Results 4,501-4,520 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Gangland Killings. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As I said in my reply, I understand from the Garda Commissioner that under the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act, a number of files have been already referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for decision.

Gangland Killings. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: There has been no spinning with regard to the issue of the filling of the vacancies because the Government just last week made a decision, on foot of the consent of the Minister for Finance, to release 170 promotions. The Deputy may have seen the publicity. Despite the fact he comes in here and says the Minister has the power to fill these vacancies, the Minister, personally, does not have...

Gangland Killings. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: -----and that is entirely a matter, under the 2005 legislation, for the Garda Commissioner but he has the power and will fill those vacancies very shortly. All that nonsense and spin from the Deputy and his misleading of people by implying this is evidence of the Government not doing its job, I can assure the Deputy and the general public-----

Gangland Killings. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: -----that the current Garda force is the best facilitated and the best resourced in the history of the State.

Gangland Killings. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I confirmed what the Deputy already knows.

Garda Síochána Inspectorate. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Síochána Inspectorate was established under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and forms a key part of the arrangements which the Government has put in place to support the Garda Síochána in pursuing best policing practice across the range of its functions. This report was mandated by my predecessor and I welcome its findings. It is the sixth such report and its focus is on the...

Garda Síochána Inspectorate. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: In regard to the Deputy's question on e-mail capabilities, Internet facilities are available at 347 network locations within the Garda Síochána. Moreover, internal e-mail facilities are provided to all ranks of the force via the PULSE environment. As I said, there has been a dramatic increase in the degree of usage of information and communications technologies by gardaí, with investment...

Garda Síochána Inspectorate. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The practice of taking handwritten notes while also having the interviews videotaped is part of the preparation for bringing a prosecution to court. My Department and the Garda Síochána are working with the Director of Public Prosecutions on the requirements regarding the type of evidence that is acceptable in a prosecution. Even though every interview is videotaped, it is still...

Garda Síochána Inspectorate. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte used the word "whitewash" in reference to this report. I am certainly not engaged in any whitewash. I very much welcome this report which is an indicator of the excellent work being done by the inspectorate in endeavouring to benchmark the Garda progressively as it implements changes in keeping with best international practice. To be fair to the Garda Commissioner and his...

Crime Levels. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Statistics published by the Central Statistics Office show that the number of recorded cases of rape increased by 10.2% in 2009 compared to 2008, whereas in 2008 they decreased by 2.8% and in 2007 by 4.1%. With regard to the number of rape and sexual assault cases before the courts, they decreased by 37.2% in 2009, whereas in 2008 they increased by 6.8% and in 2007 by 25.9%. This shows that...

Crime Levels. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I thank the Deputy for his remarks about Cosc. Since its establishment, Cosc has spent approximately €280,000 on an awareness campaign. It encourages and liaises with complainants and non-governmental organisations in this area. Europe-wide research on attrition rates shows that Ireland's reporting rate ranked in the middle of the range. The research found that Ireland is similar to...

Crime Levels. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: We constantly examine changes in the laws of other jurisdictions, but we do not follow them slavishly.

Crime Levels. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: We are keen to reflect on the best international practice. A decision on whether a complainant's previous history should be opened up in court, or is relevant to the case in question, is best left to the trial judge, in the absence of the jury. The exclusion or inclusion of such evidence is fraught with difficulties. I think the current practice should continue. It is obvious that we will...

Garda Vetting. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda central vetting unit provides employment vetting for a large number of organisations that are registered with the Garda for this purpose and employ people in a full-time, part-time, voluntary or training capacity to work with children and/or vulnerable adults. The Teaching Council is registered with the unit to submit vetting applications in respect of new teachers. I am informed...

Garda Vetting. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As I explained earlier, discussions on the existing cohort of teachers are ongoing. All new teachers are vetted within a relatively short space of time. I am informed that the current average processing time, based on the figures for the last couple of months, is between four and five weeks. That is in contrast with an average processing time of six weeks in 2009. The issues with the...

Garda Vetting. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Some 137,000 applications were received in 2006, with an average processing time of between five and six weeks. Some 218,000 applications were received in 2008, with an average processing time of between four and five weeks. Some 246,000 applications were received in 2009. Approximately 18,000 organisations receive vetting services for employment purposes. There is a massive involvement...

Garda Vetting. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I did not use the word "backlog" at all.

Garda Vetting. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: As far as my Department and I are concerned, there is no backlog.

Garda Vetting. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I accept there is an issue in respect of how to deal with the cohort of existing teachers in the system. As I stated in my first reply, to which the Deputy obviously did not listen, in respect of consultation with the various stakeholders on the implementation group on Garda vetting, consultations are taking place with the relevant educational stakeholders as to how to best introduce the...

Garda Vetting. (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: In effect, this constitutes a doubling within a short space of time without any backlog.