Results 6,541-6,560 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Crime Levels. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The law rightly makes specific provision to reflect society's repugnance for attacks on members of the emergency services. The Criminal Justice Act 2006 strengthened the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 to make it an offence to assault or to threaten to assault or to impede medical personnel in a hospital, people assisting such personnel or a peace officer acting in the course of...

Crime Levels. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I do not accept Operation Tombola has not been a success. Anecdotal evidence points to a dramatic decrease in the number of fireworks let off. My own area was as bad as anywhere else over the years because it was close to the Border and anecdotal evidence suggests a significant effort was made by the Garda to prevent fireworks crossing the Border. The figures speak for themselves. A total...

Crime Levels. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It does. The Criminal Justice Act 2006 included accident and emergency, fire officers and ambulance personnel. We did that already, two years ago.

Prison Accommodation. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The record clearly shows steadily increased levels of resources being provided to each branch of the criminal justice system since 1997. We have increased Garda resources to an all time high, provided more judges than ever before in the history of the State and enacted a significant body of criminal legislation to give the Garda the necessary powers to bring serious criminals to justice,...

Prison Accommodation. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I do not accept that. When Deputy Flanagan's party was in Government, there was a 20% revolving door system. The latest figures available to me on this situation is well below that. It is in single figures, to the best of my knowledge.

Prison Accommodation. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: As I stated, we are bringing on 400 extra places within the next six to eight months, and that must be acknowledged. If my memory serves me correctly, during the time Deputy Flanagan's party was in Government it did not provide one extra prison place. We will provide extra prison spaces in Thornton Hall as well. When that comes on stream it will cure many of the difficulties in the prison...

Prison Accommodation. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It should. I hope it will.

Prison Accommodation. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: My understanding is that the negotiations are still ongoing with the preferred bidder. They are at an advanced stage and, hopefully, they will come to conclusion sooner rather than later. It must be accepted that in the current financial situation worldwide and in this country there are difficulties in that respect. Whatever the decision on the contract, which will be made by the NTMA, the...

Prison Accommodation. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I assure this House that not a single cent or euro will be paid by the taxpayer on this project until it is handed to the preferred bidder, whoever it is, and until the project is finished.

Prison Accommodation. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It is an excellent project for the State. Any money expended to date has been spent on the purchasing of the land, the design and the deployment of archaeologists to ensure that the site is correct, etc. The bidders have expended significant resources in their bids. While I accept that we are building 400 extra prison spaces in the various prisons, the ultimate solution for the ongoing...

Cyber Bullying. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 39 together. Tackling Internet downside issues is a complex business and continues to set new challenges for all those charged with protecting against the downside of the Internet. Increasing access to powerful communication tools such as social networking websites, video and photograph sharing sites has brought a new dimension to child protection...

Cyber Bullying. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It is not that bad.

Cyber Bullying. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I ask the Deputy to familiarise himself with what the industry and Internet service providers are doing on www.hotline.ie. I launched an element of their website a number of months ago and all of the Internet service providers are participating, apart from one which has an objection to participating in this and believes that law enforcement is an issue for the Garda. To be fair to the...

Cyber Bullying. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It is a bit complex for Deputy Rabbitte.

Cyber Bullying. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte is technologically disadvantaged.

Joint Policing Committees. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Joint policing committees are provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Their purpose is to provide a forum where An Garda Síochána and the local authority — the two organisations which make the most significant contribution to preventing and tackling crime in a specific area — can come together, with the participation of members of the Oireachtas and community and voluntary...

Joint Policing Committees. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: A small level of funding will be available to support the work of committees generally but it will be a matter for each local authority to find the resources, although not much should be required for this. In answer to the question on whether I spoke to the Garda Commissioner, he was at the joint launch of the initiative. The Garda Commissioner and the Garda Síochána believe this is a...

Joint Policing Committees. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Including Deputy Rabbitte.

Joint Policing Committees. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Garda Commissioner and I launched the guidelines in September. Some tweaking of the guidelines was done with regard to the joint policing committees based on the experience of the pilots. However, it is more or less the same and I ask Deputies to familiarise themselves with the guidelines which set out exactly what are the...

Joint Policing Committees. (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: That may well be and it is a matter for local authorities in particular to familiarise themselves with them. In my constituency, every Member of the Oireachtas has indicated a desire to be on the committee in Drogheda, which is a pilot. Public representatives all want to have their say. We can examine the guidelines as the committees proceed.