Results 5,701-5,720 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Programmes for Government: Programmes for Government (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my response to PQ No. 33 of 22 September 2009. The position remains as stated. However, the value for money and policy review of the Community Service Scheme was published on my Department's website in October 2009.

Written Answers — Proceeds of Crime: Proceeds of Crime (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy is aware the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is a statutory body which operates under the Proceeds of Crime Acts 1996 and 2005 (as amended). Under the provisions of this legislation CAB may apply to the High Court to obtain either an interim or interlocutory order to freeze certain assets it believes to be the proceeds of criminal activity. If the High Court is satisfied that such...

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

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of the comments made by the Chairman of Mountjoy Visiting Committee. As the Deputy will appreciate 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 recent years. This situation is particularly...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I can confirm that the effect of the recent judgement of the Supreme Court on the Equal Status Act 2000 is being examined by my Department.

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

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that as of the latest date for which figures are readily available, the personnel strength of An Garda Síochána was 14,716. This figure includes 1,098 probationer Gardaí who have been attested and will graduate over the next six months. On that date there was also 326 unattested students in training. A total of 200 students - 100 in February and 100...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I will be asking the Government to approve my proposal to commence work on a new Bail Bill. The purpose of the Bill is to consolidate and update bail law with a view to presenting a clear, accessible and modern statement of the law. In preparing the Bill I will address a number of weaknesses in the current law to ensure that the bail regime can operate in as tight and effective a way as...

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

Dermot Ahern: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that there are 56 members of An Garda Síochána permanently assigned duties as Garda Protection Officers to 27 designated persons including current Office holders and former Taoisigh. Included in the duties of the Protection Officer is a requirement to drive the Protected Person. There are no protection officers assigned to former Ministers....

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am setting out below a tabular statement giving the latest available information in relation to drug seizures for 2007, 2008 and this year to date (up to and including 11 September 2009). As I have said before when replying to similar questions on this subject in the House, because of the covert nature of the activity, it is simply not possible to give a reliable estimate of the...

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy is referring to a recent judgment in which the Supreme Court found that a person charged before the District Court had a constitutional right to apply for legal aid for representation by counsel in cases where the court considers that there is a degree of gravity and complexity as well as any other exceptional circumstances which, taken together, necessitate that the legal aid...

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

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 117 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table contains the number of cases of murder in which a firearm was used, proceedings commenced and convictions secured from 1998 to 2008 and in 2009 up 5 November. Of these murders, 21 took place in 2009. As the Deputies are aware, these statistics, by their nature, carry a...

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

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that in 2009 (to 5 November) there have been 167 incidents involving suspected grenades, pipe-bombs or other improvised devices nationwide at which a Defence Forces Explosive Ordnance Device team has attended, with 180 such incidents recorded in 2008 and 98 incidents in 2007. I am further informed that in respect of the incidents that occurred in 2008...

Written Answers — Community Policing: Community Policing (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of Gardaí assigned as dedicated Community Gardaí has increased from 698 at the end of September 2008 to 987 at the end of September 2009. It is important to note, however, that the work of the Garda Síochána is driven by a community policing ethos. The new Garda Síochána National Model of Community Policing was launched earlier...

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

Dermot Ahern: My Department and the Garda Síochána, in consultation with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Office of the Attorney General, are considering proposals for a new system which would allow the taking of contemporaneous written notes to cease where interviews are electronically recorded. There is a complex range of training, technological, financial and legal issues to...

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

Dermot Ahern: I am aware of the role Garda stations play particularly in rural communities. As the Deputy is well aware the report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes, and the decisions on the issues arising, including the recommendations in relation to the Garda network will be a matter for the Government. Accordingly, it would not be appropriate for me to comment...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: My Department has responsibility for seven EU Directives which have to be implemented. There are four Directives which are currently overdue as follows: Council Directive 2005/85/EC of 1 December 2005 on minimum standards on procedures in Member States for granting and withdrawing refugee status. The minimum standards on procedures required by this Directive are operated by the State in its...

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

Dermot Ahern: The recorded crime statistics for the third quarter of 2009 released by the Central Statistics Office show a decrease in 10 of the 14 crime groups for which statistics are given. I particularly welcome the positive trends in the two groups containing the most serious offences of homicide and sexual offences, which showed decreases of 30% and 7.1%, respectively. The number of murders was...

Written Answers — Commissions of Investigation: Commissions of Investigation (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Following receipt of the report dealing with the Dublin Archdiocese from the Commission of Investigation into Child Sexual Abuse and following consultation with the Attorney General's Office and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, I applied to the High Court for directions on publication of the report. This was in accordance with section 38 of the Commissions of Investigation...

Written Answers — Claims against Garda Síochána: Claims against Garda Síochána (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Members of the Garda Síochána are called upon to interact with members of the public on a twenty four hour basis in a wide variety of situations - many of which are unavoidably contentious. In the vast majority of cases these interactions are handled in an exemplary and professional manner and do not give rise to difficulty from a litigation point of view. However, inevitably there is a...

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

Dermot Ahern: An Garda Síochána continually develop and implement crime prevention and detection strategies to target in particular those who are committing burglaries with intelligence-led and focused operations. For example, in order to prevent criminals moving around the country to commit such crimes, An Garda Síochána set up roving checkpoints. There is also a strong focus on crime prevention and...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Responsibility for the provision of accommodation for separated children seeking asylum (SCSAs) falls to the Health Services Executive (HSE). Section 8(5)(a) of the Refugee Act 1996 (as amended) provides that, where it appears to an immigration officer or an authorised officer that a child under the age of 18 years who has arrived in the State and is not in the custody of any person, that...