Results 11,461-11,480 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Vote and I have been informed by the Garda authorities that financial cost statements are maintained at District Headquarters level rather than at Garda station level. In the circumstances the Deputy will appreciate that the specific financial information he has sought is not readily available and I understand that the provision...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Districts (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: Local Garda management in the Division and District referred to by the Deputy have been tasked with developing a comprehensive consultation strategy together with a tailored implementation plan that will meet the particular needs of the new Garda District. To this end, they will shortly commence the process of engaging with staff interests and local communities through partnership processes,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I understand the Deputy is referring to exploitation in the form of sex trafficking. The Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act 2008 criminalises the trafficking of persons for the purposes of sexual exploitation. A person found guilty of this offence is liable to life imprisonment. In June of this year, I published a discussion document on the future direction of legislation on...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I wish to advise the Deputy that a sum of €847 was spent on capital works in Waterford during 2011 and to date in 2012.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: No capital funding was allocated by my Department to Waterford for the years in question. Capital funding is allocated internally in my Department for Defence related expenditure only.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations: Motion (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am pleased to report to the select committee on the Defence Forces' participation in UN missions in 2011. The report for 2011 was laid before Dáil Éireann on 5 March 2012 and the following motion has been placed on the Order Paper of Dáil Éireann:That Dáil Éireann approves the Report by the Minister for Defence regarding service by the Defence Forces with the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations: Motion (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: Perhaps we can let members contribute generally.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations: Motion (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: Battlegroups are not up to anything. They are part of the European Common Security and Defence Policy and are in place to provide assistance in emergency peacekeeping, peace enforcement and humanitarian relief. It is important within the context of the EU, where we have common values and beliefs, that the Defence Forces will be equipped to respond appropriately to deal with humanitarian...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations: Motion (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: It is tedious.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations: Motion (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: It is tedious when it is constantly raised. There is ample information available on the purpose of the battlegroups. They have not been engaged but they are there as a stand-by. I agree with Deputy McGrath that I could think of something better to call them than battlegroups, but that is the term we have inherited. They are not about to declare war on anybody or invade any country; nor...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations: Motion (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I should resist the temptation to provoke my colleagues. There is an old legal phrase, res ipsa loquitur, which means "the thing speaks for itself". That is the perception of the Secretary General of NATO. It is not the perception of the European Union, nor is it the objective or purpose for which the battlegroups were formed. I suppose the Secretary General of NATO can have his personal...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations: Motion (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I take the opportunity to wish committee members a very peaceful Christmas and happy new year. I thank the select committee for the work done on defence and justice issues during the course of the year. I am very conscious that we have published a lot of legislation and reports in the past 12 months and that the committee has been put under enormous pressure as a consequence. I thank...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Service by the Defence Forces with the United Nations: Motion (19 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I can only promise to keep the Chairman under the same pressure in 2013.

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Stations (20 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I thank Deputy Ross for raising this issue. I fully appreciate the sensitivities with regard to Garda station closures. While I dealt with the issue at great length in the House during Question Time just over a week ago, this Topical Issue debate provides me once more with an opportunity to set out in clear and unambiguous terms the objectives of the programme of consolidation of the Garda...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Stations (20 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: I assure Deputy Ross I am well able to meet people from my constituency without it being necessary for him to troop them in to me. Deputy Ross well knows he is choosing to ignore what I said earlier. He seems to have a very odd view of policing. He seems to think a large number of members of the Garda Síochána sit in Dundrum Garda station waiting for a call. This is not what...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Stations (20 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: It suited the Deputy to arrange it in that way because it was a crass piece of local party politics-----

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Stations (20 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: -----designed for his own personal benefit-----

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Stations (20 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: -----and designed and intended to create alarm and concern for individuals who have no reason to be alarmed or concerned because what we are doing, and I reiterate it, is using our police resources wisely. No crime is prevented by the existence of bricks and mortar and a garda sitting in a Garda station. Crime is prevented by gardaí being out on the beat, by patrol cars being out and...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Stations (20 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: Obviously I struck a nerve. Deputies Ross and Joe Higgins have a lot in common. They are serial protestors about everything.

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Stations (20 Dec 2012)

Alan Shatter: If Deputy Ross wished me to attend the meeting he could have arranged it and I would have been there.