Results 6,121-6,140 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Regarding the covert surveillance Bill, we wanted an independent Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission so that it could investigate these.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: As far as I am concerned some problems with its modus operandi may need to be ironed out because it is in a learning process and not operational that long. The covert surveillance Bill is well advanced and I will shortly ask Government to allow publication of the scheme of the Bill. The general approach in the Bill will be that applications will be made on judicial authorisation although...

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: On a point of order, it was contained in my speech this morning. To the best of my recollection it was in the press release I issued some time ago.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I said it goes without saying the Barron family were also victims of this misconduct and I extend my sympathies to them for the grievous loss they have suffered.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: That is semantics. I apologised on behalf of the State in the response.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: First, the Deputy should approach the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, which was set up to independently investigate allegations against the Garda.

Morris Tribunal: Statements (Resumed) (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: If I was approached by the Deputy, I would say: "Go away from me and give those allegations to the GSOC". With regard to the specific issue the two Deputies had to deal with, Deputy McHugh only has to read the conclusions of Mr. Justice Morris as to how he felt. He suggests very strongly there was an issue regarding sensational allegations calculated to undermine the authority, standing and...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: €10 million has been set aside in the 2009 Estimates for the provision of an outsourced safety camera network as part of the Government's strategy to reduce fatalities on our roads, in line with the Road Safety Strategy. A tendering process for procuring an outsourced safety camera network is under way, the contracting authority for which is An Garda Síochána. A preferred bidder has been...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: My Department has been examining the High Court's judgement in the case Niall Dillon v. The DPP in which the Court held that the current law under which prosecutions for begging were brought, i.e. section 3 of the Vagrancy (Ireland) Act 1847, was unconstitutional. I hope to be in a position to bring proposals to Cabinet shortly that will entail the introduction of new legislation to address...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I have been informed by the Immigration Division of my Department that they have recently been in contact with the person referred to by the Deputy in relation to her immigration status. Further documentation has been requested from the person concerned in order to facilitate the Immigration Division in examining her case.

Written Answers — Disposal of Firearms: Disposal of Firearms (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Approximately 3,850 firearms, which had been held at Clancy Barracks, were destroyed at a secure location on 32 occasions between 1st July, 2000 and 31st December, 2001. Ammunition which had also been stored at Clancy Barracks, was removed and temporarily stored at the Garda Technical Bureau before disposal and destruction. Any ammunition required for evidential purposes was removed....

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

Dermot Ahern: I have approved the applications of the persons in question and certificates of naturalisation will issue once documentation requested by the Citizenship Section of my Department has been received. Officials in the Citizenship Section inform me that letters seeking this documentation issued to the persons concerned on 12 August 2008, 2 September 2008 and 24 September 2008 to the address on...

Written Answers — Prisoner Rehabilitation: Prisoner Rehabilitation (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 to 139, inclusive, together. Prisoner rehabilitation involves significant multi-dimensional input by a diverse range of general and specialist services provided both by the Irish Prison Service and in-reaching statutory and non-statutory services. Amongst these are healthcare, psychiatric, psychological, educational, vocational, counselling, welfare and...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Programme for Government set out targets for fully resourced and staffed rehabilitation programmes to be available for the entirety of the prison population by 2012 and the linking of remission with rehabilitation. The Prison Rules provide that prisoners shall be eligible, by good conduct, to earn a remission of sentence not exceeding one quarter. The Rules provide for the granting of...

Written Answers — Drugs in Prisons: Drugs in Prisons (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I am committed to ensuring that all prisons are drug free in line with the commitments contained in the Irish Prison Service Drugs Policy and Strategy and I will continue to pursue strategies to achieve that objective. With regard to supply elimination, the implementation of the Policy and Strategy has seen an intensification of efforts to eliminate the availability of illicit drugs within...

Written Answers — Prison Discipline: Prison Discipline (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Part 3 and section 35 of the Prisons Act 2007, both of which came into operation on 1 October 2007, provide a legislative basis for disciplinary and governance related issues within the State's prisons. Section 35 of the Act permits the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to make rules for the effective governance of prisons. In that context the Prison Rules, 2007, came into effect...

Written Answers — UN Convention Against Torture: UN Convention Against Torture (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and All Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 18 December, 2002. Its provisions came into force on 22 October, 2006. Ireland signed it on 2 October, 2007. The Protocol is an important addition to the 1984 UN Convention against Torture which Ireland ratified in...

Written Answers — Prison Inspections: Prison Inspections (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Irish prisons are subject to inspection by the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), the Office of the Inspector of Prisons and the Visiting Committees appointed to each prison. The Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), which operates under the aegis of the Council of Europe,...

Written Answers — Community Service: Community Service (22 Oct 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act, 1983, provides that a Court may make a Community Service Order as an alternative to a sentence of imprisonment or detention in respect of any individual over the age of 16 years who has been convicted of a criminal offence and who consents to the Order being made. As the Deputy will be aware, the Community Service Order requires an offender to...

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

Dermot Ahern: I presume the Deputy's question relates to the Children Act 2001, as amended. I can confirm that the Children Act, 2001 is fully operational and that the various provisions relating to parental responsibility are all commenced. In this connection I wish to refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 48 dated 2 October 2008. In the case of children referred by the Court to the...