Results 15,641-15,660 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Gaming Regulation: Gaming Regulation (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 50 together. I launched the review of gambling in May of last year. The Casino Gaming Control Section of my Department was established from within the existing resources of my Department at that time to manage the review process. This Section also deals with all matters arising from my Department's current responsibility for the Gaming and Lotteries...

Written Answers — Garda Security Escorts: Garda Security Escorts (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As part of the Proposal for Organisational Change in the Irish Prison Service (IPS), which was agreed with staff representatives in 2005, a dedicated Prison Service Escort Corp (PSEC) was established. Essentially, this is a dedicated corps of staff whose task is to escort prisoners to and from court in new cellular vehicles, thus eliminating the need to resort to overtime working as had been...

Written Answers — Garda Security Escorts: Garda Security Escorts (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Annual Report on the Garda Diversion Programme for 2009 indicates that there was a reduction of 13% in the number of incidents referred to the programme, and a reduction of 14% in the number of children referred to it, during that period. As regards alcohol-related offences, there was a reduction of 22% in the number of such offences compared with 2008. This suggests that the Government's...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The vast majority of the persons are classified at large because of a technical breach, i.e., failing to sign on at the prison at an allotted time having been granted temporary release. It is not possible without manually examining each and every case to provide information on the exact length of sentence being served or the date that each person went at large, however, the overwhelming...

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: In June 2010, 106 Garda Trainees were attested as members of An Garda Síochána and the strength of the force, on the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 14,615. An Garda Síochána is of course subject to the moratorium on recruitment and appointments in the public service and the purpose of the present Garda recruitment campaign is to establish a panel of approved...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I met with Northern Ireland Minister of Justice David Ford MLA and Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill MSP on 27 September 2010 at Stephenstown Pond in Co. Louth. The genesis of this meeting lies in discussions in bilateral meetings I had previously held with both Ministers. I met with Mr MacAskill in April 2010, to build on contact at official level and with a view to...

Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Smithwick Tribunal was established pursuant to the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921-2002, to enquire into suggestions that members of the Garda Síochána or other employees of the State colluded in the fatal shootings of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and RUC Superintendent Bob Buchanan in 1989. The Tribunal was established by resolutions passed by the Oireachtas in March...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 31 together. This is a despicable type of crime. The abduction and false imprisonment of a person's family or friends, in order to coerce them into assisting with a robbery is a particularly abhorrent type of crime. The trauma visited on the innocent victims involved by heartless criminals can only be imagined by the rest of us. I know my contempt...

Written Answers — Sex Offender Treatment Programme: Sex Offender Treatment Programme (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I would like to advise the Deputy that the information requested is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Government Legislation Programme, published on 29 September 2010, indicates that the Mental Capacity Bill will be published in this Session. The Bill will reform the law on mental capacity taking into account the Law Reform Commission's Report on Vulnerable Adults and the Law. It is intended that the Bill will replace the Wards of Court system with a modern statutory framework...

Written Answers — Probation and Welfare Service: Probation and Welfare Service (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Probation Service of my Department is the lead agency in the assessment and management of offenders in our communities. In common with the rest of the Civil Service the Probation Service is subject to the Government's moratorium on recruitment and promotion and its staff also have access to the Incentivised Career Break Scheme and the Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement. Where...

Written Answers — Gaming Regulation: Gaming Regulation (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No 100 for answer on 30 June 2010, in which the operation of gaming premises was previously addressed. Subsequent to that reply, my officials have sought advice from the Office of the Attorney General on the matter. I can assure the Deputy that should the law need to be changed consequent on any advices received, to ensure an...

Written Answers — Remission of Prison Sentences: Remission of Prison Sentences (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The granting of sentence remission is a feature of many prison systems worldwide and has been a feature of the Irish criminal justice system since the foundation of the State. Indeed our Courts are aware of the statutory entitlement to remission when passing sentence. Section 35 of the Prisons Act, 2007 (No. 10 of 2007) provides that the Minister may make rules for the regulation and good...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The number of offences being committed by persons on bail is a matter of concern. The operation of the legislation relating to bail is kept under continuing review by my Department, and proposals for amendment of the legislation are brought forward when that is considered necessary. A decision to grant bail in a particular case is a matter for the court, which is, subject only to the...

Written Answers — Gangland Killings: Gangland Killings (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: 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 expected that the number of convictions obtained will increase as Garda investigations are concluded and proceedings commenced are finalised by the courts. This applies particularly to murders committed...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The person referred to was given a cumulative sentence totalling 4 years imprisonment in October, 2007 for a number of sentences including no insurance, dangerous driving and assault. Following a sentence management review in mid 2009, the prisoner in question was deemed suitable for a transfer to an open centre and was transferred to Shelton Abbey on 5 September 2009. I am advised by the...

Written Answers — Garda Inspectorate: Garda Inspectorate (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38, 46 and 135 together. Following on from the Barr Tribunal, the Garda Inspectorate published its second report, Review of Practices and Procedures for Barricade Incidents, in February 2007. The report contains eighty-four recommendations made by the Inspectorate. To date, seventy-four of these have been fully implemented, a further seven have been...

Written Answers — Joint Policing Committees: Joint Policing Committees (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Joint Policing Committees are provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Their purpose is to provide a forum where An Garda Síochána and the local authority - the two organisations which make the most significant contribution to preventing and tackling crime in a specific area - can come together, with the participation of members of the Oireachtas and community and voluntary...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Oct 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 — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (7 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am well aware of the importance of funding for these projects but I am currently not in a position to give an indication of the level of funding for next year until the 2011 Estimates process has been completed. It is important to point out that tackling youth crime is a key priority for this Government. The Government's policy on youth crime is set out in detail in the National Youth...