Results 1,381-1,400 of 4,700 for speaker:Noel Ahern

National Drugs Strategy. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I accept that when the drugs problem emerged, the drugs strategy was developed and the task forces were set up, the focus was on heroin in disadvantaged areas of Dublin. Cocaine has always been used but the drug was inclined to be used by the more professional classes. However, as the Deputy said, the price of cocaine has reduced significantly and the use of the drug is the major problem now....

National Drugs Strategy. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I agree with most of the Deputy's comments and I accept cocaine use is a major problem. The task forces and the national drugs strategy team are trying to make people aware of the dangers of cocaine use. The Department of Health and Children runs awareness campaigns, including a cocaine specific campaign. Cocaine is a dangerous substance with significant side effects, particularly heart...

Charitable Trusts. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: The Deputy's first question was whether it would be made public. All the previous consultation documents and independent reports have been made public. There is a special charities webpage where all those documents have been posted. I am sure the same will apply this time. The Law Reform Commission will publish the report. As regards the dates, I hope that I did not predict the early ones.

Charitable Trusts. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Whoever did that was a bit premature. We are, however, working at full speed and there is no delay within the Department. We hope to have the legislation out by next summer, all being well. It is a major legislation that will have over 200 sections but problems and delays can arise at different stages. Various Departments are involved and sometimes it can be difficult to get time for the...

Charitable Trusts. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Late spring or early summer, whatever the Deputy likes. That is the target, but whether it will be on 30 April or 1 May, that is the general area. There is no point in giving specific dates.

Charitable Trusts. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: We are working on the general scheme of the Bill which we hope will go to Government in January. All going well, I think the target I have mentioned is realisable.

Charities Legislation. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91, 95 and 104 together. Evidence suggests that the majority of charities in Ireland operate for the public good. However, it is vital for public trust and confidence in the sector to be safeguarded and maintained. Clearly, the lack of a regulatory regime leaves the sector vulnerable to abuses. In An Agreed Programme for Government, there is a clear commitment...

Charities Legislation. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I am not responsible, nor are the officials in the charity unit in the Department, for anything that should have happened over the past 40 years. The legislation has not been abandoned. The charity unit was only set up in 2003 and the officials based there are working to the best of their ability on this matter. They are doing great work. It is a small unit that is most effective. I want to...

Charities Legislation. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Once it is published I hope we can make a great deal of progress on it. I and everybody in the unit are committed to getting this done as quickly as possible. I hope the estimate I gave is accurate but delays are possible. We are following the programme for Government. At various times the charities issue came under the remit of the Department of Social and Family Affairs and subsequently the...

Charities Legislation. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I wish the Deputy would listen to me. I said that what we are doing in the Department is bringing in new legislation to update the law on charities and introduce a proper regulatory regime. The sector is unregulated, there is no body with the specific aim of supervision and there is no registration. While the Revenue Commissioners issue tax exemption certificates, this is not registration,...

Charities Legislation. (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I note the Deputy's concerns and his offer. I will take up the offer at the appropriate time and consult him when we are discussing the specifics. Thus far, people outside the House have been happy with and supportive of the proposed Bill, although I am sure that when it is published and we are dealing with the specifics, some groups will not be happy with every provision therein. I thank the...

Written Answers — Voluntary Sector: Voluntary Sector (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 133 together. I refer the Deputy to my response to Questions Nos. 305 and 308 on 8 March 2005, in which I outlined a package of measures to provide support for volunteering. The measures were redesigned to deepen and strengthen the existing volunteering infrastructure, to develop and expand volunteering infrastructure at local and community level, to...

Written Answers — Drug Use: Drug Use (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 134 together. As Deputies are aware, my Department has overall responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the national drugs strategy 2001-08. The strategy contains 108 individual actions to be implemented by a range of Departments and agencies. As I have outlined to this House on a number of occasions, I am confident that, through the...

Written Answers — Drug Treatment Programme: Drug Treatment Programme (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 114 together. As the Deputies may be aware, rehabilitation emerged as a key issue during the mid-term review of the national drugs strategy. The conclusion of the steering group overseeing the review, with which I agree, was that the strategy's rehabilitation provisions needed to be strengthened and expanded, particularly in light of the significant...

Written Answers — Charities Regulation: Charities Regulation (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Priority Question No. 89 of today.

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: My Department advertised the scheme of community support for older people in April of this year, which is more than three months in advance of the previous year's scheme. I have approved the first tranche of funding to some one hundred applicant groups earlier this month, which has enabled earlier payments than in previous years. Assessment of the remaining applications is in progress and...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I have responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the national drugs strategy, which is implemented by a range of Departments and agencies. My area of responsibility also covers the national drugs strategy team, NDST, which oversees the work of the local and regional drugs task forces and the national advisory committee on drugs, NACD. The 14 local drugs task forces, LDTFs,...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my response to Question No. 117 of today.

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: Total expenditure in 2005 to date in respect of the various programmes administered by my Department is in the region of €214 million. Included in this figure is €6.6 million expenditure under the rural social scheme which derives from dormant accounts funds. The spend from dormant accounts on the rural social scheme represents approximately 3% of total expenditure. For the avoidance of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (26 Oct 2005)

Noel Ahern: My Department does not have detailed information on the number of bedsit units in the local authority housing stock. However, the number of such units is likely to be very small as local authorities have not constructed bedsit accommodation for many years. My Department's current social housing design guidelines indicate that local authorities should provide dwellings with separate...