Results 5,621-5,640 of 6,728 for speaker:John Curran
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (28 Jan 2009)
John Curran: Funding for Local and Regional Drugs Task Force areas in 2009 will be approximately â¬34.6m. Of this amount, over â¬23m is being allocated to the Local Drugs Task Forces while over â¬11m is being earmarked for the Regional Task Forces. Projects have already been approved funding for the first six months of 2009 and the National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST) will be reviewing this...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (27 Jan 2009)
John Curran: This Department's recent progress report in relation to the Programme for Government can be accessed on the Department of the Taoiseach's website at: http://193.178.1.117/attached The up-dated position in relation to the commitments referred to by the Deputy in his question is as follows: The Report of the Working Group on Drugs Rehabilitation made a series of recommendations for the...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (27 Jan 2009)
John Curran: This Department's recent progress report in relation to the Programme for Government can be accessed on the Department of the Taoiseach's website at: http://193.178.1.117/attached In relation to the commitments referred to by the Deputy, the following is the position: Funding in 2008 has enabled further progress towards the full implementation of the plans of the ten Regional Drugs Task...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (27 Jan 2009)
John Curran: I propose to take Questions Nos. 894, 897 and 909 together. Under the National Drugs Strategy, the Premises Initiative Fund provides capital funding to assist community-based projects in both Local and Regional Drugs Task Force areas to address their accommodation needs. In some cases, the funding is allocated to purchase premises, while in others, it is used towards the costs involved in...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (27 Jan 2009)
John Curran: This Government is firmly committed to tackling the problem of drug misuse in our society. This is evidenced by the fact that the funding targeted at community-based initiatives funded through my Department's Vote doubled from 2003 to 2008 â from â¬31.5m over â¬64m. The relative reduction in the 2009 funding allocation to my Department for the drugs initiatives must, therefore, be viewed...
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (27 Jan 2009)
John Curran: As the Deputy may be aware, the Dial-to-Stop Drug Dealing Campaign was officially launched on 30th September 2008. The initiative involves a number of local and regional campaigns that will be run through the mechanism of the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces. The campaigns are being designed to encourage people to provide any information they may have on drug dealing â anonymously if...
- Leaders' Questions (27 Jan 2009)
John Curran: He did.
- Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (18 Dec 2008)
John Curran: This year, the budget for community-based initiatives in the Local and Regional Drugs Task Force areas, including funding for new cocaine and rehabilitation measures introduced during the year, will come to nearly â¬34.8m. Funding for 2009 is approximately â¬34.6m, which is a minor reduction of 0.5% on the 2008 allocation from my Department.
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: The Community Development Programme was established in 1990 in recognition of the role of community development in tackling the causes and effects of poverty and disadvantage. The programme provides financial assistance to projects to help meet the cost of staffing and equipping local resource centres, which provide a focal point for community development activities. Projects are concerned...
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: It is at the discretion of the local authority.
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this debate. There are many aspects of the housing issue on which we could focus, but I would like to refer to the area of private rented accommodation. My area, the South Dublin County Council area, was one of the areas used to pilot the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, which has proven very successful. I meet constituents with housing...
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: In 2005, local authorities carried out 6,800 inspections, in 2006 they carried out 9,800 inspections and in 2007 they carried out over 14,000 inspections of rental accommodation. Each year there was a 40% plus increase since the previous year. Clearly, the enforcement regime stepped up to the plate in terms of co-ordination and effectiveness. This will continue to be the case once the new...
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: I have read the figures into the record. The point I want to make ââ
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: The point I want to make more specifically is that it is not just a question of the total number of inspections. The inspections must be appropriately targeted.
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: The inspections must be appropriately targeted, and I make that point specifically. With regard to non-complianceââ
- Housing: Motion (Resumed) (17 Dec 2008)
John Curran: Sorry for looking at the Deputy. It is important to point out that standards are already improving in this context. We should be heartened to note that the rate of non-compliance with the existing regulations among those properties targeted for inspection has decreased. Whether we agree or disagree on the figures the rate of inspections has risen substantially and it is important to note...
- Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (16 Dec 2008)
John Curran: The organisation referred to by the Deputy operates two groups from the address in question. Both of these groups have reached the â¬30,000 annual funding limit set for any individual group operating the Scheme. This limit is in place to ensure that (i) the Scheme maintains its local focus and (ii) there is a fair distribution of the available resources across the country. The area in...
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: Amendments Nos. 52, 53, 54, 57, 58 and 59 are redrafting amendments concerned with offences under the legislation of charity trustees and charitable organisations, and also with the power of the authority to require charitable organisations to produce relevant documents. Amendments Nos. 52 to 54, inclusive, are drafting and presentational amendments to section 57(1), consequential upon each...
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: This is a drafting amendment which clarifies that the section applies to a direction given by the authority under 51(2), unlike the other sections referred to, which make no provision for the authority to give a direction.
- Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)
John Curran: Amendments Nos. 63 to 66, inclusive, are redrafting and technical amendments consequential upon each other. They are being made on the basis of legal advice, particularly in the context where begging or receiving alms is no longer an unlawful activity following a legal challenge.