Results 16,221-16,240 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (16 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: It is my intention to consolidate anti-corruption legislation with a view to making the law more accessible for people, and to bring greater clarity to this area. As the Deputy will be aware, the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2008, is currently under consideration by the Oireachtas. Its enactment will facilitate fulfilment of our international obligations in regard to the United...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (16 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I can inform the Deputy that I published a discussion document entitled Organised and White Collar Crime on 22 October 2010, as part of the consultation process leading to a White Paper on Crime. The document has been widely circulated and is available to download from my Department's website or in hard copy by request. Submissions on the issues raised in the document may be made by end...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (16 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Part 11 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 provides for civil proceedings in relation to anti-social behaviour by adults, and Part 13 of the Act relates to anti-social behaviour by children. These provisions set out an incremental procedure for addressing anti-social behaviour. For adults they provide for a behaviour warning and a civil order. For children, they range from a behaviour...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (16 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question 29 on 4 February, 2010. The position remains as stated.

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (16 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Government's approach to tackling the problem of drug misuse, including heroin use, is through a co-ordinated and integrated approach under the National Drugs Strategy. The Strategy tackles the issue under pillar headings of drugs supply reduction, education and prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and research. Drugs and organised crime are being prioritised by An Garda Síochána as a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (16 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy will be aware the asylum process encompasses the activities of the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal (RAT), both of which make recommendations to the Minister for Justice and Law Reform in relation to the granting of refugee status. Persons who are refused a declaration under Section 17 of the Refugee Act 1996 that they are a...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (16 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I can inform the Deputy that there are ongoing discussions with the Stardust Victims Committee concerning the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the tragedy and related matters.

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (16 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As part of the five year strategy 'Trading and Investing in a Smart Economy', which was launched by the Taoiseach in September this year, my Department has undertaken to establish a mechanism to ensure that the visa regime here supports the priorities set out in the Strategy. This new mechanism will be designed to ensure that entrepreneurial, business and tourist travellers to Ireland who...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (16 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Commissioner and I signed the contract for an outsourced safety camera network with the preferred service provider in November, 2009 following a tender and evaluation process. In accordance with the provisions of the contract, following the necessary preparatory work, roll-out of the national mobile safety camera network commenced at midnight on 15 November, 2010 and is expected to...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (16 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy may be aware, the Explosives Act, 1875 provides for the control of the importation, manufacture, storage and sale of fireworks. The 1875 Act was amended by the Criminal Justice Act, 2006 which came into effect in August, 2006 to provide for new offences governing the possession of illegally imported fireworks with intent to supply. The amendments also provided for...

Written Answers — Controlled Drug Sales: Controlled Drug Sales (16 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Act 2010 is one element of the Government's multi-pronged approach to targeting the activities of so called 'headshops' and the sale of unregulated psychoactive substances. The Act works in tandem with the ongoing controlling, as appropriate, of identified harmful substances by the Department of Health and Children through the Misuse of Drugs...

Garda Operations (17 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: In the policing of demonstrations, the Garda Síochána, while respecting the right of legitimate protest, has a duty to ensure as far as possible that peace is preserved and public order maintained, and that lives and property are protected. The safety of the gardaí involved is also an important consideration. In preparing for demonstrations, the Garda Síochána must take into account a...

Garda Operations (17 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I concur with Deputy Shatter in his views regarding the duties and responsibility of the Garda Síochána to police events such as this in a reasonable way. I also concur that they represent the greater good in maintaining order in marches such as this. I concur with the point that the majority of students were well behaved. The President of the Union of Students in Ireland, Mr. Gary...

Garda Operations (17 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: There is ongoing training of Garda personnel, normal personnel and specialised units with regard to public order. The Garda Síochána reviews and learns from the situation every time an event such as this takes place. Each situation dictates the type of response from the moment it occurs. Due to a number of incidents, the Garda Síochána had to engage with those causing trouble but it...

Garda Operations (17 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Yes.

Juvenile Offenders (17 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Children Act 2001 was amended by Part 13 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 to provide for civil proceedings regarding anti-social behaviour by children. These provisions, which were commenced on 1 March 2007, set out an incremental procedure for addressing anti-social behaviour by children. They are just one element of the Government's policy on youth crime, which is set out in detail in...

Juvenile Offenders (17 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I do not believe they are. We have had this discussion already. A hallmark of the success of the anti-social behaviour orders is that so few children have been brought to court. The idea behind the system is to divert children away from the courts and to engage with them in an incremental way. As the Deputy can see from the figures, that is the strong advice from the experts in this...

Juvenile Offenders (17 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte seems to think the more anti-social behaviour orders are made the more successful is the system. I disagree on the basis that the concept of this procedure is that it is used in an incremental way. Fewer orders and a reduction in the number of occasions the Garda Síochána brings young people before the courts is a hallmark of the success of the system. Deputy Rabbitte is...

Juvenile Offenders (17 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy should know we have funded a number of very successful restorative justice projects that are up and running. Over time I would like to see more use of them across the various courts. Equally so, since I became Minister I introduced significant reform in terms of trying to use community service orders as an alternative to prison in order to allow pay-back to communities. I...

Garda Investigations (17 Nov 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 40 together. The incident to which the Deputies refer was the subject of investigation by the Garda Síochána, which resulted in the submission of an investigation file to the law officers, who directed that a person be charged with manslaughter and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. At the subsequent trial, directions to acquit were given by the...