Results 6,281-6,300 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that in 2009 (to 10 September) there have been 142 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 — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The issue of tackling serious crime remains of the highest priority. I am happy that recent legislation I brought before this House to help combat this issue was enacted by way of the Criminal Justice Amendment Act 2009. This legislation was brought into effect on 23 July this year. This Act is wide ranging and seeks, among other things, to remove the effects of jury intimidation. It also...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 66 together. A comprehensive and robust legal framework is now in place in this area including heavy penalties for breaches of the laws concerned. The Garda Commissioner last year made recommendations to me in relation to knives and sharply pointed or bladed weapons, and subsequently the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 was enacted,...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (22 Sep 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. Irish law and practice in this area is already substantially in compliance with the terms of...

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

Dermot Ahern: The Senior Officials Group on Disability met on the following dates: 24 October 2005; 2 March 2006; 16 May 2006; 15 June 2006; 23 June 2006; 26 October 2006; 30 November 2006; 20 April 2007; 29 November 2007; 29 January 2008; 29 April 2008; 7 November 2008; 18 February 2009. The next meeting of the Group is scheduled to take place on 29 September 2009. The National Disability Strategy...

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

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 46 together. The Criminal Assets Bureau includes a number of Social Welfare inspectors who are appointed as Bureau Officers and who are actively engaged in identifying and targeting funds accumulated by criminals. Where such assets are identified they are seized in order to deprive criminals of the opportunity of benefitting from the use of those...

Written Answers — Sentencing Policy: Sentencing Policy (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: A person subject to a life sentence remains the subject to that sentence for life. A life sentence is mandatory in a limited number of cases most importantly in the case of a conviction for murder. The Houses of the Oireachtas in enacting the Criminal Justice Act 1960 and the Criminal Justice (Temporary Release of Prisoners) Act 2003 provided a framework whereby the Minister for Justice,...

Written Answers — European Arrest Warrants: European Arrest Warrants (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The three cases referred to by the Deputy were reported by Ireland in response to an EU questionnaire on the operation of the European Arrest Warrant. In two of the cases, the subjects were released in 2008 and the third subject was released in March 2009. The three subjects were released because the issuing authority failed, in each case, to collect the subjects within the statutory time...

Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (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 — Garda Reserve: Garda Reserve (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: At 31 July 2009, there were 407 attested Reserve Gardaí and 151 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 their training and other...

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

Dermot Ahern: Decisions on all of the issues arising from this Report will be a matter for Government. It is important to recognise that immigration controls at ports of entry are the first line in maintaining the integrity of the State's immigration system and are critical to the security of the State. Dublin Airport is by far the State's largest port of entry accounting for over 20m passenger journeys...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 59 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 to 10 September. Of these murders, nineteen took place in 2009. As the Deputies are aware, these statistics, by their nature,...

Written Answers — Drugs in Prisons: Drugs in Prisons (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: A significant number of prisoners go to Loughan House on the first day of their sentence or soon after being admitted into the prison system. Accordingly, testing positive for drugs on arrival in Loughan is not an indication that a prisoner has consumed drugs while in the prison. It is acknowledged that drugs present a major challenge to the Irish Prison Service and in this context, the...

Written Answers — Court of Appeal: Court of Appeal (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Report of the Working Group on a Court of Appeal, chaired by Mrs Justice Susan Denham, was presented to Government in July last and published in August. The Group's recommendations will be examined in detail in consultation with relevant Departments, the Attorney General and relevant interests. The Deputy will appreciate that the Government is concerned to ensure that the examination...

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

Dermot Ahern: The legislation I have brought into effect through the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 will greatly assist the Gardai in targeting those engaged in the most serious of criminal activities. As the Deputy will understand, it remains very early in the day in order to provide definitive evidence of the success of this legislation due to the fact that the gathering of evidence by the Garda...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy should be aware that Ireland is virtually alone among E.U. member States in not hitherto charging a fee for long term residency status. The fee now imposed is not considered excessive and compares favourably with that charged by the U.K. immigration authorities, for example, where a fee of €950 is levied for conveying a similar status. Long term residency is an administrative...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The mission of the Irish Prison Service is to provide safe, secure and humane custody for people who are sent to prison. The Service is committed to managing custodial sentences in a way which encourages and supports prisoners in their endeavouring to live law abiding and purposeful lives as valued members of society. Prisoner rehabilitation involves significant multi-dimensional input by a...

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

Dermot Ahern: The recommendation contained in the McCarthy Report that disability functions in my Department be transferred to the Department of Health and Children is the subject of consideration by the two Departments with a view to identifying efficiencies and overall savings as well as ensuring that policy in support of equality for people with disabilities is maintained. Given their representative...

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Inspector of Prisons Annual Report 2008 stated that overcrowding in prisons is an international problem, not unique to Ireland. As the Deputy will appreciate the Irish Prison Service must accept all prisoners committed by the Courts into its custody and do not have the option of refusing committals. It is the case that there has been a consistent increase in the total prisoner...

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

Dermot Ahern: I have requested details from the Garda Authorities in relation to the amount spent on renovating Templemore Garda College and I will be in contact with the Deputy when the information is to hand. The Garda Training College continues to provide an excellent and essential service to An Garda Síochána and will do so into the future. There are currently a total of 600 Garda students in...