Results 5,461-5,480 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to his Question No. 726 of 3 November 2009. I have nothing further to add to the details of that reply.

Written Answers — Garda Transport: Garda Transport (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 to 163, inclusive, together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that members of the Garda Síochána are allowed to drive official vehicles on the authorisation of a Chief Superintendent (a) where they hold at least a class B Driving licence or, (b) where they have completed an official driving course and have been issued with a Certificate of...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Schengen Convention is an agreement among European states which allows for the abolition of systematic border controls between participating countries. It also includes provisions on common policy on the temporary entry of persons, the harmonisation of external border controls, and cross-border police and judicial co-operation. Ireland has successfully applied to take part in the police...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I assume the Deputy is referring to provisions in the law to permit variation of an order of the court to pay maintenance to a dependent spouse or children. There are already provisions in existing law under the Family Law (Maintenance of Spouses and Children) Act 1976, the Family Law Act 1995 and the Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996 to allow a maintenance creditor or a maintenance debtor to...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I expect that the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings will be ratified early in 2010. My Department is currently in the process of finalising arrangements to prepare for ratifying the Convention. Following completion of that process it will then be necessary to seek the approval of both the Government and the Dáil to ratification.

Written Answers — Illegal Immigrants: Illegal Immigrants (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that the person concerned has been residing in the State without permission since 1 September, 2009 and his case will now be dealt with under section 3 of the Immigration Act, 1999. I have arranged for officials within my Department to write to the person concerned in this regard.

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The incentivised scheme for early retirement (I.S.E.R.) announced by the Department of Finance on the 30 April 2009 does not apply where the relevant pension scheme provides for faster accrual rates of service which allow staff to retire with full pension after less than 40 years' actual service. Members of An Garda Síochána already enjoy enhanced superannuation terms where service in...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Commissioner, with his senior managers and Divisional Officers, arranges for the allocation of Garda personnel throughout the State. Garda management is aided in this by a distribution model known as the Garda Establishment Redistribution Model (GERM). I am advised by the Commissioner that this model indicates the most effective means to distribute Garda personnel and acts as a...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: An initial examination of each application for a certificate of naturalisation is carried out upon receipt to determine that the application form is completed fully and correctly and that all requested supporting documentation has been submitted. A significant number of applications are initially found to be invalid for a variety of reasons and these are now being dealt with and returned to...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The person concerned claimed asylum in the State on 3/1/2007 and had his claim examined by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, following which it was recommended that he should be recognised as a refugee. Based on this recommendation, the person concerned was advised of my decision to issue him with a formal declaration of refugee status by...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is based on agreed priorities established by An Garda Síochána and progressed by the Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. I have been advised by the Garda authorities that there are no plans to carry out refurbishment works at the existing Garda...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Following a judgment of the High Court earlier this year the Enforcement of Court Orders Act 2009 already amends the law contained in the Enforcement of Court Orders Act 1940 as it applies to money orders, including orders to pay maintenance. Operation of the new legislation is being monitored in my Department.

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the area referred to is in the Rathfarnham Garda Sub-District. I am further informed that local Garda management is not aware of an incident which corresponds with the details provided by the Deputy. Any such incident reported to Gardaí would be subject to investigation.

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The formulation of proposals in relation to the opening and closing of Garda stations is a matter, in the first instance, for the Garda Commissioner in the context of his annual policing plans, as provided for in section 22 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. I have been advised by the Garda authorities that, with the opening of the new Garda station in Ballymun in September 2008, the...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The area referred to by the Deputy comes within the Tallaght Garda District and local Garda Management is aware of difficulties being experienced by residents with anti-social behaviour, including drunkenness and criminal damage and is working very closely with the Local Authority, the Health Service Executive, statutory and non-Governmental Organisations and with the local community to...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of my Department in August 2006. Officials in the Citizenship Division inform me that documentation was requested from the person concerned on 7 November, 2008 and again on 14 May, 2009. To date, no reply has been received. Further processing of...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy again to my response to Parliamentary Question No. 262 on 10 November, 2009. I would just add that the four Schools have a total certified accommodation capacity of 77 beds of which 61 are currently operational. All four Schools provide both remand and committal beds and each can provide an assessment service, if requested by the courts, while a young person is on remand....

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: A valid application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of my Department in July 2007. All valid applications are dealt with in chronological order as this is deemed to be the fairest to all applicants.The average processing time from application to decision is now at 24 months. More complicated...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána as at 31 December 2007, 2008 and 31 October 2009 was 13,755, 14,412 and 14,634 respectively.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (26 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Section 6A of the Act, as inserted by section 4 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004 provides that a person born in the island of Ireland shall not be entitled to be an Irish citizen unless a parent of that person has, during the period of 4 years immediately preceding the person's birth, been resident in the island of Ireland for a period of not less than 3 years or periods the...