Results 38,121-38,140 of 74,100 for speaker:Bernard Durkan

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Organised Crime (5 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: 133. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the degree to which An Garda Síochána continues to have access to adequate resources to combat organised crime; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5715/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes (5 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: 134. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners currently in receipt of educational or rehabilitative training in each of the prisons throughout the country; the number of such places occupied by first time offenders; the number held by repeat offenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5716/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Security (5 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: 135. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners remaining untraced having absconded prior to the completion of their sentence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5717/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (5 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: 136. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which backlogs in the court system are likely to be overtaken in the short and medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5718/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Levels (5 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: 137. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which the statistics show fluctuation in the levels of various crimes reported in County Kildare in each of the past five years to date; if any particular action is planned to address any issues arising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5719/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Levels (5 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: 139. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the extent to which he and his Department have monitored the levels of break-ins to private households and/or commercial premises in County Kildare; the degree to which the number of such crimes has fluctuated in each of the past five years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5721/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Services Regulation (5 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: 138. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the current position in regard to reform of the legal profession; the extent to which negotiation continues with respective interest groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5720/14]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Programme (5 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: 140. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress being made in respect of the Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5742/14]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Card Appeals (5 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: 169. To ask the Minister for Health the outcome of an appeal of a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5739/14]

Order of Business (4 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: I wish to raise two topical matters. What progress has been made on the Teaching Council (vetting and protection of children and vulnerable persons) Bill? Have the heads of the Bill been cleared and when is the Bill likely to be published and brought before the House? The climate action low carbon development Bill has also been promised. In view of recent events and the urgent need for...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: We were having a bit of fun.

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (4 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: 92. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if provision will be made to augment the direct local authority house building programme proposed in the recent budget, with particular reference to the urgent need to tackle the housing shortage in County Kildare and adjoining counties; if arrangements will be made for senior officials in his Department to engage with...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (4 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: My question pertains to the serious housing crisis in north Kildare and the need for senior officials in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to liaise with the relevant officials in Kildare County Council with a view to identifying how best to proceed. There are currently 8,500 families on the local authority's waiting list and the figure is growing on a daily basis.

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (4 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive reply. Even since I first stood up to introduce this question, however, I have received a text message regarding a family who will be homeless tonight. This is happening on an hourly basis. Will the Minister of State instruct senior officials in her Department to make contact with the relevant officials in Kildare County Council with a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Review of Foreign Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: I have believed for a long time that the ability of the European Union to defend itself has changed and is changing. That point has been made by Mr. Connelly. Each European Union country must accept some responsibility for its own defence and for the defence of its fellow members and if it does not do that, as time goes by, the European Union will be perceived as being weak. We have only...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Review of Foreign Policy and External Relations: Discussion (Resumed) (4 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: I apologise to colleagues and witnesses for leaving the meeting. I had some equally important questions to ask in the Dáil. I have said many times that we in this country do not take ownership of Europe. We are entitled to that, the same as every other European citizen. There is a tendency throughout Europe for each member state - some member states in particular - to use the...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (4 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister for her reply and compliment her on the work she has done to date in identifying the problem. However, I would emphasise that the problem is so serious now that it will not go away. It will explode into a serious social issue which we have not contemplated. There are a large number of families in certain circumstances who are unable to source a house. We now have...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (4 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: 87. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which the various relevant local authorities have brought to the attention of his Department the seriousness of the housing crisis which relates to the lack of any available houses in the short term, the emerging problem of homelessness and the ongoing problem of families living apart due to lack of...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (4 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: This question arises as a result of the serious and daily emerging housing crisis that exists in the counties in the eastern region, in particular those adjacent to Dublin - Kildare being one of them - and the urgent need to do something about a problem that, undoubtedly, the Government inherited. However, that should not mean for one moment that we would fail to recognise that it is now a...

Other Questions: Local Authority Housing (4 Feb 2014)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister for her comprehensive reply. I know she is doing everything possible. However, I am afraid that events are catching up with us all. In my time in public life I have never seen the urgency of the situation that is now presenting itself. A number of families have presented as homeless that ordinarily would have been able to provide themselves with homes. They cannot...