Results 8,501-8,520 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Garda Recruitment. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: -----with 14,900. Regarding the numbers for this year, 1,100 gardaí will come out spread over the four quarters of this year. At the last passing out in Templemore 263 gardaí passed out. That will continue for most of 2010. Ultimately, the figures will die down because of the lower intake, which we must do in the context of the budgetary situation. I stand on my record. When Deputy...

Garda Recruitment. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte did not listen to the answer. I said the moratorium applies to all levels of the public sector, including the Garda Síochána-----

Garda Recruitment. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: -----but a case will be made from the Garda Commissioner through me to the Department of Finance in respect of senior managerial posts because we fully accept that if people are retiring at a higher level there must be a replacement.

Asylum Applications. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I attach a high level of priority to ensuring that asylum applications are dealt with fairly and as quickly as possible, so as to minimise the cost to the State. Processing times and scheduling arrangements are kept under ongoing review by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, ORAC, and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, RAT, with a view to limiting the amount of time applicants...

Asylum Applications. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: It is not for me to dictate to the President of the High Court the allocation of judicial resources, which is a matter for him.

Asylum Applications. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The President of the High Court has allocated two additional judges since the start of 2009 to the asylum list, so there are four judges now dealing with these cases. I welcome the Deputy's complimentary words regarding ORAC and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Some 90% of asylum applications are ultimately seen to be unfounded and a third of those people claiming asylum reveal an immigration...

Asylum Applications. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Substantial resources have been already allocated in respect of this area.

Asylum Applications. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The main reason behind the delays in people's applications being processed is because there are many hurdles which must be must traversed before finality is achieved. As soon as the relevant Bill, Committee Stage of which is complete and which, I hope, will soon reach Report Stage, is passed, there will be a much more streamlined application process in place.

Asylum Applications. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Under the new process, there will be less scope for people to go before the courts seeking judicial reviews. A major difficulty is that review after review can take place and obviously people must be accommodated. The representative of the UNHCR in Ireland has indicated that the legislation to which I refer is model legislation. The representative also stated that our existing system is a...

Asylum Applications. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: This matter will be fast-tracked when the complicated legislation to which I refer has been passed.

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The killing of Roy Collins is deplored by all right-thinking people and our sympathy is with his family and friends. The killing remains under active investigation by An Garda Síochána in Limerick, with assistance being provided, as required, by Garda national support services. A number of persons have been arrested and detained in the course of the investigation. One person has been...

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I hope to go to Government on the other measures soon. I welcome the support of Members of the House, particularly on the necessity for the use of these special arrangements. It must be said the courts in Limerick have been successful in gaining prosecutions because, thankfully, people have come forward. The success rate of prosecutions for gangland crime is better in Limerick than...

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Having said that, I believe, as does the House, that recent events, not least the murders of Shane Geoghegan and Roy Collins, were an affront to society and to those decent people who were prepared to come forward to give evidence. The State must respond and that is why we are fast-tracking surveillance legislation in the wake of the murder of Shane Geoghegan and the recent murders in the...

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The legislation will be taken next week or the week after that. There is a convention that we must allow for a two week time lag, as the Opposition always reminds us. I would like to introduce the legislation next week but people must have an opportunity to look at the implications of the Bill.

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: It is complex legislation.

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Government approved the Bill, subject to some minor drafting, before the murder of Roy Collins. With regard to the additional measures, I believed, after consultation with the Attorney General, my Department, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Defence, Deputy O'Dea, they were necessary in view of what has happened in recent weeks. I strongly suggest, in the context of potentially moving...

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: If there are people who are in fear of intimidation, and I understand from the Garda, the Minister, Deputy O'Dea, and others that there is intimidation of witnesses and jurors, particularly in the context of recent events, and even though we recently changed the legislation relating to the issue of intimidation of witnesses, I am prepared to increase the penalties to more than ten years....

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: It is the case that there was a change of view in the Garda Síochána, and that long predated the murders of Shane Geoghegan and Mr. Collins. It has to be accepted that for decades the Garda has been using electronic surveillance. Obviously, it is being used to a certain extent without statutory authority. Gardaí have been limited in what they can do given the prohibition in the...

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Again, there is no change of heart with regard to any of those matters. What we are examining more intensely is the issue of directing a criminal organisation, which is not covered in existing legislation, and to mirror, in effect, the offences that were introduced after 1998 and the Omagh bombing. That is what we propose to do. There has been a ratcheting up of attacks on and intimidation...

Proposed Legislation. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Law Reform Commission has included a review of the law on juries in its "Third Programme of Law Reform 2008-2014". The Government will, of course, be considering in due course the recommendations made by the commission, including those relating to the composition of juries. Part 6 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 has already made a number of amendments to the Juries...