Results 13,961-13,980 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The information requested by the Deputy will be included in the Irish Prison Service Annual Report 2009 which is due to be published shortly. I can advise the Deputy that provisional figures collated indicate that the total number of committals to the prison system in 2009 amounted to 15,425 of which 4,806 related to the non-payment of fines. This equates to 31% of the total committals. I can...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that there are currently 63 Gardaí assigned to the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigations. Responsibility for the allocation of personnel rests with the Garda Commissioner, in conjunction with his senior management team. Resource levels are constantly monitored, in conjunction with crime trends and other demands made on An Garda Síochána, and are kept...

Written Answers — Joint Policing Committees: Joint Policing Committees (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Joint Policing Committees are provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Their purpose is to provide a forum where An Garda Síochána and the local authority - the two organisations which make the most significant contribution to preventing and tackling crime in a specific area - can come together, with the participation of members of the Oireachtas and community and voluntary...

Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Smithwick Tribunal was established pursuant to the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921-2002, to enquire into suggestions that members of the Garda Síochána or other employees of the State colluded in the fatal shootings of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and RUC Superintendent Bob Buchanan in 1989. The Tribunal was established by the Oireachtas in May 2005 arising from the...

Written Answers — Commercial Rent Reviews: Commercial Rent Reviews (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 67 of 25 March 2010.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I received today proposals from ADVIC in relation to bail law. I am grateful to ADVIC for these proposals and I look forward to examining them in the context of the preparation of a new Bail Bill. However I should point out that a blanket ban on persons charged with murder applying for bail is unlikely to be compatible with the Constitution or the European Convention on Human Rights. Work...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The number of such persons actually held in custody at any one time for failure to pay fines and civil debts is a minute fraction of the overall prisoner population. To illustrate this point, 0.2% of the prison population on 10 May 2010 fell into this category. I expect the number of committals for non-payment of fines to fall substantially once the Fines Bill 2009 has been enacted and...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that as at the latest date for which completed returns are available, the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána was 14,532. This figure includes 709 probationer Gardaí who have been attested and will graduate over the next six months. On that date there were also 229 unattested students in training. In relation to retirements, around 80...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: In February 2008 the Garda Commissioner established a group to review training and development for garda and civilian staff in the Garda Síochána. The review group, chaired by Mr Pat McLoughlin, formerly a member of the Senior Management of the Health Service Executive, carried out an extensive analysis of the training needs of the organisation and consulted widely with staff across all...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Government Legislation Programme, published on 20 April 2010, indicates that the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010 which will provide, among other matters, for the civil liability of good samaritans, volunteers and volunteer organisations, will be published in the current Dáil Session.

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The law in relation to this matter is being kept under review in the context of preparation of the forthcoming Sale of Alcohol Bill.

Written Answers — Weapons in Prisons: Weapons in Prisons (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that the number of weapons and potential or improvised weapons confiscated in Mountjoy Prison between 1 January 2010 and 2 May 2010 is 127. It should be noted that this number includes any item that may have been used as a weapon, for example, mugs, mops, food trays and sweeping brushes. It is also important to note that in many cases the items confiscated were...

Written Answers — Law Reform: Law Reform (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: There is representation from my Department in the Working Group on Medical Negligence that was established by the President of the High Court on his own initiative. The question of a balance of interests in the membership of the Working Group is a matter for the President. The examination of the law and the making of recommendations for change is not the exclusive preserve of the Law Reform...

Written Answers — Garda Civilianisation: Garda Civilianisation (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 82 together. Increased civilian support for the Garda Síochána does not and never was intended to exclusively take the form of one for one replacement of individual Gardaí with civilians. In some instances, civilianisation does indeed enable the direct replacement of sworn members, who are engaged in exclusively clerical, administrative or technical...

Written Answers — Temporary Release of Prisoners: Temporary Release of Prisoners (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of the case referred to by the Deputy which involves a prisoner serving a prison sentence dating from 20 April, 2007 and whose remission date stands at 10 July, 2010. He has received a variety of concurrent or overlapping sentences for relatively minor offences at various stages throughout his sentence. He is not therefore serving a 10 month sentence as the question suggests. As...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: An Garda Síochána have conducted a number of operations to combat brothel keeping, prostitution and human trafficking and will continue to do so in line with the intelligence available. One example of such operations is the investigation by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, in conjunction with a number of other police forces, which resulted in the apprehension, in...

Written Answers — Treatment of Prisoners: Treatment of Prisoners (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 78 together. As the Deputy is aware Mountjoy Prison is a Victorian prison which is now 160 years old. Redeveloping the existing 20 acre site is neither financially viable nor practical from an operational perspective and this is why I have set out in the clearest possible terms this Government's continued commitment to replacing the Mountjoy Prison...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 80 together. The consultation phase of the major review of gambling which I initiated has now been completed. The review will provide Government with options for a new and comprehensive legal and organisational framework governing the gambling architecture in the State. Three important considerations which are the hallmark of most well-regulated...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that, as of the latest date for which figures are readily available, the total number of Community Gardaí was 1,073. While all Gardaí have responsibility, inter alia, to deal with Community Policing issues as and when they arise, the total number of dedicated Community Gardaí in each Division was as set out in the table which I am circulating with...

Written Answers — Garda Resources: Garda Resources (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner, that following the publication of the Garda Inspectorate Report on Resource Allocation, Deputy Commissioner Strategy and Change Management was appointed to consider the report and to co-ordinate an agreed and pragmatic programme of work to advance the implementation of the twenty-seven recommendations. My officials will work closely with the Garda...