Results 5,461-5,480 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran
- Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (6 May 2009)
John Curran: Correspondence from the group in question was received by my Department and has been responded to. I would also refer the Deputy to my reply to questions numbered 68 and 69 on 29 April 2009 in relation to the Scheme of Community Support for Older People.
- Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (30 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together. My Department wrote to over 1,300 community and voluntary groups, including community alert groups, that have received funds from the Scheme of Community Support for Older People in recent years to advise them of the suspension of funding. The letter was issued on 7th April 2009. The letter contained contact details for members of staff...
- Written Answers — Charities Regulation: Charities Regulation (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: The Charities Act 2007 was signed into law on 28 February 2009. The Act may be commenced in whole or in part by way of Ministerial Order. The Act, when commenced, will introduce a modern regulatory framework for charities in Ireland for the first time. The Act provides, inter alia, for the establishment of a new Charities Regulatory Authority, which will be responsible for establishing and...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78, 81 and 103 together. As the Deputies may be aware, I launched the Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing Campaign in September 2008. The first phase was run across five Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces areas with funding being provided by my Department (â¬100,000) and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (â¬50,000). The confidential number used in...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89, 96, 105 and 111 together. On 31st March last, the Government gave approval for the development of a combined National Substance Misuse Strategy to cover both alcohol and drugs. As I am sure the Deputies will agree, this decision is very welcome and recognises the widespread public concern in Ireland in relation to the problem use of alcohol â both as a...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: Family support has been identified as a priority under the National Drugs Strategy (NDS) and many drugs projects that are funded by my Department include such support as part of the wider range of services that they provide. Some 36 projects in Local and Regional Drugs Task Force areas focussing particularly (but not exclusively in some cases) on family support issues have been approved...
- Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the location referred to is in the Clontarf Garda Sub-District and that the location, which was visited by members of the local Community Policing Unit, appears to be an occupied private dwelling. While at present no complaints in respect of the location are the subject of Garda investigation, any such complaints received will be investigated. A...
- Infrastructure Stimulus Package: Motion (Resumed) (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I thank all sides of the House for their active participation in a debate on issues about which we all care greatly â the future prosperity and well-being of this country and how Government policy and investment can help secure that. That said, I must express some perplexity at some of the comments from Opposition benches about the wealth of the boom having been squandered and the...
- National Drugs Strategy. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 79 and 80 together. I have been re-appointed as a Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, with responsibility for the national drugs strategy, community affairs and with special responsibility for integration policy. I can assure the Deputies that the change in responsibilities will have no implications for the...
- National Drugs Strategy. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: The delay in publishing the strategy was due to the fact that during the consultation process, much interest was raised in the area of alcohol and the relationship between alcohol and drugs. In that regard, the Government recently made a decision that alcohol would be included in a joint strategy. However, the reality was that much work had been done towards the preparation of a current...
- National Drugs Strategy. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I thank the Deputy for the questions. I refer to the last question on spending, an area which causes grave concern. It is very difficult to quantify the spend at any point in time because a partnership approach is taken. We can target the funding in respect of the community and voluntary sectors, so we know what we spend. However, it is not possible to do so in respect of the statutory...
- National Drugs Strategy. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: The transitional arrangements come into place because a Government decision on the strategy has not been adopted. The contracts with the NDST will be terminated on 30 April.
- National Drugs Strategy. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: During the public consultation process, it became very apparent there was much synergy between alcohol and drugs, particularly among young people and in respect of education, prevention and so on. However, we were fairly far advanced with the drugs strategy, which will be adopted as is without the inclusion of alcohol at this point. One of the specific actions is that in September of this...
- National Drugs Strategy. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I thank Deputy Ring for his support. In regard to threats of resignations in community groups or task forces, nobody has brought that to my attention. During the deliberation process of formulating the new strategy, the community group representatives walked away from the steering committee. I met them and they had a number of specific concerns which we addressed. They are now back in...
- National Drugs Strategy. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: The Deputy asked an interesting question about the possibility of an increase in drug use during the recession. All I can say is that it depends on the evidence one examines. The pattern of drug use often changes as economic conditions change. The use of cocaine in affluent areas increased during the economic boom. During a recession, there is often an increase in heroin use in...
- Community Development. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 69 together. The scheme of community support for older people was suspended on 7 April. This was done with a view to affording my Department the opportunity to review the scheme's operation and to consult with interested parties over the next few months to address a number of concerns. It is essential that we recognise the home security concerns of...
- Community Development. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I reject the Deputy's allegation about the local elections. If I were being devious I would not have made the announcement until after the local electionsââ
- Community Development. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: It is easy for Deputy Ring to stand up and say there is loads of money in the Department. When he suggests that funding should be cut elsewhere, where would he cut the funding. On what programme would he cut funding?
- Community Development. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I will afford him the opportunity.
- Community Development. (29 Apr 2009)
John Curran: I am doing my best to answer them.