unconditionally by the Criminal Law (Mental Health) Review Board, depending on the circumstances. It is my intention to introduce certain amendments to the Act in this area shortly which will augment the powers of the Board in the light of recent...

Written Answers — Civilianisation Programme: Civilianisation Programme (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The civilianisation programme proposed for An Garda Síochána is being implemented by the Garda Commissioner and significant progress has been made to date in the recruitment of civilian staff. The number of full and part-time civilian staff assigned to the Garda Síochána as at the 31 March 2008 was 2,461. The number of full-time equivalent civilian staff of An Garda Síochána...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 48 together. The Garda Commissioner is establishing Regional Support Units (RSUs) in the Garda regions outside Dublin to act as a primary response to critical incidents, pending the arrival of the Emergency Response Unit. These RSUs will be drawn from the existing regional Garda resources and the Gardaí involved in these teams will receive training...

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Garda authorities that an interim solution for the recording of Behaviour Warnings, Good Behaviour Contracts and Civil Orders issued under the Criminal Justice Act, 2006 on the PULSE system is currently being piloted. I am also advised by the Garda authorities that the development of a full IT solution for capturing and processing such of information is under review.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Following contacts with the Chief Justice on the proposals for a Judicial Council Bill, a working group has now been established to advance the Bill. The Group comprises a nominee each of my Department and of the Chief Justice. I am confident that this approach will ensure that the details of the proposed Bill can be finalised in the reasonably near future.

Written Answers — Community Policing: Community Policing (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I share the view of the Garda Inspectorate, expressed in its most recent report, that community policing is a fundamental policing philosophy and that there is a strong foundation for it in Ireland. I am informed by the Garda authorities that a working group has developed proposals for a comprehensive model of rural and urban community policing. The group has completed its report, and it is...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy will be aware that a drug detection dog service is operating on a pilot basis in the Irish Prison Service since May 2006. The service is currently provided on contract by a UK company and started in the Midlands Prison. It has since been extended and currently four dog/handler teams operate in the Midlands Complex, the Mountjoy Complex, Wheatfield/Cloverhill Prisons, and...

Written Answers — Sex Offender Treatment Programme: Sex Offender Treatment Programme (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I can advise the Deputy that every effort is made to assist sex offenders in custody who are willing to participate at any level in rehabilitation and relapse prevention. There are three main forms of direct therapeutic intervention for sex offenders currently operating within the Irish prison system. These are as follows: an intensive sex offender programme which has been in operation...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (17 Apr 2008)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that as of 31 March 2008, the latest date for which figures are readily available, the total strength in the Limerick Division was 601, broken down as follows: Stations C/Supt Supt Insp Sergt Gda Total Henry St 1 2 7 26 194 230 Mary St — — — 1 13 14 Castleconnell — — — 1 4 5 Ardnacrusha — — — 1 3 4 Mayorstone Pk — — — 13...