Results 5,681-5,700 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Garda Ombudsman Commission: Garda Ombudsman Commission (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The budget for the Garda Ombudsman Commission is provided from the Vote for the Office of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The budget for the Garda Ombudsman Commission for 2008 was €11.645 million. During the supplementary estimates process for that year savings of approximately €1.8 million were identified yielding a final outturn figure of €9.845 million for 2008....

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: It is important when examining prison statistics to bear in mind that at any time approximately 90% of the sentenced prison population is of Irish nationality. In relation to the question raised, I wish to inform the Deputy that on 6 November 2009 there were 538 non-Irish nationals in custody, including 98 on remand. This represented 13% of the prisoner population on that day. In 2008...

Written Answers — Joint Policing Committees: Joint Policing Committees (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Joint Policing Committees are provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Their purpose is to provide a forum where An Garda Síochána and the local authority - the two organisations which make the most significant contribution to preventing and tackling crime in a specific area - can come together, with the participation of members of the Oireachtas and community and voluntary...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The procedure for making appointments to the Board of the Equality Authority is set out in Part V of the Employment Equality Act 1998 as amended. Section 44 of the Act provides that two persons (one male and one female) shall be appointed on the nomination by organisations representative of employees and two persons (one male and one female) shall be appointed on the nomination by...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that as of 30 September 2009, the latest date for which figures are readily available, the personnel strength of each Garda Division is set out in the table which I am circulating with this answer. In accordance with the provisions of the Garda Síochána Acts 2005 to 2007 proposals, inter alia, to alter the boundaries of a divisional geographical area...

Written Answers — Garda Transport: Garda Transport (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The total expenditure on Garda vehicles amounts to €27.6m for each of the years 2007 and 2008 and €16.6m for this year to the end of October. These figures include the purchase of new vehicles in addition to the maintenance, repair and fuel required for the existing fleet. For the period mentioned by the Deputy almost €72m has been expended on the Garda fleet. In addition, in 2006 a...

Written Answers — Public Order Offences: Public Order Offences (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008 introduced tougher public order provisions, allowing the Gardaí to seize alcohol from persons who are under 18 and to seize alcohol where they have a reasonable apprehension of public disorder or damage to property and require a person to leave the place concerned in a peaceable and orderly manner. Provision was also made to issue fixed charge notices for...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Work commenced on the value for money review (VFM) of the Equality Authority in August 2008. The final draft of the VFM report is currently being reviewed by the Steering Group which was established to assist with this report. When the Group have completed their review in the very near future, the report will be sent to my office for consideration. It is intended that the report be published...

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I attach a high importance to the achievement of the maximum levels of safety for local communities, in particular through the tackling of problems resulting from the misuse of alcohol. This is reiterated in the Renewed Programme for Government, which contains a specific commitment that we will continue to target Garda actions within communities experiencing significant anti-social...

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that I am aware of the recent submission. Overcrowding in prisons is an international problem and is not unique to Ireland. The Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the Courts into its custody and does not have the option of refusing committals. It is the case that there has been a consistent increase in the total prisoner population over...

Written Answers — Civilianisation Programme: Civilianisation Programme (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: An effective police civilianisation programme does not always involve pure "one for one" replacement of individual Gardaí with civilians - it can take a number of forms. Firstly, of course there is the replacement of sworn members, who are engaged in exclusively clerical, administrative or technical duties, with civilian staff. Secondly, and very importantly there is the use of civilian...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that on 6 November 2009 there were 644 prisoners on temporary release. This represented 14% of the overall prisoner population for that day. In contrast, the equivalent percentage of prisoners on temporary release for the years 1994 to 1997 was as follows: 1994 - (22.2%), 1995 - (20.2%), 1996 - (17.9%) and 1997 - (19.2%). The highest number of prisoners on...

Written Answers — Garda Remuneration: Garda Remuneration (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the allowances available to members of An Garda Síochána, are as follows:- Air Support Unit Allowance, Analyst Allowance, Aran Island, Availability Allowance, Boot Allowance, Change Management Allowance, Clerical Allowance, Collator Allowance, Court Presenter Allowance, Community Relations, Crime Examiners Allowance, Cycle Allowance, Detective...

Written Answers — Organised Crime: Organised Crime (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to assure the Deputy that the Government attaches the highest priority to tackling serious crime and bringing those involved in such activities to justice. An Garda Síochána undertakes a number of multi-agency activities designed to target and disrupt the operations of criminal organisations. The targeting of those involved in serious crime is done in a number of ways, including...

Written Answers — Prisoner Transfers: Prisoner Transfers (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Transfer of Sentenced Persons Acts, 1995 and 1997 provide a mechanism whereby non-nationals serving sentences in Ireland may apply to serve the remainder of their sentences in their own countries, where those countries are party to the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. Similarly, Irish persons who are imprisoned overseas in such countries may apply to...

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that following a review of suitable equipment available in the market, testing of a range of sound level meters was carried out in the Laois/Offaly Division earlier this year with a view to establishing their benefits as an aid to enforcement and the successful prosecution of motorists driving vehicles with excessively noisy exhausts. Following on from...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my replies to Questions Nos. 728, 730,742 and 743 of 3rd November, 2009. The position is as stated in the replies.

Written Answers — Garda Divisions: Garda Divisions (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am in continuous communication with the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, and I meet with him personally on a regular basis. The changes to Divisional boundaries were contained in the Commissioner's 2008 Annual Policing Plan which was approved by me and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. At the outset, an overall Programme Board was established by the Garda Síochána, chaired by...

Written Answers — Vagrancy Prosecutions: Vagrancy Prosecutions (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The provisions of section 247 of the Children Act 2001, which provides that an offence is committed by a person causing, procuring or allowing a child to beg, are regularly utilised by members of An Garda Síochána in circumstances where children are being used by adults for the purposes of begging. During 2009 a number of arrests were made in relation to children being used for begging in...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The new prison campus at Thornton Hall, County Dublin will have a design capacity of 1,400 with operational flexibility to accommodate up to 2,200 offenders in a range of security settings. The revised plan for the new prison campus aims to protect the taxpayers' interests and provide good quality, regime focused accommodation and programmes to prepare offenders for reintegration back into...