Results 10,441-10,460 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Criminal Law (Home Defence) Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Section 4 of the Bill purports to exonerate an occupier from any liability in tort for any harm done, whether serious or not, to a trespasser when the factors set out in section 7 apply. Such a provision would affect the delicate balance in the existing law on the liability of occupiers in respect of the duties owed to those entering their property. This would constitute a significant...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (17 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that, as of the latest date for which figures are readily available, the personnel strength of the stations referred to by the Deputy was as set out in the following table. The number of gardaí dedicated to Community policing is also shown in the table. Coolock Raheny Howth Total Strength 115 73 42 Community Gardaí (included in Total Strength)...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (17 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of Gardaí who have retired from the Force, both voluntarily and on age grounds, to-date in 2009 is 351. Some 200 trainees have been recruited to the Garda Training College since the start of 2009 and the moratorium on recruitment in the public service currently applies to An Garda Síochána.

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (17 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the area referred to where the incident referred to by the Deputy took place is within the Coolock Garda Sub-District. The incident is being fully investigated by the Gardaí at Coolock Garda Station. I am also informed that the investigating Garda has been in contact with the injured party and has updated him in relation to the ongoing...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (17 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that, as of the latest date for which figures are readily available, the personnel strength of the stations referred to by the Deputy was as set out in the following table. Leixlip District Carbury 5 Celbridge 19 Kilcock 8 Leixlip 34 Maynooth 14 Total District Strength 80 Naas District Ballymore Eustace 1 Clane 9 Kilcullen 4 Kill 3...

Prison Accommodation. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that as of 17 September 2009 there were 3,947 permanent beds available in the prison system. On the same day there were 3,904 prisoners in custody. This represented an occupancy level of 99%. The table circulated with this reply provides a breakdown of the population of each prison and place of detention. There has been a consistent increase in the total...

Prison Accommodation. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: There is no massaging of figures and I get a daily update of numbers, which I ask for, from officials. As of 22 September, the occupancy rate is 99% and the figure for those on temporary release is 545. That is in the region of 12% or 13%. There is a difficulty in our prisons and that is one of the reasons I have moved very rapidly to ensure we get as many prison spaces as possible. I...

Prison Accommodation. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I want our prison spaces to be used purely and simply for those who deserve to be imprisoned.

Prison Accommodation. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Temporary release has always been part of sentence management in the Prison Service.

Prison Accommodation. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: It is ironic that in the past I was berated for trying to promote the building of a prison at Thornton Hall. I am glad, however, that the Deputy now appears to accept the need to replace Mountjoy with a prison at that location. I had been under the impression that he and Fine Gael were opposed to the building of a prison at Thornton Hall. I deserve at least some credit for the fact that...

Prison Accommodation. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: -----and court hearings, there has been an unprecedented increase in the number of prisoners.

Prison Accommodation. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: This is due to the success of our law enforcement agencies. Ultimately, we must respond to this development. I accept that the practice of imprisoning people for the non-payment of fines should end. In effect, many of those individuals are brought to Mountjoy or elsewhere, a great deal of paperwork is done and they are released within 24 hours.

Prison Accommodation. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: This is not acceptable and I have informed my officials of that fact. I want us to reach a situation where-----

Prison Accommodation. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: They are and a number of them would be included in the overall figures. It is important that the House should send out a strong signal that it does not want people to be imprisoned for the non-payment of fines. We must consider other ways of collecting fines.

Criminal Prosecutions. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: All sections of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 are in operation. The Garda Commissioner has informed me that compiling statistics in respect of Part 4 of the Act, which deals with detentions and arrest, would require an examination of manual records and thus require a disproportionate expenditure of Garda time and resources. The House will be aware that, prior to a renewal of the...

Criminal Prosecutions. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am of the view that the Deputy may, perhaps, suffer from a misapprehension with regard to how legislation is enacted. The legislation in question was only brought into force on 23 July. The Deputy and others said that we should not pass this legislation and that there should be further analysis and discussion in respect of it. He stated that the courts would not be sitting in July and...

Criminal Prosecutions. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte is doing the House a disservice because he is well aware of the answer to his question, namely, that there have been no prosecutions to date under the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act, which only came into force on 23 July.

Criminal Prosecutions. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am astounded. For someone who is a spokesperson on justice and who should have some experience on how court cases are managed and Garda files are put together, the Deputy shows total ignorance as to how a court action is prepared. The Deputy must be doing so tongue in cheek because he is well aware that within a month or two of the passage of legislation, particularly of this magnitude...

Criminal Prosecutions. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: It is the case that in respect of-----

Criminal Prosecutions. (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I was not briefing the newspapers.