Results 2,821-2,840 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (18 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am advised by the Office of Public Works that the evaluation of tenders for the provision of a new Garda station at Castleisland is at an advanced stage. It is expected that a contract will be issued in the near future.

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (18 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am advised by An Garda Síochána that the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation (GBFI) is currently investigating a wide range of cases of what might be regarded as white collar crime and, where appropriate does so in collaboration with other statutory authorities. I am further advised that the Bureau has sufficient resources available to it to investigate this type of criminality, and...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (18 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I assume that the Deputy is referring to an occupational pension. The position of my Department on this matter is as outlined in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 260 of 5th May 2010.

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Services: Garda Vetting Services (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) provides employment vetting for a large number of organisations in Ireland registered with the Gardaí for this purpose and which employ persons in a full-time, part-time, voluntary or training capacity to positions where they would have substantial, unsupervised access to children and/or vulnerable adults. The GCVU has managed a substantial increase over...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy is aware all prisoners have a statutory entitlement to a daily gratuity. The current rate of gratuity, applicable since 1st January, 2004, is €2.35 daily, which equates to a weekly total of €16.45. In accordance with the Prison Rules, 2007, additional gratuity payments may be made to prisoners engaged in authorised structured activities. This additional allowance is...

Written Answers — Tobacco Smuggling: Tobacco Smuggling (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I should start by reminding the Deputy that law enforcement in relation to smuggled cigarettes is primarily a matter for the Customs authorities of the Revenue Commissioners as most offences committed are contrary to the Finance Acts. Revenue's strategy for tackling this illicit trade is focussed both on intercepting and seizing illicit consignments at the point of importation and also on...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I can advise the Deputy that the number of such persons actually held in custody at any one time is a minute fraction of the overall prisoner population. To illustrate this point, 9 prisoners out of a total of 4214 or 0.2 % of the prison population on 10 May 2010 fell into this category. As the Deputy will know the new Fines Bill completed Report and Final Stage in the Seanad earlier this...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy is aware the Government has re-affirmed its commitment to developing a new prison campus at Thornton Hall, County Dublin and also approved the launch of a new tendering process for the construction of a more affordable and better value prison campus at Thornton. The aim is to provide good quality, regime focussed prison accommodation with appropriate support and rehabilitative...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 17 together. As part of a multi-pronged approach targeting the activities of head shops, the Government made two important decisions earlier this week. The primary vehicles for regulating psychoactive substances are the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 and 1984. Accordingly, the Government made an order declaring certain substances, including mephedrone, to...

Written Answers — Youth Crime: Youth Crime (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I presume the Deputy is referring to the Irish Independent article on 4th May 2010 which alleged that, between 2004 and 2008, there was an increase of 99.6% in the number of young people charged before the criminal courts. I would like to reassure the Deputy that this government takes the issue of youth crime very seriously. However it is important to note that the real increase in the period...

Written Answers — Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy is aware, the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 entered into force, in its entirety, on 23 July 2009. The primary purpose of the legislation is to make additional measures available to An Garda Síochána to combat organised crime. Where there is justification and a legal basis, those suspected of involvement in criminal activity are arrested, detained and questioned in...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that local Garda management is aware of difficulties being experienced by residents in the area referred to by the Deputy as a result of incidents of public disorder and anti-social behaviour. I am further informed that Garda records indicate that, between February, 2001 and November, 2009, there were eighteen incidents recorded as having occurred in...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I would like to advise the Deputy that the Governor referred to in his question has, in fact, retired from the prison service and has not resigned as he has stated. On 10 May, 2010 there were 4,214 persons in custody compared to a bed capacity of 4,066. The Irish Prison Service has been engaged in an extensive programme of investment in prisons infrastructure which has involved both the...

Written Answers — Bench Warrants: Bench Warrants (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 146 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that there are 37,394 bench warrants recorded as unexecuted as of 10 May, 2010. Information requested by the Deputy on the average length of time taken to execute a warrant is not readily available and could only be obtained by the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of staff time and resources....

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware, the moratorium on recruitment and promotions in the Public Service applies to the Garda Síochána, both sworn members and civilian support staff. The situation is continually kept under review in consultation with the Garda Commissioner and derogations can be sought in exceptional circumstances from the Minister for Finance. I recently received sanction from the...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Having noted the proposal of the Fine Gael Justice spokesperson in a recent Adjournment Debate to introduce further remission incentives, I have no plans to revise the remission regime in prisons at this time. As the Deputy may be aware, the majority of prisoners are entitled to statutory remission of one quarter of their sentence. Section 59 (2) of the Prison Rules, 2007, allows for the...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The report referred to by the Deputy is the Central Statistics Office publication Garda Recorded Crime Statistics 2004 - 2008, which gives greater detail on previously published statistics. While the report indicates increases in a number of crime categories over the four year period, I am pleased to note that there were decreases of 20% in sexual offences, 15% in robbery, extortion and...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy is no doubt aware, under the Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956 - 2003, it is a matter for the Garda Síochána to investigate breaches of the legislation and to take whatever action is deemed appropriate. I have been assured that such premises receive Garda attention and if breaches of the legislation are detected appropriate action taken. If the Deputy has information about any...

Written Answers — Probation and Welfare Service: Probation and Welfare Service (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware the Probation Service of my Department has been re-focussing its work in more recent years and part and parcel of that refocussing has been the provision of an increased level of resources. This has meant that despite the impact of the Moratorium and other associated measures such as the Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement (ISER) and the Incentivised Career...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (13 May 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 74 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of times the Garda Síochána called on the assistance of the Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal team for the years 2007 to 2010 (to 10 May) are as set out in the following table: 2007 2008 2009 2010 98 180 196 65 I am informed by the Garda authorities that in the period in question...