Results 5,761-5,780 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Alarm Systems: Alarm Systems (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Issues relating to deficiencies with alarm systems are matters for the service providers concerned and, accordingly, not within the remit of my Department.

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

Dermot Ahern: There is no provision for special release in the Irish prison system. Statistics pertaining to the level of temporary release from prison are contained in my reply to the Deputy's Question No. 300 of today. It is not possible to provide the other figures requested by the Deputy as this would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort and could not be justified...

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

Dermot Ahern: It is not possible to provide figures to the Deputy as requested as this would require the manual examination of records going back over a considerable time period. Such an examination would require a disproportionate and inordinate amount of staff time and effort and could not be justified in current circumstances where there are other significant demands on resources. However I am...

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

Dermot Ahern: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table for each of the years 2005 to 2009 for the 6 November or a similar date. Prison/Place of Detention 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 Arbour Hill Prison 154 149 137 137 137 Castlerea Prison 365 238 221 230 205 Cloverhill Prison 434 470 458 407 389 Cork Prison 299 287 264 269 247 Dóchas Centre 114 110 97 93 97 Limerick...

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

Dermot Ahern: There has been an unprecedented level of investment in An Garda Síochána over the past number of years to provide the necessary resources in terms of manpower and equipment, to protect communities both rural and urban throughout the State. The gross allocation for the Garda Vote for this year alone is over €1.56 billion and there has been a 41% increase in the number of dedicated...

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

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 350 (Ref. 37125/09) of Tuesday, 20 October 2009 which sets out the position in relation to the availability of PULSE. With regard to other modern technology I am informed by the Garda authorities that they are constantly looking at opportunities to employ new technologies to achieve their corporate goals and meet the business needs of the...

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

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy will acknowledge the Government has introduced an extensive package of criminal justice legislation this year targeted at those engaged in serious crime, including the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 by which all organised crime offences will be tried in the Special Criminal Court unless the DPP directs otherwise the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act 2009, which...

Written Answers — Recidivism Rate: Recidivism Rate (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 305 to 307, inclusive, together. The law takes a serious view of offences committed by persons on bail. The Criminal Justice Act, 1984 provides for mandatory consecutive sentences to apply where a person is convicted of an offence committed while on bail. In addition, the law provides that the fact that an offence was committed while on bail must be treated...

Garda Strength. (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 109 and 282 together. I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the numbers of applications from members of the Garda Síochána to retire, voluntarily or on age grounds, that have been received so far in 2009, along with the numbers of members of the force who retired in each year from 2002 to 2008, are as set out in the table that follows this...

Garda Strength. (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Can the Deputy remind me what his first question was?

Garda Strength. (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Every organisation has to renew itself. There is no doubt that new people bring new energy, new ideas and new knowledge.

Garda Strength. (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer to the use of technology, for example. I have given the House figures to demonstrate that more people are joining the Garda Síochána this year than are leaving the force. The number of gardaí in the State will reach an all-time high of 14,800 later this year, despite the fact that the number of retirements will be greater than it has been in previous years, as a result of the...

Garda Strength. (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: It was suggested by the Commission on Taxation - it may have been in the McCarthy report - that in the case of a public sector lump sum of over €200,000, the balance of the gratuity over that amount should be taxed. I suspect that the vast majority of gardaí would not be affected by such a move. It is probable that those at the very top of the Garda are the only people in the force who...

Garda Strength. (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I do not need Deputy Rabbitte to help me in any shape or form.

Garda Strength. (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Perhaps the Deputy did not read the report of the Commission on Taxation. That report stated that any gratuity in excess of €200,000 should be taxed and that anything less than €200,000 should not be. If the Minister were to implement that, it would not affect any of the gardaí, apart, perhaps, from the Garda Commissioner and a few assistant commissioners.

Garda Strength. (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Perhaps the Deputy should read the report of the Commission on Taxation and not use it as a doorstop.

Garda Strength. (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I did not say that.

Garda Strength. (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I did not say that.

Garda Strength. (10 Nov 2009)

Dermot Ahern: If the Deputy tables a parliamentary question he will discover that in every division there has been an exponential increase in gardaí, including in the Deputy's constituency. I would put on a bet with him that the numbers have increased in his area.