Results 5,641-5,660 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: What we are doing about it is——

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——putting more gardaí on the street, giving the Garda more resources, providing more prison places for offenders and providing more resources for individual initiatives such as Operation Anvil to target criminal gangs directly. Deputy Kenny is correct that murders for the first quarter increased from nine to 12, which is 12 too many. There are more decreases than increases if one goes...

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The Garda budget stands at €1.3 billion, representing an increase of 13%.

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: That is an enormous increase in the budget. Economic commentators tell us that the budget increase has been far greater than should have been the case, but we have increased it because of the issues we must confront.

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Kenny would not like me to remind him of his views of the bail laws, the revolving door and the pressure we had to put to bring about a referendum to deal with those issues.

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: We recall that debate very well. We had to force a bail referendum to prevent dangerous criminals from obtaining bail. Implementation of that system is a matter for the courts. Deputy Kenny wants to give the impression that we have not got more gardaí, that we have not invested more and that we have not got more resources, but he knows that is untrue.

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is entirely untrue. We have refused no request by the Garda Commissioner, be it for communications, vehicles, computer systems or whatever. We have provided resources for Operation Anvil and specialised programmes and huge amounts have been provided for overtime to assist the Garda in its work.

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There are 1,200 extra prison places.

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Headline crime increased by 8% in the first quarter of 2006 compared with the same quarter of 2005, and I am not dodging that fact. There was an increase of about 7% across a number of categories, but it is a mixed picture. A total of 25 headline offences have been listed by the Garda, in 13 of which decreases were recorded and in 12 increases were recorded.

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There were nine such offences in the first quarter of last year and the figure is 12 this year. If the Deputy knows about others who have been murdered and are not included in the figures, he should report them to the Garda.

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy McCormack asked about the population issue. I do not like giving comparisons based on population figures because they can be meaningless, but the level of headline crime per capita is significantly lower than it was a decade ago. In 1995, with a population of 3.6 million people, there were 29 crimes per thousand of the population. The most recent figures show that with a population of...

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: When I reply to Deputies' questions the figures do not suit them. The figure was reduced to 25 crimes per thousand of the population. There is a significant decrease in crime, based on the facts. As long as any crime infringes on people's rights, all we can do in a democracy is to resource the Garda, increase its numbers and assist in whatever way we can to fight criminals in the limited...

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not have the facts to answer the detailed questions asked about the timing and the Minister's knowledge. I hope Deputy Rabbitte is not asking me to supply this information and, while I will bring his questions to the attention of the Minister, the best way to obtain a full statement would be to put down a question to the Minister. Ministers have no role in the investigation or...

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte asked a number of questions, among the main two being when the Government became aware of Dr. Harbison's illness, but I do not know when that came to light. I do not know whether the cases he had dealt with were considered to be perfect when he retired. The State always had one State pathologist and this Government appointed a second State pathologist, who was involved in most...

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The DPP is independent in the performance of his functions.

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The DPP makes decisions based on Garda findings and viewed against the background of common or statute law. The function of the DPP has been separate since the 1974 Act. It is not a judgment——

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte should let me answer his question.

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: He asked if cases could be challenged or could fall based on the judgment of Dr. Harbison who was in ill health. He put the question clearly on two occasions. I cannot be briefed on that question, nor can it be known by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The only person who can answer that question, if it is possible to answer it as one cannot predict whether cases will be...

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: He has no other role. I ask the Deputy not to try to confuse what is clear in law. The Minister has no role whatsoever to influence that. If somebody challenges or appeals a case, or if the DPP decides not to proceed with a case, that is a matter entirely for the DPP.

Leaders' Questions. (25 Apr 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not know that. The Deputy would have to put down a question on that.