Results 6,041-6,060 of 10,459 for speaker:Bertie Ahern

Order of Business. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: The judge has agreed to advise the Government on the issue of the appropriate redress scheme. She will do that. She has the confidence of all concerned, and this matter was agreed today at Cabinet. Her work has been universally acknowledged. She is in the best position to bring forward proposals and she is going to do that.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I join Deputy Kenny in condemning the cold-blooded killing of Donna Cleary, an act of barbarism in terms of its deliberate and random nature. The perceived reason for the shooting could not be more trivial. The Garda has mounted a major investigation into the crime and arrested five people in connection with it. One of those detained in Coolock Garda station complained of feeling unwell, was...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I could rehearse the statistics for last year about the most serious categories of crime but that will not do much for Donna Cleary and her family or for anybody else who is killed. A Criminal Justice Bill is before the House which can perhaps assist in this but a great deal of legislation has already been passed, including legislation on sentencing for drug and gun crime. The Criminal...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It is in the system and it is to be hoped that——

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I would be very glad if speeding through this legislation solved everything. It builds on tough legislation passed only seven years ago.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: If the Deputy wants me to give a litany of the improvements, I can do so.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I would gladly quote all the statistics from all the categories. The figures are there——

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: They are the official Garda figures from which Fine Gael's leader quoted but the Deputy obviously does not want to listen. I would prefer to build on the tough legislation already in place.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Tough legislation exists, including mandatory sentences for possession of drugs and legislation on firearms. Much of that legislation was criticised in this House and we are discussing how to build on that.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: If Deputy Kenny and his party allow, I will answer the question. I will not need long. I will not go back into all the facts and figures about legislation. Deputy Kenny asked if we are proceeding with criminal justice legislation, and firearms legislation in particular. The entire Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Bill 2005 should be finished as gun crime is not the only problem. There is...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There will be new offences introduced concerning the modification of firearms, as with a sawn off shotgun, and increasing fines and penalties. The Minister also intends to introduce a statutory basis for an amnesty during which firearms may be surrendered to the Garda before new penalties and minimum mandatory sentences are introduced.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I do not think an amnesty is rubbish.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: It will enable those in possession of firearms who are not in compliance with the legal requirements to regularise their position. This will enable the Garda to concentrate on the most serious offences. I briefly answered a question yesterday and I will refer to that point. Until recent years, some people sentenced to murder, which carries a mandatory sentence by our courts under strict...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: This was the point I made yesterday. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as old age or infirmity, a life sentence should mean life. This should apply to a person going out with a knife or a gun in their pocket on any night, or who returns home for a gun, or who has a gun in a car, and who blasts an innocent person. Is society not at this stage, even though we have moved from...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: There is not a consensus in this. My view, which I stated yesterday, is that while we are moving to a mandatory sentence of 13 years from seven years, although I recognise the parole board's recommendation is 15 years——

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——it should be far tougher. A life sentence should mean life.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte usually listens very carefully to me. I did not make any reference, either yesterday or today, to the Judiciary.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I did not make any such reference. I will not let blatant mistruths go.

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: I will give Deputy Rabbitte the chance to withdraw the statement. I did not once mention the Judiciary. Whoever else did so, I did not. Deputy Rabbitte stated three times that I did. I stated that a judge has no discretion in imposing a life sentence for murder, and that legislation is absolutely tight. He can make comments that must be taken into account. The parole board makes...

Leaders' Questions. (7 Mar 2006)

Bertie Ahern: ——he opposed the bail legislation and voted against a ten-year minimum sentence for substantial drug dealers.