Results 4,581-4,600 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the investigation into the death of the person referred to by the Deputy was the subject of an intensive review in 2004. I am further informed that the Commissioner appointed the Assistant Commissioner, Northern Region to examine the investigation file, which remains open, and is under the supervision of the Assistant Commissioner. Liaison is being...

Written Answers — Garda Procedures: Garda Procedures (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: My Department and the Garda Síochána, in consultation with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Office of the Attorney General, are considering proposals for a new system which would allow the taking of contemporaneous written notes to cease where interviews are electronically recorded. There is however a complex range of training, technological and legal issues to be...

Written Answers — Sentencing Policy: Sentencing Policy (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Subject to the Constitution and the law, the courts are independent in the exercise of their functions. The decision on whether a person should or should not be found guilty, based on the evidence presented, is entirely a matter for the court. It would be inappropriate for me to comment or intervene in any way in their decisions. The court's decision in the case referred to by the Deputy is...

Written Answers — Cash for Gold Schemes: Cash for Gold Schemes (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Neither my Department nor An Garda Síochána have any function in relation to the regulation of legal transactions in gold. Furthermore, the purchase of gold is not specifically regulated in criminal legislation. However, if members of the public have suspicions that goods being sold or traded may have been stolen, the correct action is for these suspicions to be referred to An Garda...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Regulations: Road Traffic Regulations (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Section 38 of the Road Traffic Act 1961 provides for the general prohibition on driving a mechanically propelled vehicle without a driving licence. Subsection (6), however, provides that this requirement does not apply in relation to a member of the Garda Síochána driving a mechanically propelled vehicle in the course of his or her duty. This is in line with other provisions of road...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I refer Deputy Lynch to my reply to Question No. 8 today to Deputy Doyle. As I have indicated, the Garda Commissioner has appointed a Detective Chief Superintendent to inquire into all the circumstances surrounding the incident. That inquiry is ongoing and a report is awaited. Until that report is available, it is not possible to say for definite how the error occurred in Slovakia and what...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The total number of members who retired, either voluntarily or on age grounds, from An Garda Síochána in 2009 was 723. During 2009 over 900 students were attested as sworn members of An Garda Síochána and as of the 31st December 2009 the total strength of the force was 14,547 with an additional 232 students in training. The Deputy will also be aware that I recently concluded negotiations...

Written Answers — Drugs in Prisons: Drugs in Prisons (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Recorded seizures of drugs in prisons is as set out in the table below. Prison/Place of Detention Number of Drug Seizures in 2009 Arbour Hill Prison 0 Castlerea Prison 65 Cloverhill Prison 97 Cork Prison 35 Dóchas Centre 11 Limerick Prison 75 Loughan House 12 Midlands Prison 93 Mountjoy Prison (male) 547 Portlaoise Prison 20 Shelton Abbey 19 St. Patrick's Institution 92...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The estimated savings from the application of the recent public service pay cuts are currently being finalised with the Department of Finance pending publication of the Revised Estimate Volume later this month. The savings for my Department are likely to be in the region of €9.8 million in 2010. There are currently 2,860 whole time equivalent staff paid from the Departments Vote (Vote 19)...

Written Answers — Criminal Liability: Criminal Liability (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Statutory protection for persons who are obliged to use force to defend themselves or their family members, other persons or property against attack are contained in sections 18 and 20 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. The Act allows for the application of reasonable force by a person, (whether the attack occurs in the home or elsewhere), to defend themselves, others or...

Written Answers — Garda Telecommunications: Garda Telecommunications (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: There are a total of 703 Garda locations throughout the State. According to the latest information available to me Email facilities are available at 347 networked locations within the Garda Síochána. Internal email facilities are provided to all ranks within An Garda Síochána via the PULSE environment. External Email facilities are also provided to all Gardaí from the rank of...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The recent Supreme Court judgment granted the applicant leave to take a judicial review of the then Minister's decision to make a deportation order against her following the refusal of her application for asylum by both the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal (RAT). This decision was deemed by the Supreme Court to be compatible with the...

Written Answers — Prison Population: Prison Population (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am advised that the numbers in custody on 3 February 2010 were as follows: Mountjoy - 637 Dochas - 120 St Patricks - 211 Cork - 309 Limerick (m) - 306 Limerick (f) - 24 Castlerea - 366 Cloverhill - 472 Wheatfield - 436 Portlaoise - 260 Arbour Hill - 155 Training Unit - 109 Midlands - 513 Loughan - 143 Shelton Abbey - 99

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Policing in local communities, either rural or urban, is a matter for all Gardaí and not just those assigned to the roles of community policing. It is worth noting, however, that the number of Gardaí exclusively assigned to community policing has increased considerably in recent times. The figures available at the end of 2009 show that there are 1,058 members of the Garda Síochána...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The decision on whether or not to bring a prosecution where an allegation of rape is made rests with the Director of Public Prosecutions. Under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1974, the Director acts independently in the performance of his functions and makes decisions on prosecutions independent of all other bodies and institutions, including that of Government. I have no plans to amend the...

Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Smithwick Tribunal was established pursuant to the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921-2002, to enquire into suggestions that members of the Garda Síochána or other employees of the State colluded in the fatal shootings of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and RUC Superintendent Bob Buchanan in 1989. The Tribunal was established by the Oireachtas in May 2005 arising from the...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 70 together. I set out below a tabular statement giving the latest available information in relation to drug seizures for 2007, 2008 and 2009. Due to the covert nature of the activity, it is not possible to give a reliable estimate of the proportion of drugs coming into the country that these figures represent. Through ongoing specific initiatives and...

Written Answers — Joint Policing Committees: Joint Policing Committees (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Joint Policing Committees are provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Their purpose is to provide a forum where An Garda Síochána and the local authority - the two organisations which make the most significant contribution to preventing and tackling crime in a specific area - can come together, with the participation of members of the Oireachtas and community and voluntary...

Written Answers — Sentencing Policy: Sentencing Policy (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The judiciary has been developing a project to plan for and provide information on sentencing decisions. To support this initiative, a computerised information system has been developed to provide information on sentences and other penalties imposed for offences in criminal proceedings which may inform judges when considering the sentence to be imposed in an individual case. A number of pilot...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (4 Feb 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am not in a position to provide the information sought by the Deputy at this time, but will do so as soon as the information is available.