Results 11,021-11,040 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Prison Visiting Committees (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: New arrangements have already been established with regard to a complaints system. On the question of meeting former prisoners, in the preparation of his report on St. Patrick's Institution, the Inspector of Prisons not only visited the prison at various unexpected times of the day and night, including at weekends, but went to the trouble of meeting former prisoners from St. Patrick's...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I remain in ongoing contact with the Garda Commissioner about all aspects of serious crime and I can assure the House that the Garda authorities will continue to bear down heavily on the activities of those involved in gangland crime, including criminal terrorists. I am aware of the US report to which the Deputy refers, and it confirms our long-standing knowledge of the involvement of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy, sadly, is addicted to soundbite politics.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: If the Deputy had listened-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I have been asked questions, but I cannot respond if the gentlemen feels the need to keep on shouting at me.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: If the Deputy wants an answer to his questions, perhaps he might do me the courtesy of staying quiet while I am replying.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: If the Deputy was listening to my reply, he would have noticed that in the context of the success of An Garda Síochána, whereas there were drugs seized in 2011 to a value of €65 million, in the first three quarters of 2012 the figure came to €90.4 million. The Garda has had an exceptionally successful year in targeting organised crime, those engaged in the sale of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: We have similar numbers in the Garda Síochána to the numbers in 2007. Is the Deputy suggesting the Garda was not up to the job in that year? We have more members of An Garda Síochána today than we had at the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. An additional 213 Garda vehicles were purchased this year at a cost of €4 million. At a time of financial...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: When I entered government, the Defence Forces had been-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy is at it again. He cannot resist.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Deputy cannot resist.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I know the truth is irritating, but the Deputy might let me finish.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I know the Deputy is upset when I tell the truth, but he might let me finish.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: When I entered government and had the privilege of being appointed Minister for Justice and Equality and Defence, I discovered in the defence area that the way funding had been allocated by the Deputy's predecessors in government was to make a pretence of the amount available for the current members of the Defence Forces when in reality the Defence Forces were heading towards a position where...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: In the context of An Garda Síochána, the previous Government tied us to a position where we would be honour bound to reduce expenditure-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Gangland Killings (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: -----and a commitment was given that by the end of 2013 numbers in An Garda Síochána would reduce to 13,000. If the Deputy wants to be in denial, it does not matter how loud he shouts at me. These are the facts.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The delivery of a policing service is the statutory responsibility of the Garda Síochána and I have full confidence in its capacity to deliver that service efficiently and effectively. Where necessary, the Garda Síochána is assisted in carrying out certain specific duties by members of the Defence Forces in fulfilment of the role assigned to the Defence Forces to provide...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I put it to the Deputy that the members of the Defence Forces have specific training and capabilities and it is important that they use those capabilities in appropriate circumstances. Members of the Defence Forces are not trained in the prevention and detection of crime. The training provided to members of An Garda Síochána is quite different from that provided to members of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I caution the Deputy about talking about fear and terror. Let us get back to the discussion of the closure of Garda stations. Some 94% of the stations that have closed were open for no more than three hours and the vast majority of these were only open in the morning. They made no contribution of significance to crime prevention by their presence. The vast majority of burglaries take...

Other Questions: Equality Issues (11 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I can provide absolute assurance to persons with potential discrimination claims under employment equality legislation and equal status legislation that they will, on the merger of the Equality Tribunal into the new workplace relations service, continue to be able to pursue formal complaints before the new body and that these complaints will be dealt with as effectively as by the Equality...