Results 5,181-5,200 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Commissioner has accepted the findings of the Monageer Inquiry and is committed to ensuring that the safety and protection of children is a key priority for An Garda Síochána. Following receipt of the Monageer Inquiry Report, the Commissioner said that its findings would be utilised to refine the practices and procedures of An Garda Síochána to ensure that they complement the...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that there are 56 members of An Garda Síochána permanently assigned duties as Garda Protection Officers to 27 designated persons including current Office holders and former Taoisigh. Included in the duties of the Protection Officer is a requirement to drive the Protected Person. There are no protection officers assigned to former Ministers....

Written Answers — Garda Retirement: Garda Retirement (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I have requested the latest information on the number of retirements, including late applications, from the Commissioner and I will revert to the Deputy immediately on receipt of that information.

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 112 of 10 November 2009. The updated figure for such incidents in 2009 (to 5 December) is 186 incidents; in respect of the incidents that occurred in 2008 and 2009 (to 30 November) there has been a total of 91 arrests, there have been four convictions and in another 58 cases the matters are currently before the courts or files are with the DPP....

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that on 7 December 2009 there were 4,051 prisoners in custody. I can confirm that on several occasions recently the prison population has exceeded 4,000, the first instance of which was on 9 October 2009. As the Deputy will appreciate the Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the Courts into its custody and does not have the option of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The closure of Fort Mitchell Prison, on Spike Island, and Curragh Place of Detention in early 2004 occurred against the backdrop of the need to make significant savings in prison expenditure through reductions in overtime. The closure of these two institutions led to savings on the paybill that was previously associated with these prisons and the utilisation of the staff formerly assigned to...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 42, 51 and 56 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the investigation into the death of the person referred to by the Deputies was the subject of an intense review in 2004. I am further informed that the Commissioner recently appointed the Assistant Commissioner, Northern Region to examine the investigation file, which remains open, and is...

Written Answers — Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: An extensive range of legislative and administrative measures have been undertaken to address this concern. Many of these are set out in the National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Human Beings which I published on 10 June 2009. The measures include the following:- 1. Legislative measures Under the Sexual Offences (Jurisdiction) Act 1996 it is an offence for an Irish...

Written Answers — Garda Procedures: Garda Procedures (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: As I indicated to Deputy Rabbitte in my reply to Question 307 on 17th November, an Garda Síochána are at an advanced stage in developing proposals for the operational aspects of a new system. Because of the complexities involved, it is likely that any new system will be introduced on a pilot basis to allow all the operational and legal aspects to be fully tested and evaluated. This is a...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: My Department has responsibility for seven EU Directives which have to be implemented. There are four Directives which are currently overdue as follows: Council Directive 2005/85/EC of 1 December 2005 on minimum standards on procedures in Member States for granting and withdrawing refugee status. The minimum standards on procedures required by this Directive are operated by the State in its...

Written Answers — Commissions of Investigation: Commissions of Investigation (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The examination by the Commission of Investigation of the handling of child sex abuse allegations in the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne is underway. I expect to receive the Commission's report in mid 2010.

Written Answers — Detention Centres: Detention Centres (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: St Patrick's Institution is currently subject to two different systems of independent inspection, the Inspector of Prisons and the Prison Visiting Committee. The Inspector of Prisons is a statutory office holder and is independent in the performance of his functions. The current Inspector, Judge Michael Reilly, has taken a particular interest in the circumstances of under-18s in our system...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that on 31 October, the latest date for which completed returns are available, the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána was 14,634. This figure includes 1,098 probationer Gardaí who have been attested and will graduate over the next six months. On that date there were also 326 unattested students in training. A total of 200 students - 100 in...

Written Answers — Commissions of Investigation: Commissions of Investigation (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my answer to Question No. 16 of today's date.

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Criminal Justice [Amendment] Act 2009 became law on 23 July 2009 and all sections of the Act are in operation. Section 8 of the Act schedules the organised crime offences specified for the purpose of the provisions under the Offences Against the State Act 1939 relating to the use of the Special Criminal Court. This is a new piece of legislation aimed at tackling serious crimes and I can...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The investigation, which commenced following a complaint from the Financial Regulator to the Garda authorities, is ongoing and involves a number of financial institutions. This investigation is particularly complex, involving a vast amount of documentation and a large number of witnesses. Significant resources are being devoted to the investigation, including members of An Garda Síochána...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that on 7 December 2009 there were 747 prisoners on temporary release. This represented 15.5% of the overall prisoner population for that day. In contrast, the equivalent percentage of prisoners on temporary release for the years 1994 to 1997 was as follows: 1994 - 22.2%, 1995 - 20.2%, 1996 - 17.9% and 1997 - 19.2%. The figure for 7 December represents the...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my press release of 9th December, 2009 in relation to the Estimates for 2010 for the Justice Sector. I do not propose outlining again all of the different elements of the estimates package. However for the benefit of the Deputy I will set out the main points. Despite the difficult economic backdrop to the framing of the estimates for 2010, the Justice Sector still has a...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Following publication of the report, the Garda Commissioner asked Assistant Commissioner John O'Mahoney to examine its findings relating to the handling of complaints and investigations by both Church and State authorities, to carry out such investigations and inquiries as he deems appropriate and to make a report to him with his recommendations. The Commissioner will then consult with the...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: An effective police civilianisation programme should never be confined to pure "one for one" replacement of individual Gardaí with civilians - it must necessarily take a number of forms. Firstly, there is the replacement of sworn members, who are engaged in exclusively clerical, administrative or technical duties, with civilian staff. Secondly, and very importantly, there is the use of...