Results 3,601-3,620 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Had it been left over, we would be far further from the use of that legislation.

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: This was the reason I sought its passage.

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Despite what Deputies Charles Flanagan or Rabbitte may have stated, at no stage did I or anyone on my behalf say anything of that same order.

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I always say that Deputy Rabbitte is something of a court jester in this House. However, if he is supposed to be a spokesperson on justice, he must at least try to understand that when one passes legislation, one cannot simply round people up thereafter. Even the Labour Party, which opposed the legislation tooth and nail, would not wish to have people rounded up immediately after the...

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I criticise Deputy Flanagan because he is familiar with the procedure and what is the reality regarding the independence of the Garda Síochána in the prosecution of cases and the putting together of files. Once Members of the Oireachtas decide on policy and on legislation, it is up to the Garda Síochána and the Director of Public Prosecutions to implement it. The Oireachtas has given...

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The number of gardaí is at a record high-----

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: -----and stands at 14,000. Despite the retirement of a substantial number of gardaí, more gardaí are entering the force because of the Government's round of recruitment to the Garda Síochána.

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy should give the Government at least some credit for increasing the level of gardaí to a record high. Similarly, the resources available to the Garda are at record high, despite the constrained financial circumstances in which the country finds itself.

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda does its absolute best to try to put a file together to convict people, but we live in a democracy. I speak for my party when I say that people are entitled to their innocence until they are proven guilty. It is often difficult to prove offences, particularly the commission of murder. People who might have been involved in those crimes have been convicted of other crimes and not...

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As I stated originally, even the victims of these types of crime, particularly those emanating from gangland crime, are sometimes unprepared to co-operate. This makes the conviction of those involved in crime more difficult and is one of the reasons the Government acted swiftly. It became clear to us after a number of serious events that removing the possibility and, as we were aware, the...

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I was working on the basis of the strong advice I received from every garda with whom I spoke around the country, from ordinary gardaí in stations to the highest garda in the land, to the effect that going down the road of a legalised hand gun culture would be a slippery slope.

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I decided that a dual response on the basis of-----

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I assure the Deputy that-----

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: It is not in a shambles.

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: There has been a substantial reduction in the level of gun ownership as a result. That was one response.

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The other response related to gangland crime. Another element of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act was not only the targeting of the person who pulled the trigger, seeing as how some old eejit was sent out on the mission more times than not, but the targeting of those behind the trigger, those who put the eejit up to it. Of everything the Oireachtas could have done, we decided to take...

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: If we had waited to debate the Bill further during the summer and something had occurred-----

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Had something occurred during the-----

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Let me answer. The Deputy is interrupting me.

Gangland Killings. (25 Mar 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Had something occurred during the summer and we had delayed with the legislation, the Deputy would be the very one criticising me and doing his weekly PR-----