Results 5,401-5,420 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Stations Closures (29 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Commissioner's Policing Plan for 2013 sets out details for the closure of 100 Garda stations throughout the country. Redhills Garda Station is listed and will close at a future date, to be determined, upon the amalgamation of the Cavan and Ballyconnell Garda Districts. The Garda Commissioner has stated that the revised structures will continue to support the Garda community philosophy...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: European Council Meetings (29 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The relevant Council is the Justice and Home Affairs Council. Since the start of the Irish Presidency on 1st January 2013 there have been two meetings of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, one "informal" meeting in Dublin in January and one formal meeting in Brussels in March. I chaired both meetings of the Council. I will also be chairing the next meeting of this Council which will be...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Parliamentary Questions Numbers (29 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I can confirm that there were no occasions in 2013 when the information requested by the Deputy, via the Parliamentary Question system, was not available at the time of asking.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces Training (29 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The information sought is not readily available at the present time. It will however be compiled and forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Council Meetings (29 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: During each Presidency of the Council of the European Union, one formal and one informal meeting of Defence Ministers is held.There is no separate Defence Ministers' Council within the EU Council of Ministers. However, Defence Ministers meet as the 'Foreign Affairs Council in Defence Ministers' format'. These Council meetings are held in Brussels or Luxembourg at the invitation of the High...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Parliamentary Questions Numbers (29 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: In my role as Minister for Defence, I have not issued any parliamentary replies to the Deputy containing an undertaking to provide extra information to date in 2013.

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I stated this event occurred in either late 2008 or during 2009. It did not occur in 2011 as Deputy Mattie McGrath alleged. What is the issue? There is no allegation that I had consumed any alcohol of any nature whatsoever that day, but I presume this is what Deputy Mattie McGrath intended to insinuate.

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The simple fact is, there was no wrongdoing on my part and the law was not broken. While I can be accused of being a workaholic no one can truthfully accuse me of ever abusing alcohol or of driving over the permitted limit. I am not aware of any precedent for publishing Garda reports on incidents or events involving individual citizens.

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: Nevertheless, last Thursday, following questions raised by the Deputy during Leaders' Questions, I asked the Secretary General of my Department to inquire of the Garda Síochána if it had any report on the matter.

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: My Department has been advised by the Commissioner that the Garda Síochána has not been able to locate any such report and that no report was generated by the Garda member involved which, given that there is no wrongdoing at issue, is hardly a surprise. Consequently, no report of the Garda member could have disappeared as alleged in a morning paper.

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: Now let us get back to conclude on what really does matter. Being in office just for its own sake holds no special, particular value for me. What I value as a member of Government is the opportunity it gives to implement reforms, many of which are long overdue, in the areas that fall within my personal responsibility. What I value is the privilege of making my contribution in Cabinet and...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: As someone who has steered many such Bills through this House, as someone who fought many a battle with Fianna Fáil for the very many years it was in government in seeking to get its co-operation in processing legislation of benefit, I will always, as Minister for Justice and Equality and Minister for Defence encourage Members on this side of the House and opposite to produce...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: What I said previously has been needlessly parsed and analysed. Despite the innuendoes I, again, repeat, I committed no offence at the Garda checkpoint that has been the subject of so much attention. Having consumed no alcohol, has it not struck anybody that if I could have fully exhaled into the breathalyser I would have done so? Why, in the name of God, would I not have done so if I had...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: It is a very simple, straightforward position. I have a serious job to do in each of the briefs I am very privileged to be exercising. To be in Minister in this Government is a great privilege and something I do not take for granted. It is a particular privilege to be a Minister in a Government that is full of talented Cabinet Ministers and junior Ministers supported by the Fine Gael and...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: To anyone who doubts it, I intend to continue to the best of my ability with the job I have been privileged to be given and I intend resolutely to commit to the implementation of the reform agenda set down in the programme for Government.

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: All of these measures were enacted in the space of two years. Innovation and bringing reforming legislation to this House has been a large part of my life's work as a TD over the past three decades, as well as tackling injustice and child abuse. It is what I do. With the expertise of Departments and the Attorney General's office working with me, a great deal more can be done than from the...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: That is why we have made available €9 million for the purchase of new Garda vehicles. Also, the long promised new Garda roster system is now operational. This is working, though members of the opposition choose to ignore that. Crime figures have been reduced across the majority of crime categories due to the success of targeted Garda operations and smart policing. Drugs to the...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: -----enactment of the Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Bill 2013; enactment of the Courts Bill before the summer vacation; signing into law shortly, regulations applicable to personal insolvency practitioners; publication of the assisted decision making (mental capacity) Bill; publication of the fines (amendment) Bill; publication of the DNA database Bill; publication of the human rights and...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: Because of concerns which arose, I addressed the House on the first matter last week and answered questions. I do not intend to revisit all of that again. With hindsight, do I think it was a mistake to mention the incident regarding Deputy Wallace? I explained my reasoning but put simply, of course I do. Is it something for which I owe Deputy Wallace an apology? It is and I have already...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality: Motion [Private Members] (28 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I now turn to the event raised by Deputy Mattie McGrath. Last Thursday, the Deputy used the privilege of this House to ask questions about an occasion when I stopped at a Garda checkpoint in early 2011, shortly prior to my appointment to Cabinet. I was involved in no such event at that time. He alleged this involved an offence under the Road Traffic 2010. The relevant provisions of that...