Results 13,181-13,200 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (24 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I have no function in relation to the application for the issue of a European Arrest Warrant. This is a matter for the Garda authorities in consultation with the Director of Public Prosecutions. Under the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003, as amended, a court may, upon application made by or on behalf of the DPP, issue a European Arrest Warrant...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (24 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: In accordance with section 7 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Síochána is statutorily required to provide policing services for the State with the objective of, inter alia, preserving peace and good order, protecting life and property and preventing crime. The ongoing policing operation in north County Mayo meets these objectives. The Garda Síochána Act 2005 established the...

Sexual Offences. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Sex Offenders Act 2001 contains a comprehensive series of provisions aimed at protecting children and other persons. The Act makes persons convicted of a range of sexual offences subject to notification requirements in Part 2. These requirements also extend to any offenders convicted abroad of the same range of sexual offences who enter the State, including from Northern Ireland. The...

Sexual Offences. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As I said in my reply, both Governments signed a memorandum of understanding in 2006. In fact, I was the Minister for Foreign Affairs at the time. Together with the British Northern Secretary, Peter Hain, I signed that document to bring together the know-how and contacts between both jurisdictions. It is the desire of the Government, the British Government and the Northern Ireland Executive...

Sexual Offences. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I would not like it to go out from the House that there is no post-release supervision in this jurisdiction. There is very substantial supervision by the Garda under the terms of the sex offenders register. Section 10 requires certain notification aspects. In addition, the Garda Síochána operates a domestic violence and sexual assault unit which oversees the notification and...

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: My views on the question of a referendum on blasphemy are as stated in the House during the debate on 20 May 2009 on Committee Stage of the Defamation Bill 2006. I clearly stated that I hoped the matter could be addressed by referendum at a suitable opportunity in the near future. In debates on the Bill in this House, I explained the nature of the constitutional obligation imposed, not just...

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: It is not for me to decide here on the floor of the House whether I should hold a referendum. That is a matter for Government to propose and for the Oireachtas to dispose of. The Government has no plans to hold a referendum on blasphemy in the immediate future. However, as the Deputy knows, the programme for Government did indicate the possibility of referendums on a number of issues being...

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: No, I did not.

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: To answer the first part of the Deputy's question, the last words of my original reply to the House were: "I would be happy to propose to the Government a referendum on blasphemy at the appropriate time." I did say that, given the fact that the programme for Government indicated there would be two or three referendums in the lifetime of the Government, if memory serves, it may be appropriate...

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am sorry?

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: No; I referred to the referendum taking place at the appropriate time.

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: No decision has been made in that respect. As the Deputy knows, having been in Government for a short time-----

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: -----a Minister cannot make such a decision in the House. It must be made by Government. To come to the second part of the Deputy's question about how we would deal with the article in the Constitution - whether to remove it altogether and say nothing on the subject, or go along with the recommendations of the Joint Committee on the Constitution - all of these things will be taken into...

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: No, I am sorry-----

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I just want to indicate what the Deputy said in the committee.

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am not filibustering. Deputy Flanagan said on 25 May, on Committee Stage-----

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I asked him a direct question about whether it is Fine Gael policy to have a referendum on blasphemy at the same time as the referendum on the Lisbon treaty and he said he was not saying that.

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am just making the point that there was a suggestion, back at that time, that we would tack it on to the Lisbon treaty referendum. The wiser-----

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: No, it was not from me - absolutely. The Deputy agreed with any suggestion-----

Referendum on Blasphemy. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: That suggestion was out in the ether-----