Results 5,721-5,740 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

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

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my replies to Questions Nos. 733 and 747 of the 3rd November, 2009. The position is as stated in these replies.

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

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that following receipt of a complaint from the Financial Regulator an investigation was commenced by the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation in relation to the matter referred to by the Deputy. The investigation is ongoing and involves a number of financial institutions. The investigation is particularly complex, involving a vast amount of documentation...

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

Dermot Ahern: I have requested the information sought from the Garda authorities. I will be in contact with the Deputy when this information is to hand.

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

Dermot Ahern: At 30 September 2009, there were 404 attested Reserve Gardaí and there are currently 201 Reserve trainees. Details of the stations to which the Reserve members were assigned are set out in the table below. The Agreed Programme for Government has set a target strength for the Reserve at 10% of the full-time strength of the force. As the Garda Reserve depends on volunteers who undertake...

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

Dermot Ahern: My Department is currently engaged in detailed discussions with the Garda associations on the need for savings in public expenditure and the continued delivery of an efficient and effective policing service. It is also the case that expenditure levels for all the votes in my Department are currently being considered as part of the estimates and budgetary processes for 2010.The decisions on...

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

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to the answer given to Priority Question No. 2 of today's date.

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

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that on 6 November 2009 there were 3,998 prisoners in custody. I can confirm that on two occasions recently the prison population exceeded 4,000. These were the 9 October 2009 when 4,009 prisoners were in custody and on 15 October 2009 when 4,003 prisoners were in custody. As the Deputy will appreciate the Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed...

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

Dermot Ahern: Tenders for the sale of Carbury former Garda Station are due in OPW at 12 noon on 3 December 2009.

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Policy, set at 3% for the employment of people with disabilities in the public sector, remains as prescribed in Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 . Part 5 also provides the framework for monitoring the employment target in all public bodies by the establishment of committees under the aegis of relevant Ministers of the Government. The Department of Finance is responsible for monitoring the...

Written Answers — Peace Commissioners: Peace Commissioners (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: There were 93 appointments to the Office of Peace Commissioner in 2007, 160 in 2008 and 82 to date in 2009. Peace Commissioners are appointed under section 88 of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924. The Office of Peace Commissioner is an honorary appointment and Peace Commissioners receive no remuneration or compensation by way of fees or expenses for their services. An application for...

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I met the Northern Ireland Minister for Social Development, Ms Margaret Ritchie, MLA, on 27 October. We agreed on the desirability of developing a joint North-South initiative to tackle alcohol promotions and have asked our respective officials to discuss details of such an initiative. The first meeting of the officials group will take place in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 266 together. Mr Padraig White, Chairperson of Responsible Retailing of Alcohol in Ireland (RRAI), submitted the first compliance report on implementation of the Code of Practice on the Display and Sales of Alcohol Products in Mixed Trading Premises to me on 30 September. In light of the high levels of compliance with the Code outlined in Mr White's...

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

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes provision for the compilation and publication of crime statistics by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, and the CSO has established a dedicated unit for this purpose. I have requested the CSO to provide the statistics sought by the Deputy directly to him.

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Government Legislation Programme provides for publication of the Sale of Alcohol Bill in 2010. The Bill, which is currently being drafted, will modernise and streamline the law relating to the sale and consumption of alcohol by repealing the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2008, as well as the Registration of Clubs Acts 1904 to 2008, and replacing them with updated provisions. As regards...

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Draft guidelines in respect of the procedures to be followed during test purchasing operations, which had been prepared by a Working Group chaired by my Department, are now to be finalised on the basis of formal consultations with the Commissioner of the Garda Síochána and the Minister for Health and Children, as provided for in the legislation. I intend to launch the guidelines as soon as...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The powers of the Data Protection Commissioner regarding enforcement of data protection law, the penalties applicable in cases of non-compliance with the Commissioner's enforcement mechanisms and the remedies available to aggrieved individuals in cases of breaches of the law, are set out in Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003.

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The data protection review group invited and received submissions from interested parties. In response to the submissions and research by group members, a consultation document was issued with a deadline for receipt of responses of 31 October. Responses to this document are being considered and some follow-up fact finding is being carried out - especially in the context of recent...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: There are 100 Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs) in operation around the country. The location of and funding provided to each project for 2007, 2008 and 2009 is set out in the following table. In 2007, the total amount of funding provided to GYDPs was €7,711,457. This amount includes payments totalling €120,000 to 24 of these projects arising from project participation in the Human...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The visa applications referred to by the Deputy were received in the Visa Office, Dublin on the 16 September 2009. They were refused by the Visa Officer on 22 September 2009 for the following reasons: 1. The evidence of finances shown was deemed insufficient; 2. There was insufficient documentation submitted in support of the visa applications. This is linked to the above refusal reason in...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Programme for Government 2007 contained a commitment to task the Garda Inspectorate with assessing the need to establish a dedicated Missing Persons Unit, including a response network similar to Amber Alert in the USA. I consequently asked the Garda Síochána Inspectorate to assess the need to establish a dedicated Missing Persons Unit within An Garda Síochána including a response...