Results 1,521-1,540 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: I am confident that the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016 will provide a comprehensive response to problem drug use in Ireland. The Strategy seeks to tackle the harm caused to individuals and society by the misuse of drugs through a concerted focus on the five pillars of supply reduction, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. This pillar approach is being...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: As the Deputy will be aware, the majority of expenditure allocated through my Department to community groups involved in drugs initiatives is channelled though the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces. Of the total drugs funding in my Department's Vote in 2009, over 92% is targeted at Task Force-related activities. The revised allocation, following the Supplementary Budget in April, for...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 326 together. I am aware of the 2009 Annual Report of the European Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction which was published earlier this month. The drug prevalence figures contained in the report are compiled from the latest figures available for individual countries. In the case of Ireland the figures reflect the outcome of the all-island Drug...
- Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: An Garda SÃochána and Revenue's Customs Service have achieved significant success in relation to the number of drug seizures, and the amount and value of the drugs involved. I congratulate both organisations in this regard. The ongoing co-operation between the two agencies, and their international counterparts, and their focus on an intelligence-led approach, has proven particularly...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 101 together. Funding for community groups from my Department for drugs initiatives in Co. Kildare is channelled through the South Western Area Regional Drugs Task Force (SWRDTF). The amount of funding allocated to SWRDTF in the past three years is as follows: 2007 â¬465,106 2008 â¬1,061,013 2009 â¬1,181,150 The SWRDTF covers South Dublin City,...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: As the Deputy is aware, I launched the Dial to Stop Drug Dealing initiative in September 2008 and the campaigns have been rolled out very successfully in three phases through 15 of the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces. The campaigns ran from October 2008 to July 2009 and Cork City LDTF and the Southern RDTF both launched their campaigns on 23rd March 2008 under the second phase. All...
- Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: Primary responsibility for the matters raised rest with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda Commissioner. Both the Neighbourhood Watch and Community Alert Programmes operate under the aegis of that Department and the Garda SÃochána with the aim supporting community responses to crime prevention. My Department provides funding to community groups to supply...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: The table provides details of funding allocated to the Drugs Task Forces (DTFs) to support projects in their respective areas in 2009 and expenditure to date in 2009. The Deputy should note that, with regard to 2009, the original current funding sum allocated to the DTFs following the April 2009 Budget was â¬32.5m. When carryover from 2008 is taken into account, the net amount required in...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: A total of 14 Local Drugs Task Forces (LDTFs) are currently in operation, of which 12 are located in Dublin while the others are in Bray and Cork. The rest of the country is covered by 10 Regional Drugs Task Forces (RDTFs). I have no proposals at present to change the number of Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces. Action 62 of the National Drugs Strategy 2009-16 provides for a review of...
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: The Deputy will appreciate that there are a number of initiatives in hand which have direct import for the Community Development Programme. Programme Redesign and Structural reform For some time now my Department has seen the need to redesign its community development/social inclusion programmes, particularly the Local Development Social Inclusion and Community Development Programmes, drawing...
- Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: The person concerned applied for asylum on 6 March 2006. In accordance with Section 9 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended), the person concerned was entitled to remain in the State until her application for asylum was decided. Her asylum application was refused following consideration of her case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, the Refugee Appeals...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: I propose taking Questions Nos. 324, 328 and 340 together. I am very aware of the growth in the number of headshops and I have voiced concerns in regard to their activities on numerous occasions. My concerns in relation to their selling of substances that are represented as being "legal highs" or "herbal highs" centre on the potential health hazard arising and the fear that use of these...
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: I refer the Deputy to Question No. 104 answered today, 17th November.
- Written Answers — Charities Regulation: Charities Regulation (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: There are two issues of public concern raised in the Deputy's Question, and I fully share the Deputy's concerns. Firstly, there is the practice of non-charities representing themselves as charities when collecting from the public. Secondly, there is the public nuisance and annoyance that can be caused by undertaking such collections at anti-social hours. Of particular concern and relevance to...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (17 Nov 2009)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 350, 351 and 353 together. The majority of funding provided by my Department in combating drugs is channelled through the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces. The amount for each of the past three years and 2009 is as follows: 2006 â¬41.308m 2007 â¬51.518m 2008 â¬65.207m 2009 to-date â¬36.456m* I am not in a position to say at this stage what...
- Courts and Court Officers Bill 2009: From the Seanad (18 Nov 2009)
John Curran: I thank the Deputies for allowing me to report back to the House at an early stage on the amendments introduced to the Bill on Committee Stage in the Seanad. Before detailing the changes, I wish briefly to reiterate the reasons we are introducing the Bill. The Government's objective in bringing the Bill to the House is to streamline management procedures and provide for the efficient...
- Courts and Court Officers Bill 2009: From the Seanad (18 Nov 2009)
John Curran: The Deputy is correct and I will make one or two comments on that specific point. I acknowledge there was cross-party support for the Bill here and in the Upper House, where I took the legislation. This specific amendment relates to a practice that occurs around Ireland. I acknowledge that the Bill was framed initially around the new court facility being provided. However, it also is...
- Courts and Court Officers Bill 2009: From the Seanad (18 Nov 2009)
John Curran: I acknowledge that. While I accept it is not an ideal situation, the Courts Service is investing considerable resources in improving courthouses around the country. I detailed some of those earlier. The amendment we made in the Seanad applies specifically to Garda stations and the original provisions in the Bill would apply to anything outside that environment.
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (18 Nov 2009)
John Curran: I refer the Deputy to Question No. 104 answered yesterday, 17 November 2009.
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (18 Nov 2009)
John Curran: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos. 52, 63 and 110 on 17 November 2009.