Results 14,601-14,620 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Prison Staff: Prison Staff (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am advised by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that the 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...

Written Answers — Prison Staff: Prison Staff (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: In the time available it has not been possible to compile the details requested by the Deputy. I will be in contact with the Deputy when the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Prison Staff: Prison Staff (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am advised by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that there has been a welcome and significant decrease in the level of sickness absence in the Irish Prison Service since 2005. The number of sick leave days taken in the Prison Service has dropped from 81,503 in 2005 to 58,515 in 2009, a decrease of 22,988 days. It is worth noting that the sick days per capita rate decreased...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy is aware the Courts are independent in the exercise of their functions and they decide on the appropriate sentence following conviction for any particular crime. The Community Service Scheme provides a very useful disposal option for the courts and one I hope will be used more in the future. In fact, the operation of this scheme was the subject of an independent review which I...

Written Answers — Ground Rents Abolition: Ground Rents Abolition (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The position is that Part III of the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) (No. 2) Act 1978 already contains a statutory scheme whereby any individual may, at reasonable cost, acquire the fee simple in their dwelling house. The scheme is operated by the Property Registration Authority. I should add that a landlord is statute barred from claiming more than 6 years arrears of ground rent and...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I can inform the Deputy that no Government run canteens, commercially run cafes or restaurants are operating in Government buildings in my Department with the exception of the Irish Prisons Service, the Courts Service and An Garda Síochána as set out below. The Irish Prison Service (IPS) operate one Government run canteen at the Irish Prison Service Training Centre, Beladd, Portlaoise....

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 245 of 5th May, 2010. The position remains unchanged. To date EU Treaty Rights Section has not received a satisfactory reply from the applicant or their legal representative.

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the area referred to is in the Clontarf Sub-District. Local Garda management is aware of anti-social behaviour in the area, which has been designated as a public order hot-spot. One Sergeant and six Gardaí are attached to the Community Policing Unit at Clontarf Garda Station. These community Gardaí liaise with the local community and business...

Written Answers — Foreign Students: Foreign Students (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: While the particular information sought by the Deputy is not readily available nor maintained by the immigration authorities, the available statistical information, as set out below, may be of interest. Table 1 outlines the total number of students registered in Ireland for the years 2006 to 2009. Table 2 provides a snap shot of the position as of 11 March 2010 for non-EEA Students by...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I must advise the Deputy that during the period concerned electronic records were not maintained in such a way as to facilitate the extraction of the details requested.

Written Answers — Coroners Service: Coroners Service (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The coroner is an independent office holder with responsibility under the law for the medico-legal examination of sudden, unexplained, violent or unnatural deaths. In certain such cases, a post-mortem examination may be required. It generally takes some weeks or months before the report is received by the coroner, due to the factors involved. In this case, I understand from the Galway...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As the name and reference number supplied by the Deputy do not match, it is not possible to definitively identify the person to whom the Deputy is referring in her Question. However, if the Deputy wishes to re-submit her Question with the correct details included, I will be happy to provide a substantive response.

Written Answers — Missing Children: Missing Children (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being researched by the Garda authorities. I will contact the Deputy when the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I have requested a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the matter referred to by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy again when the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Six members of staff in my Department are supplied with credit cards where the outstanding balances are paid directly by the Department to enable them to procure goods and services as part of their official responsibilities. The average annual expenditure limit on these cards is €8,500. Accurate information on detailed expenditure on these cards is not readily available prior to 2008, but...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I assume that the Deputy is referring to payments under the high level scheme of performance-related awards in Semi-State or Non-Commercial State-Sponsored Bodies under the aegis of my Department. There is only one such body, the Legal Aid Board, and awards were made to its Chief Executive in 2008 in respect of 2007 and in 2007 in respect of 2006. No awards were made in respect of 2008 or...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: There have been three Special Advisors employed in my Department over the period since June 2007. Ms Cathy Herbert was appointed Special Advisor by my predecessor on 14 June 2007 and held the position up to 6 May 2008. I appointed Mr Ciarán Ó Cuinn (Programme Manager) and Mr Richard Moore (Press Advisor) on 7 May 2008. Special Advisors are entitled to claim travel and subsistence...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Sex Offenders Act 2001, which includes provisions relating to the registration of sex offenders, post-release supervision of sex offenders and sex offender orders, is being evaluated as part of a major review of the criminal law governing sexual offences. I will first have to seek Government approval before I publicly give details of my legislative proposals. However, speaking generally,...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the visa applications referred to have been approved.

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (22 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I can inform the Deputy that under the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, the Property Registration Authority (PRA) was established as and from 4 November, 2006. The PRA replaces the Registrar of Deeds and Titles as the registering authority in relation to property registration in Ireland and, subject to the above Act, is independent in the performance of its functions. The Deputy...