Results 6,261-6,280 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Diplomatic Representation: Diplomatic Representation (23 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: My Department, through the Consular Section in Dublin and our Embassy in Madrid, has been providing assistance on the case of the person mentioned by him since her disappearance on 1st January 2008. We have remained in regular contact with her family during this deeply worrying time for them. Extensive physical searches of the area where the person mentioned was last seen have been conducted...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I take it what the Deputy has in mind in referring to solicitors acting as 'criminal intelligence officers' for criminal gangs are any instances where solicitors may improperly pass information to their clients who are members of gangs. I should stress, initially, that I am satisfied that the vast majority of solicitors behave with the utmost propriety in their dealings with clients. That...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am advised by the Garda authorities that the indoor firearms training range at Garda Headquarters was closed in December 2005 on a precautionary basis due to health and safety issues. I am further advised by the Garda authorities that a feasibility study into the measures required to bring the indoor firearms range located at Garda Headquarters up to the highest international standard was...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: As I indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question no. 351 of 7 July 2009 the work on the scheme of the Judicial Council Bill is at an advanced stage of development. Consultations on the proposed Bill have, as is usual in the development of any legislative proposals, taken place with the Office of the Attorney General. It was also considered prudent, given the nature of the subject, to...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Up to and including 13 September 2009 there have been 696 drug seizures within the Irish prison system this year, with 302 of those in Mountjoy Prison. From May 2008 (when new security initiatives were first introduced) to 31 December 2008, there were 351 drug seizures within the Irish prison system, with 192 of those in Mountjoy Prison. Prior to May 2008 seizure of drugs was recorded under...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The detailed information requested by the Deputy on damages paid in respect of civil claims against members of the Garda Síochána is set out in the table. It is also available on my Department's website. In summary, the total amount paid out in court awards, legal costs and out of court settlements amounted to approximately €939,000 in 2004, €4.9 million in 2005, €2 million in 2006,...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Under the law as it stands - section 6A of the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964, as inserted by section 12 of the Status of Children Act 1987 - an unmarried father may apply to the court to be appointed a guardian of his child. Alternatively, where there is agreement between the parents, they can make a statutory declaration under section 2(4) of the Guardianship of Infants Act, as inserted...

Written Answers — Community Policing: Community Policing (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I was present on the 26th of January 2009 at the opening of the new Ballymun Garda Station when the Commissioner launched the new Garda Síochána National Model of Community Policing. This new model will renew, re-invigorate and re-structure the Community Policing function within An Garda Síochána to deliver: · A consistent national structure to the Community Policing function · A more...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 22 together. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of applications from members of the Garda Síochána to voluntarily retire received so far in 2009, and the number who voluntarily retired in each year from 2002 to 2008, is as set out in the table. I should explain that practically all Garda retirements, whether they occur early or...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that on 17 September, 2009 there were 223 young offenders in custody in St. Patrick's Institution. Of these 223 persons, 62 were under 18 years of age with the remaining 161 aged between 18 and 21 years of age. An accurate breakdown of statistics as requested by the Deputy is not available without the manual examination of a considerable amount of records going...

Written Answers — Debt Collection Industry: Debt Collection Industry (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am aware that the Law Reform Commission, in its Consultation Paper on Debt Management and Debt Enforcement, to be published later today provisionally recommends that a licensing system should be introduced for the debt collection industry. Moreover, the theme of the Annual Conference of the Commission to be held in November will also be the subject of debt management and enforcement. This...

Written Answers — Pre-nuptial Agreements: Pre-nuptial Agreements (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Study Group on Pre-Nuptial Agreements examined the operation of the law since the introduction of divorce in 1996 with respect to pre-nuptial agreements, having regard to the provisions in the Constitution on the protection of marriage and the requirement that proper provision be made for each party in divorce proceedings. The Report of the Study Group recommended that provision be made...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (22 Sep 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 — Dublin-Monaghan Bombings: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I assume that the Deputy is referring to financial assistance which was until recently provided by the Remembrance Commission under the ambit of the Scheme of Acknowledgement, Remembrance and Assistance for Victims in this Jurisdiction of the Conflict in Northern Ireland. In relation to the long-term medical expenses of survivors of incidents in this jurisdiction arising from the conflict...

Written Answers — Licensed Firearms: Licensed Firearms (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to a tabular statement setting out the information sought by him on handguns licensed and handguns stolen for the years 2004, when handguns began to be licensed again, to date. The figures show that 52 firearms classified as handguns were stolen in the period in question while the current number of handguns currently licensed is approximately 1,900. As I have stated...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 73 together. I welcome the finding of the European Transport Safety Council in a report issued last June that Ireland is now the sixth lowest out of the 27 EU Member States in the number of road deaths per million population in 2008. The Garda authorities are progressing the implementation of a safety camera network as provided for in the Government's...

Written Answers — Criminal Assets Bureau: Criminal Assets Bureau (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Criminal Assets Bureau operates under the Proceeds of Crime Acts 1996 and 2005 (as amended). Under this legislation, monies or property frozen pursuant to Section 2 or Section 3 of the Act remain frozen for a period of at least seven years. The only exception to this minimum seven year waiting period is in circumstances whereby all relevant parties agree to the application of a Section 4a...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Planned expenditure levels for all the votes in my Department will be considered as part of the Estimates and budgetary processes for 2010. This will include consideration of the report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes, and the decisions on all of the issues arising will be a matter for the Government. It would not be appropriate for me to comment...

Written Answers — Programmes for Government: Programmes for Government (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act, 1983 provides that a Court may make a Community Service Order as an alternative to a sentence of imprisonment or detention in respect of any individual over the age of 16 years who has been convicted of a criminal offence and who consents to the Order being made. The Probation Service has responsibility for the supervision and management of...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: In May of this year, negotiations with the preferred bidder for the construction of a prison complex at Thornton Hall, Kilsallaghan, County Dublin were broken off as their final offer, which was significantly higher than the original price tendered, was determined to be unaffordable. The original tender competition, which was initiated by the issue of formal invitations to tender in late...