Results 7,861-7,880 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Prison Education Service: Prison Education Service (8 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: I refer the Deputy to my response to Parliamentary Question No. 119 which outlines the position in this regard. As the Deputy will be aware from my replies to previous Parliamentary Questions, the Irish Prison Service provides a wide range of rehabilitative programmes that include education, vocational training, health care, psychiatric, psychological, counselling, welfare and spiritual...

Written Answers — Prisoner Transfers: Prisoner Transfers (8 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 320 together. Applications for transfer to an alternate facility within the prison estate on health, humanitarian or other grounds are received primarily on the recommendation of the Prison Governor or the therapeutic services in the prisons. The prisoner, their family or their legal representative can also apply for consideration of such a request. As...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (8 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: I have studied the statistics on recorded crimes where the suspected offenders are on bail and I am conscious of public concern about the extent to which offences continue to be committed by persons on bail. I share that concern. A decision to grant bail in a particular case is a matter for the court, which is, subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of its...

Written Answers — Organised Crime: Organised Crime (8 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy will appreciate that organised crime, by its very nature, is constantly evolving and diversifying in both its structures and activities so as to exploit opportunities for criminal gain. Given this, membership of organised crime gangs tends to be fluid and offences committed by members of criminal gangs may or may not be connected with an individual's membership of such gangs. It is...

Written Answers — Prison Escapes: Prison Escapes (8 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: I can inform the Deputy that the information requested relating to the years 2008 to 4 May 2012 is outlined in the following table: Year Number of Absconders 2008 122 2009 133 2010 112 2011 86 2012 (up to 4 May) 33 The term "abscond" refers to a person leaving the confines of an open centre without permission or a person who absconds from the custody of a prison officer while outside...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (8 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 324 and 325 together. The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Commissioner, in consultation with his senior management team, is responsible for the allocation of resources throughout the organisation. This is a function which is carried out in the context of operational strategies in place at a District, Divisional and Regional level. In particular, the...

Written Answers — Organised Crime: Organised Crime (8 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: The emergence in recent years of criminal gangs has had significant implications for the management of Irish prisons. Rivalries and feuds which develop on the outside continue inside of prison. Prison management have to ensure that the various factions are kept apart and, as far as possible, that gang members do not have influence over other inmates or criminal activities outside the...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (8 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: Neither I nor my Department have commissioned any external reports since February 2011.

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (8 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: Since February 2011, there has been no expenditure on external marketing consultants by the Minister of State at my Department, Mr. Paul Kehoe T.D., by my Department or by myself.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: No public servants who retired from my Department or the agencies under its aegis since the 27 February 2012 have been taken back onto my Department's payroll.

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (9 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have requested the CSO to provide statistics directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (9 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: I share the Deputy's concern at the incidence of burglaries and I am conscious of the deep distress which this type of crime can cause to householders, and to the broader impact it can have in terms of fear of crime in our communities. All crime trends are monitored closely by Garda management, with intelligence-led initiatives put in place to target burglary and other criminality. The...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (9 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Community Return Programme is an incentivised scheme introduced in line with the recommendations of the Thornton Hall Project Review Group which provides for earned temporary release under which offenders who pose no threat to the community are offered early temporary release in return for supervised community service. The scheme, which was introduced on a pilot basis last October, is...

Written Answers — Prisoner Transfers: Prisoner Transfers (9 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: 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. The...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (9 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: The current staffing of my Private Office and Constituency offices, and their salary ranges, is as follows: Private Office Salary (as of May 2011 to date) 1 Private Secretary €43,816 - €55,415 + appropriate Private Secretary allowance 3 Executive Officers €30,516 - €47,975 2 Clerical Officers €23,177 - €37,341 2 Special Advisors €80,051 - €98,424 Constituency Office...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (9 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am not aware that my Department has been in the market for the services referred to by the Deputy. The Deputy will appreciate that the information security management systems deployed by the Department for its own systems are a security matter and it would not be appropriate for me to comment further. However, if the Deputy has some specific suggestion in mind perhaps she can get in touch...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (9 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am advised by the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that valid applications for a certificate of naturalisation were received from the persons referred to by the Deputy in May, 2011. The applications are currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicants meet the statutory conditions for the granting of naturalisation...

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (9 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: I can inform the Deputy that the provision of legal aid falls within two separate categories, i.e criminal legal aid and civil legal aid. Details in respect of each category are as follows: Criminal Legal Aid The Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962 provides that free legal aid may be granted, in certain circumstances, for the defence of persons of insufficient means in criminal...

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (9 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: I wish to inform the Deputy that the provision of legal aid falls within two categories, i.e criminal legal aid and civil legal aid. The following is the position in respect of each category: Criminal Legal Aid Under the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962, the Courts, through the judiciary, are responsible for the granting of legal aid. An applicant for legal aid must establish to the...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (9 May 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am advised by the Citizenship Division of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that a valid application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy in February, 2010. The application is currently being processed with a view to establishing whether the applicant meets the statutory conditions for the granting of...