Results 15,461-15,480 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (29 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I have already initiated change in bankruptcy law by way of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2010 by (a) reducing the application period to the court for discharge from bankruptcy from 12 years to 6 years, as recommended by the Law Reform Commission in its interim report on Personal Debt Management and Debt Enforcement,and (b) providing for the automatic discharge of bankruptcies...

Order of Business (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I hope so.

Written Answers — Guardianship Rights: Guardianship Rights (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Under the law as it stands, in section 11B of the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964, as inserted by section 9 of the Children Act 1997, a grandparent, not being a testamentary guardian, may apply to the court to obtain an order of access to his or her grandchild. Certain conditions apply to the right to apply for and to obtain the access order. As part of its Third Programme of Law Reform...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The person concerned is the subject of a Deportation Order since 2003 and has been evading his deportation for most of the intervening period. On 7 May 2010, an application to have the Deportation Order revoked, pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 (11) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), was received from the legal representative of the person concerned. This application is under...

Written Answers — Closed Circuit Television Systems: Closed Circuit Television Systems (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Community-based CCTV Scheme was launched in 2005 to provide financial assistance towards the capital costs of establishing a community CCTV system. To date two major rounds of this Scheme have been advertised, in 2005 and 2007. I am advised by Pobal, who administer the Scheme on behalf of my Department, that no application for Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo has been received. Any further plans...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Immigration Division of my Department that the person concerned made an application for residence in the State based on his marriage to a British national on 30 April, 2010. Applications based on EU Treaty Rights are processed within a six month time frame. A decision will issue to the applicant in due course.

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that the premises he particularly refers to in Dublin 7 are the property of the Commissioners of Public Works and have been made available at no cost to the Irish Prison Service. I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that plans are at an advanced stage to undertake a comprehensive refurbishment of the premises. The principal reason for redevelopment is to...

Written Answers — Prison Service: Prison Service (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The information sought by the Deputy in relation to costs paid for from my Department's budget are as follows: The average cost of an available, staffed prison space during the calendar year 2009 was €77,222 (€92,717 in 2008), a decrease on the 2008 cost of €15,495 or 16.7%. The decrease in average cost is attributed to the following two factors: a decrease in total costs of €17.7...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of student Gardaí currently training in Templemore Garda College is 9. I have been further informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength of the Garda Reserve, on the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 629 with a further 99 in training. The Government has set a target strength for the...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. In managing its portfolio of accommodation, the RIA must ensure value for money in balancing the demand for, and supply of, asylum seeker accommodation. Adjustments to the portfolio are made with the...

Written Answers — Gangland Crime: Gangland Crime (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am advised by An Garda Síochána that they have been fully utilising the provisions of the legislation in question and to date eight persons have been charged with offences of membership of a criminal gang under the legislative provisions introduced in 2009, and are before the Courts. In addition a significant number of files arising in the context of that legislation are with the...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that during the period 1 January, 1998 to 26 September, 2010, the most recent date for which figures are available, 203 murders involving a firearm were recorded. All cases of murder where proceedings have not yet been taken remain under active investigation. The detection rate by its nature increases over time as Garda investigations progress. It is...

Written Answers — Prisoner Statistics: Prisoner Statistics (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that on 28th September 2010 there were 282 life sentenced prisoners in custody.

Written Answers — Prisoner Statistics: Prisoner Statistics (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that on 27 September 2010 the number of persons serving sentences of one year or less was 635. It is not possible to provide figures to the Deputy on whether these persons had previously served a similar sentence in a prison or a place of detention without the manual examination of all their individual records. This would require a disproportionate and inordinate...

Written Answers — Prison Education Service: Prison Education Service (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 231 and 232 together. The number of authorised posts in education and training areas for each of the prisons is set out in the table below. Institution Education (Wholetime Equivalents) Work and Training Arbour Hill 10.05 14 Castlerea 16.23 20 Cloverhill 8.00 13 Cork 19.10 15 Dóchas 7.00 7 Loughan House 9.52 9 Limerick 16.05 17 Midlands 34.20 29...

Written Answers — Prison Drug Treatment Services: Prison Drug Treatment Services (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am glad to have the opportunity to set out for the Deputy and the House the range of initiatives ongoing within the Irish Prison System to assist offenders to tackle their drug problems. Firstly, as the Deputy will be aware the Irish Prison Service launched its s Drugs Policy & Strategy, entitled Keeping Drugs Out of Prisons, in May 2006. This blueprint for how we tackle drugs in the...

Written Answers — Sex Offender Treatment Programme: Sex Offender Treatment Programme (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I have asked the Director General of the Irish Prison Service to compile the information sought by the Deputy. I will communicate with the Deputy when I receive the information.

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the area referred to is within the Clontarf Garda Sub-District. Local Garda management is aware of the incident referred to by the Deputy. The scene was visited by Gardaí and subsequently a technical examination was carried out. To date no one has been made amenable for the incident. Gardaí will maintain contact with the injured party and...

Written Answers — Criminal Legal Aid: Criminal Legal Aid (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 237 together. I can inform the Deputy that the full details of the estimate for 2010 for legal aid, both civil and criminal, are contained in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2010, while the costs for the earlier years sought are contained in the Revised Estimates volume for each of the years concerned. As the Deputy will be aware, copies of...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (30 Sep 2010)

Dermot Ahern: A valid application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of my Department in July 2010. All valid applications are dealt with in chronological order as this is deemed to be the fairest to all applicants. The average processing time from application to decision is now at 26 months. More complicated...