Results 11,601-11,620 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Garda Reserve. (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I do not know. If there is, it is a matter for the Garda Commissioner, not for me.

Prison Staff. (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Current staffing levels and configurations for each of the prisons were established in the context of the change agreement reached with the Prison Officers Association in 2005. The agreement involved substantial changes to staff deployment, which could only be achieved over time. The staffing level for each prison was determined following an analysis of all the tasks that were required to...

Prison Staff. (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: It is expected that retirements in 2010 will return to levels expected in a normal year of about 100. There are currently 42 recruit prison officers in training and they will be assigned to prisons in January 2010.

Prison Staff. (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: In my answer I gave the figures that showed clearly there is an offset between new recruits and people retiring. It is ironic that I am criticised by Fine Gael, who when they were in office produced not one prison space, whereas since this Government came to place we have produced 1,400.

Prison Staff. (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: This year alone we have put in place 450 prison places. I rest my case.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The commitment given in the Agreed Programme for Government is to "legislate to provide effective remedies for complaints about judicial behaviour, including lay participation in the investigation of complaints". That commitment is reflected in the Government's Legislative Programme published on 16 September 2009. It lists the Judicial Council Bill in relation to which proposals are being...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I can inform the Deputy that following the Government Decision on this matter, all Agencies and areas of my Department were instructed to rigorously implement the 8% reduction in professional fees across the board. The saving from this measure is estimated to be in the region of €3m this year. Furthermore, a range of administrative efficiencies, including procurement efficiencies achieved...

Written Answers — Detention Centres: Detention Centres (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 14 together. In March 2008, the Government approved the development of new national children detention facilities on the Oberstown campus near Lusk, Co. Dublin. This campus is already the site of 3 of the 4 existing children detention schools, the 4th is located at Finglas, Dublin 11. The Government decision was informed by the report of the Expert...

Written Answers — Prison Inspection Reports: Prison Inspection Reports (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The recent report on Mountjoy Prison by the Inspector of Prisons has been considered by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service and his Senior Management Team. A number of the Inspector's recommendations have been implemented or are in the course of being implemented, subject to the availability of resources. The Government has been acutely aware of the limitations of the existing...

Written Answers — Cross-Border Policing Co-operation: Cross-Border Policing Co-operation (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I would like to begin by stating that co-operation between An Garda Síochána and the PSNI has never been better, both in terms of range and quality. The two police forces on the island are working more closely together than ever in the service of the Irish people. I know that the Deputy met with the Garda Commissioner and with officials of my own Department as part of the British-Irish...

Written Answers — Commissions of Investigation: Commissions of Investigation (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: When I received the report last July, I immediately sent it to the Garda Commissioner and the Director of Public Prosecutions. Since then, I have discussed the matter at length with the Commissioner. A number of the perpetrators discussed in the report have already been brought to justice, proceedings are pending against others and a number of investigations are ongoing. The Garda...

Written Answers — Capital Projects: Capital Projects (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: A key element of the criminal justice sector building programme is the provision of a new facility for the Forensic Science Laboratory. Notwithstanding current budgetary constraints, I can assure the House that the project remains a top priority, which is being advanced as expeditiously as possible by the Office of Public Works on behalf of my Department. Having considered the various...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 23 together. As the Deputy may be aware, Section 62 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 was enacted for the purpose of specifically prohibiting a person who is or was a member of the Garda Síochána or of its civilian staff from disclosing information obtained in the course of his or her duties if the person knows the disclosure of that information is...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The new prison campus at Thornton Hall, County Dublin will have a design capacity of 1,400 with operational flexibility to accommodate up to 2,200 offenders in a range of security settings. The revised plan for the new prison campus aims to protect the taxpayers' interests and provide good quality, regime focused accommodation and programmes to prepare offenders for re-integration back into...

Written Answers — Tobacco Smuggling: Tobacco Smuggling (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to advise the Deputy that Operation Samhna resulted in the seizure of contraband cigarettes with an estimated retail value of €46.7 million at Greenore Port Co. Louth in October 2009. The Operation was led by the Revenue Customs Service, and supported by An Garda Síochána, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Irish Naval Service, and the Air Corps. Officers from Her Majesty's Revenue...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my replies to Parliamentary Questions Nos 204 and 205 of 1 December 2009 and my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 171 of 9 December 2009 in which I outlined progress on the review of gambling being undertaken by my Department.

Written Answers — Drug Courts: Drug Courts (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 63 together. My Department has been carrying out a review of the operation of the Drug Treatment Court which is nearing completion. I will arrange to have its outcome communicated to the Deputies in due course.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Amendments to the Road Traffic Act 1961 are the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Transport.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Members of the Garda Síochána are called upon to interact with members of the public on a twenty four hour basis in a wide variety of situations - many of which are unavoidably stressful and contentious. In the vast majority of cases these interactions are handled in an exemplary and professional manner and do not give rise to subsequent difficulty from a litigation point of view....

Written Answers — Legal Services Ombudsman: Legal Services Ombudsman (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: My Department is making arrangements to facilitate the appointment by the Government of a Legal Services Ombudsman in the near future.