Results 13,981-14,000 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Electronic Monitoring: Electronic Monitoring (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The introduction of a pilot to test the technology used in electronic monitoring and its suitability for application in this jurisdiction is not linked in any way to Probation resources. In relation to Electronic Monitoring I have asked my officials to examine how best we might make use of this technology. As the Deputy will be aware the provisions in the Criminal Justice Act 2006 allows for...

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

Dermot Ahern: The Dóchas Centre, which accommodates the majority of female prisoners in Ireland, was purpose built and specifically designed for women and is recognised internationally as a model of best practice with extensive rehabilitative programmes and courses available for the female prisoners accommodated there. However, since the facility was opened it regularly accommodates prisoner numbers in...

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

Dermot Ahern: I am advised by the Garda authorities that all personnel in An Garda Síochána are subject to the Garda Síochána's Security Policy for the use of Information and Communications Technology, including portable data devices and the transfer of electronic data, which states that only information and communication technology equipment supplied by the ICT Division and or Procurement Section of...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 87 together. The Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have requested the CSO to provide statistics directly to the Deputies.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: A number of the measures in the Special Group Report (McCarthy) have been implemented at this stage in order to achieve reductions in the Departments Estimates for 2010. These relate to the programmes in a range of subheads which include Gender Mainstreaming, Graffiti Removal Operations, Equality Monitoring Consultative Committees, European Refugee Fund and Refugee Integration. The McCarthy...

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

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that on 10 May 2010 there were 4,214 prisoners in custody. The breakdown of the population per prison is listed in the table below: Prison/Place of Detention Persons in Custody Arbour Hill Prison 154 Castlerea Prison 367 Cloverhill Prison 474 Cork Prison 296 Dóchas Centre 123 Limerick Prison (male) 312 Limerick Prison (female) 25 Loughan House 144...

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

Dermot Ahern: There are now 562 attested Reserve Gardaí with an additional 101 student Reserves in training, who will attest between July 2010 and November 2010 having successfully completed 4 phases of their training. I am circulating with this answer a list of the Garda stations to which Reserve Gardaí are attached. The Agreed Programme for Government has set a target strength for the Reserve at 10% of...

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

Dermot Ahern: As the House will be aware, necessary consultations with the judiciary on the details of my proposals for a Judicial Council Bill have been ongoing for some time. I am happy to report that there has been renewed progress in these consultations in recent weeks. Following a Plenary Meeting of the judiciary on 8 May 2010, the Chief Justice has indicated the welcome and support of the judiciary...

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

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that largely as a result of a rigorous regime of searches at the entry point of the prison the number of mobile phones seized in Mountjoy Prison from 1 January 2010 to 2 May 2010 was 351. Section 36 of the Prisons Act 2007, which was brought into operation on 1 May, 2007, makes it an offence for prisoners to have unauthorised possession of or use of mobile...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Working Group to which the Deputy refers has met on four occasions since its establishment with the most recent meeting having taken place earlier this week. The membership of the Group is reflective of the stakeholders in this area. Furthermore, I understand that the Group has invited submissions from the public on the matters covered by its terms of reference and that a number of...

Written Answers — Magdalene Laundries: Magdalene Laundries (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Research has indicated that a small proportion of entrants to Magdalen laundries came through the criminal justice system. Under the Probation of Offenders Act 1907, a person found to have committed a criminal offence may be made subject to a probation order under which the offender is released on entering a recognizance to be of good behaviour and subject to conditions. The duration of the...

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The total amount paid to solicitors and barristers under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme in 2009 was €37m and €20m respectively. Regulations provide that no fee is payable to a solicitor in respect of any day on which the hearing consists only of an application for adjournment made, in the opinion of the court, for the solicitor's convenience. Data cannot easily be extracted in relation to...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The legal basis for Council Directive 2003/9/EC of 27 January 2003, laying down minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers (Reception Conditions Directive), is Article 63 of the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC). Accordingly, the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty Protocol on the position of Ireland and the United Kingdom in relation to matters relating to asylum...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have requested the CSO to provide statistics directly to the Deputy. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the areas referred to are subject to regular...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The person concerned applied for asylum on 10 July 2006. In accordance with Section 9 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended), the person concerned was entitled to remain in the State until his application for asylum was decided. His asylum application was refused following consideration of his case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, the Refugee Appeals...

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

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 148 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that there are 349 locations on the Garda Information Systems (GIS) network, which includes access to PULSE, Fixed Charge Processing System (FCPS), Automatic Fingerprint Information System (AFIS) and Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB). These locations provide approximately 87% of Garda...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: There is a specific statutory offence of intimidation of members of a jury. Section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1999 makes it an offence to harm or threaten or in any other way intimidate or put in fear another person who is assisting in the investigation by An Garda Síochána of an offence, or is a witness or potential witness or a juror or potential juror in proceedings for an offence,...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table sets out the numbers of persons reported missing each year since 1975 and who remain untraced up to and including 7 May, 2010: Year Missing Year Missing Year Missing 1975 15 1987 11 1999 15 1976 11 1988 16 2000 15 1977 13 1989 9 2001 60 1978 12 1990 10 2002 76 1979 7 1991 11 2003 61 1980 15 1992 7 2004 55 1981 14 1993 9...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Recorded crime statistics for 2009 published by the Central Statistics Office show a reduction in nine of the 14 crime groups for which statistics are given, compared with 2008. Significant decreases in the numbers of cases of manslaughter and dangerous driving leading to death contributed to a fall in homicide offences of 10.1% during 2009. There were also welcome decreases in public order...

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

Dermot Ahern: On 10 May, 2010 there were 4,214 persons in custody compared to a bed capacity of 4,066. As the Deputy will appreciate the Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the Courts into its custody and do not have the option of refusing committals. Overcrowding in prisons is an international problem and is not unique to Ireland. It is the case that there has been a consistent...