Results 15,921-15,940 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The person concerned applied for asylum in this State on 19th August, 2008. His asylum claim was investigated by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, both of whom concluded that the person concerned did not meet the criteria for recognition as a refugee. Arising from the refusal of his asylum application, and in accordance with...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) that the person referred to by the Deputy, made a Family Reunification application in August 2009. The application was forwarded to the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner as required under Section 18 of the Refugee Act 1996. The investigation was completed in February 2010 and a report was forwarded to...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my detailed Reply to his earlier Parliamentary Question, No. 148 of Thursday, 27 May, 2010, in this matter. The position in the State of the person concerned will now be decided by reference to the provisions of Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended) and Section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) on the prohibition of refoulement. All representations...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that alarm systems of an adequate standard are an effective deterrent against burglars. However, alarms are not a replacement for good physical security, but work best when used in tandem with physical security measures, such as door and window locks of an appropriate standard. All members of An Garda Síochána promote crime prevention and reduction....

Written Answers — Criminal Assets Bureau: Criminal Assets Bureau (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Criminal Assets Bureau, while authorised by statute to own property, does not in fact own any property. Properties which are the subject of orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996 are generally held by a Court appointed receiver. Once a final order is made, the property becomes vested in the Minister for Finance. While the Bureau regularly targets...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I can advise the Deputy that figures for the number of persons committed to custody serving less than 12 month sentences during each of the past 5 years and the average monthly cost of keeping an offender in custody in those years, are set out in the table below. Figures in relation to 2010 are unavailable at this stage. Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Number of Persons committed serving...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The most recent full year statistics available are for 2009. Over the course of 2009, an average of 39% of the prison population are reported as having attended education classes. This figure is based on weekly returns from the education units in each prison and excludes normal school holidays, when a reduced service is available. Additionally, in the same period, an average of 20% of the...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Criminal Justice Act 1960, as amended by the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003 provides that the Minister may approve the temporary release of a sentenced prisoner. This discretionary instrument assists in gradually preparing suitable offenders for release and in administering short sentences, and is an incentive to well-behaved prisoners. Temporary release...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that the number of board members sitting on the board of each statutory State Agency under my Department's control is set out below: Name of Board of State Agency Number of members Courts Service Board 17 Legal Aid Board 13 Private Security Authority 11 Property Registration Authority 11

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that the information requested for the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 is available in the Revised Estimates Volume for each of the years concerned. Copies of these documents are available on the Department of Finance's website (www.finance.gov.ie) and in the Oireachtas Library. I also wish to refer the Deputy to the Revised Estimates Volume for 2010 which contains...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, the Government's National Drug Strategy 2009-2016 tackles the complex problem of drug misuse in an integrated way under the five pillar headings of Drugs Supply Reduction, Education and Prevention, Treatment, Rehabilitation and Research. Underpinning this strategy is the collaborative approach in place between statutory services and the community and voluntary...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (27 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I have absolutely no knowledge of the matter referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (27 Oct 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.

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: To create jobs and growth, we need to stabilise the public finances. There is no other way. The path is clear. We have general consensus in this House. The goal of a 3% GDP deficit by 2014 must be reached. The question is how we reach it. The people look to the Houses of the Oireachtas for an answer, for the path to that goal. That goal must be realistic, deliverable, fair and must...

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: It is up to people like the Deputies opposite to bring forward proposals in that respect.

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Last week the Taoiseach and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, invited the leaders of the Opposition to meet to discuss the budgetary crisis. The Taoiseach proposed that the Opposition should have full access to briefings by the Department of Finance so that it would appreciate fully the scale of that challenge and to afford it the opportunity to...

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Whole-time equivalents in the public sector have dropped by 10,000 from 319,000 in January 2008 to 309,000 in mid-September 2010. Under the Croke Park agreement, if fully implemented, it is estimated there will be a net reduction of 13,000 people in the public sector by the end of 2014. The Labour Party proposes a strategic investment bank capitalised by €2 billion from the National...

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The truth is bitter.

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: In regard to the Labour Party's proposal for a 48% tax rate for higher earners, that would push the top marginal rate to approximately 62%, including levies. The top marginal rate currently is 52%. It has not been so high since 1991-92.

Macroeconomic and Fiscal Outlook: Statements (Resumed) (28 Oct 2010)

Dermot Ahern: In contrast the effective tax rate for middle income and lower income earners is no higher than it was in 2005-06. The difficulty with the higher tax rate is-----