Results 5,201-5,220 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I set out below a tabular statement giving the latest available information in relation to drug seizures for 2007, 2008 and this year to date (up to 6th December 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. Drugs and organised crime have been prioritised by An...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Immigration Act 2003, which was commenced on the 15th September 2003, contained a number of key changes to the Refugee Act, 1996 which enabled the processing of asylum applications to be speeded up and enhanced our ability to deal with abusive applications. These changes included the imposition on applicants of a clear statutory duty to actively pursue their asylum applications and...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The new prison campus at Thornton Hall, Kilsallaghan, County Dublin is proceeding on a phased basis with phase one comprising essential preliminary works required for the prison development. These preliminary works include the dedicated access route, the perimeter wall and related services. The preparation of the tender documentation as well as the detailed scope of work for the phase one...

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

Dermot Ahern: On 29th April 2002, the Irish and British Governments signed an Agreement on Police Co-operation providing a framework for the implementation of certain Patten recommendations including the establishment and enhancing of fast, effective and reliable communication links between the Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) through improved radio communications and...

Written Answers — Personal Debt: Personal Debt (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Government is committed to implementing substantial reform of the system, legal and administrative, as it affects those in personal debt. The reform commitment is based on the work of the Law Reform Commission who having published its Consultation Paper entitled "Personal Debt Management and Debt Enforcement", intends to finalise its recommendations as a matter of priority. To date, the...

Written Answers — Joint Policing Committees: Joint Policing Committees (10 Dec 2009)

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 — Mobile Phones In Prisons: Mobile Phones In Prisons (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: In a prisons context, mobile phones are viewed as highly valuable commodities which can assist in illegal activity and eliminating their supply is one of the major challenges facing prisons worldwide. The Irish Prison Service is dealing with this problem through a multifaceted approach which incorporates measures to prevent the smuggling of mobile phones into prisons, search and find...

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Community Alert Programme is a community-based initiative in rural communities, set up in 1985 by Muintir na Tíre in association with the Garda authorities. The Programme is dedicated in particular to improving the quality of life of vulnerable people in rural communities, especially the elderly, by: crime prevention neighbourliness and self-reliance general community safety and...

Written Answers — Personal Debt: Personal Debt (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 109 and 118. The Government is committed to implementing substantial reform of the system, legal and administrative, as it affects those in personal debt. The reform commitment is based on the work of the Law Reform Commission who having published its Consultation Paper entitled "Personal Debt Management and Debt Enforcement", intends to finalise its...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Following a tender and evaluation process, the contract for an outsourced safety camera network was signed by the Garda Commissioner and me with the preferred service provider on 20 November. As this is the first contract of its kind where enforcement activity currently carried out by An Garda Síochána is to be outsourced to a service provider, the discussions were detailed and took some...

Written Answers — Firearams Licences: Firearams Licences (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 116 together. As the Deputy is aware, the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, which was commenced on 1st August 2009, introduced changes to the procedures for the certification of firearms - including Restricted Firearms. The remaining sections of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006, relating to firearms licensing were also commenced on...

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

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the area referred to is in the Santry Garda District. Local Garda management is aware of difficulties being experienced by residents in the area as a result of anti-social behaviour and a District strategy targeting this type of activity has been introduced. I am also informed that an active Neighbourhood Watch Scheme is in place and that the...

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that in respect of queries concerning the provision of legal services to any person, the solicitor/client relationship is protected by privilege in accordance with the terms of Section 32 of the Civil Legal Aid Act, 1995. The Legal Aid Board cannot therefore provide information to third parties regarding a person who may or may not be a client of the Board. I am...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I can inform the Deputy that under the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006, the Property Registration Authority (PRA) was established as and from 4 November, 2006. The PRA replaces the Registrar of Deeds and Titles as the registering authority in relation to property registration in Ireland and, subject to the above Act, is independent in the performance of its functions. The Deputy...

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

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware, the correspondence in question relates to S.I. No. 471 of 2009 which specifies that Section 132 of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 will come into force on 28 February 2010. The making of that S.I. follows on from repeated undertakings given by me concerning my intention to commence the section once an appropriate period of time had passed. This was...

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

Dermot Ahern: I am advised by the Garda authorities that for reasons of security, detailed information about Garda deployments in the Tralee area cannot be divulged. However, they have advised me that the policing measures in place in Tralee are deemed necessary by local Garda management and have resulted in a significant number of arrests and convictions. The amount spent on overtime from May to the end...

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Services: Garda Vetting Services (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) provides employment vetting for a large number of organisations in Ireland which employ people, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity, to work with children and/or vulnerable adults. These organisations are registered with the GCVU for the purpose of employment vetting. The GCVU conducts checks on the Garda Criminal Records Database in respect of each...

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Services: Garda Vetting Services (10 Dec 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) has in place a reciprocal vetting arrangement with the Police Service of Northern Ireland. This provides the GCVU with a system of checking the criminal records of persons who may have offended in Northern Ireland.

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

Dermot Ahern: The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is based on agreed priorities established by An Garda Síochána. This programme is brought forward in close cooperation with the Office of Public Works, which has the responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. Over the past number of years significant investment has been made in An Garda...

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

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that as of 7 December there was 4,031 prison spaces available throughout the prison estate. A review of prisoner population projections is currently being finalised by the Irish Prison Service. The outcome of this review will inform the Irish Prison Service and my Department on matters relevant to the prison estate going forward. As the Deputy will appreciate...