Results 6,901-6,920 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (2 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It is not the practice to comment in detail on individual asylum applications. As the Deputy will be aware, applications for refugee status in the State are determined by an independent process comprising the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal which make recommendations to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on whether such status...

Written Answers — Probation and Welfare Service: Probation and Welfare Service (2 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: My Department, through the Probation Service, provides funding to over 50 voluntary bodies to assist with the management of adult offenders in the community and to add value to the core work of the Probation Service. The PACE organisation is one such facility, which provides training and accommodation services for ex-offenders. In 2008, my Department through the Probation Service provided...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (2 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. In the case of an applicant who is the spouse of an Irish citizen, those conditions are that the applicant must be of full age;...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (2 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Section 12 of the Immigration Act 2004 allows members of the Garda Síochána to require a non-national to produce on demand a valid passport or other equivalent document, issued by or on behalf of an authority recognised by the Government, which establishes his or her identity and nationality. Members of the Garda are, of course, aware that Irish citizens are not required to carry proof of...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (2 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: On 27 November 2008, the Justice and Home Affairs Council adopted the conclusions of the second Euro-Africa Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development, which was held in Paris on 25 November last. The joint declaration of African and European ministers at the conference included a multi-annual co-operation programme for the period 2009 to 2011. The programme will focus on practical...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (2 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting of 27 and 28 November last discussed the topic of "free movement of persons: abuses and substantive problems". The discussions, which follow a debate at the September 2008 Council meeting on the action to be taken following the judgment of the European Court of Justice in the Metock case, focused primarily on this occasion on the potential for...

Written Answers — Transfer of Prisoners: Transfer of Prisoners (2 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The 1983 Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons provides a mechanism whereby prisoners can be repatriated to their home state in order to serve prison sentences they have incurred abroad. The convention is provided for in legislation in this State by virtue of the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Acts 1995 and 1997 and the process is administered by my Department....

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Section of my Department in August 2006. Officials in that Section inform me that the application is at an advanced stage of processing and the file will be forwarded to me for a decision in due course.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy will appreciate that the granting of Irish Citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour and not an entitlement. Applications must be processed in a way which preserves the necessary checks and balances to ensure that it is not undervalued and is only given to persons who genuinely satisfy the necessary qualifying criteria. The procedures involved in the...

Written Answers — Prisoner Transfers: Prisoner Transfers (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons does not confer an automatic right on any prisoner to be transferred nor does it confer an obligation on any State to comply with a transfer request. The person referred to by the Deputy has made six separate applications for transfer to a prison in this jurisdiction under the Council of Europe...

Written Answers — Firearms Regulation: Firearms Regulation (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Statutory Instrument 848 of 2007 commenced section 38 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 with effect from 1 January 2008. Since that date, the registration of firearms dealers continues, from the date of registration or renewal, for three years unless revoked. Work is at an advanced stage on the preparation of regulations in relation to minimum standards for the premises of firearms dealers.

Written Answers — Firearms Regulation: Firearms Regulation (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Firearms Consultative Panel has met six times since it was established. In addition, sub groups of the Panel have met on nine occasions. My Department is represented on the Panel and, accordingly, I am kept informed, as appropriate, in relation to its work. The Panel is a consultative body and, as such, it is not envisaged that it will be producing a report.

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 (SI No 749 of 2004) set the maximum age for recruitment to An Garda Síochána for all applicants, irrespective of service elsewhere, at 35 years. This maximum age was recommended by the Garda Commissioner taking into account the training and operational requirements of the Force and all the relevant legislation....

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The number of attested Garda Reserve members at 1 December 2008 was 331 with a further 116 people in training. I am satisfied with the level of interest shown by people wishing to join the Garda Reserve. Service in the Garda Reserve is voluntary and unpaid. Members of the Garda Reserve receive an allowance of €1,000 on the proviso that they complete 208 hours of duty per annum. There are...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: As I have stated on a number of occasions I am concerned with the situation we now find ourselves in following the growth in the licensing of hand guns over the past few years. We now have about 1,800 handguns licensed which was not as a result of a considered or deliberate public policy decision. I would have concerns about the suitability of a large number of these firearms for legitimate...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that members of An Garda Síochána are tasked with investigating road traffic collisions, including preparing reports, in accordance with Garda traffic collision investigation policy. On the conclusion of an investigation, a file is prepared and submitted to the Law Officers as appropriate. I am also informed that information resulting from Garda...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question no: 341 of 18 November 2008.

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that if the matter referred to by the Deputy constitutes a criminal offence, it will be investigated by them. A report can be made to the Garda authorities at the victim's local Garda Station, where an investigation will be commenced. If the circumstances warrant a prosecution, the abuser will be taken before the courts. An Garda Síochána investigates...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The persons concerned, a mother and two adult children (a son and a daughter), were admitted to the State variously on 1 November 2007, 4 December 2005 and circa late September 2007 respectively. They were subsequently granted permission to remain for a limited period in each case. On the expiration of the temporary periods of residence, the persons concerned remained in the State without my...

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (3 Dec 2008)

Dermot Ahern: In the first ten months of 2008, 3,729 people registered an interest in becoming a member of the Garda Reserve. In that time, 633 people were scheduled for interview by the Public Appointments Service and 496 people actually attended for interview. A total of 325 people were successful at this stage and 10 of these people were unsuccessful in their medical test because their auditory...