Results 6,301-6,320 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — National Disability Strategy: National Disability Strategy (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The strategic document outlining the vision, mission and strategic objectives of the National Disability Strategy was, following the approval of the Government, published on 27 May 2009 in accordance with the commitment in Towards 2016. It is available on the websites of my Department and of the National Disability Authority.

Written Answers — Refugee Resettlement Programme: Refugee Resettlement Programme (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Ireland is one of a number of EU Member States with a national resettlement programme. Since 2000, Ireland has accepted over 900 persons for resettlement from over 20 countries. Under the applicable Government Decision, the annual resettlement quota under the UNHCR Resettlement Programme is currently 200 persons to be admitted as programme refugees. On 2 September 2009, the European...

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

Dermot Ahern: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that there are 54 members of An Garda Síochána permanently assigned duties as Garda Protection Officers to 26 designated persons including current Office holders and four former Taoisigh. Included in the duties of the Protection Officer is a requirement to drive the Protected Person. There are no protection officers assigned to former...

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

Dermot Ahern: The following tabular statement gives the latest available information in relation to drug seizures for 2007, 2008 and this year to date. This statement shows seizures of a total value of over €168m being made in 2007 and just over €200m in 2008. Because of the covert nature of the activity, it is simply not possible to give a reliable estimate of the proportion of drugs coming into the...

Written Answers — Civilianisation Programme: Civilianisation Programme (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: An effective police civilianisation programme does not always invoke pure "one for one" replacement of individual Gardaí with civilians - it can take a number of forms. Firstly, of course there is the replacement of sworn members, who are engaged in exclusively clerical, administrative or technical duties, with civilian staff. Secondly, and very importantly there is the use of civilian...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts 1956 to 2004 define a Stateless person as being 'within the meaning of the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons of the 28th day of September, 1954'. The definition of a 'Stateless Person' as outlined under this Convention is 'a person who is not considered as a national by any State under the operation of it's law'....

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

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 65 together. I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the incident to which the Deputy refers remains the subject of an active and ongoing investigation. A number of persons have been charged and are currently before the Courts in connection with the incident. Consequently, it would not be appropriate for me to go into any further details about...

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

Dermot Ahern: The matter to which the Deputy refers concerns the alleged leaking of official material from Garda sources to the media relating to a deceased person. An investigation under section 98 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 into the matter was carried out by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and the full text of that report is available on its website. The Ombudsman Commission report...

Written Answers — Equality Laws: Equality Laws (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I understand that an ad-hoc group of non-governmental organisations has made a complaint to the European Commission about the level of Government funding for the Equality Authority. The Commission has a mechanism for considering complaints from the general public of failure by a Member State to fulfil an obligation under Community law. It is a matter for the Commission in its own discretion...

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

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Commissioner has accepted the findings of the Monageer Inquiry and is committed to ensuring that the safety and protection of children is a key priority for An Garda Síochána. The Children First guidelines provide the essential framework for the work of An Garda Síochána and the Health Service Executive in dealing with the sensitive area of child safety. The guidelines, as the...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that it is not possible to provide the information requested by the Deputy, regarding the number of drivers tested for suspected drug driving in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009, without a disproportionate expenditure of Garda time and resources. In relation to statistics for drug driving prosecutions, the Garda Síochána Act 2005 makes...

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

Dermot Ahern: Overall the statistics on recorded crime in the second quarter of 2009 published by the Central Statistics Office show a continuation of the encouraging trends of the previous quarter which is very welcome. As I said at the time of the release of the statistics it is heartening that of the 14 crime groups for which statistics are given, 11 show reductions, including public order, weapons and...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy will appreciate that interpretation of the law in relation to a particular subject matter is not a function of mine in relation to a Parliamentary Question. However, I can refer the Deputy to my response to Question No. 257 of 28 April, 2009. The position remains that the Government has no proposals to give recognition to Irish sign language as a third official language. Policy in...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: ORAC received 4,314 asylum applications in 2006, 3,985 in 2007 and 3,866 in 2008. The total number of asylum applications received to the end of August this year stands at 1,954. The Deputy will be aware that various factors have an impact on asylum numbers and an accurate prediction of future trends is difficult to make. A Presenting Panel of legally qualified persons was established by...

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

Dermot Ahern: The maximum recruitment age for admission as a trainee full time member of An Garda Síochána is set at 35 years of age. This age was selected taking into account a number of criteria including the significant training cost which can only be recouped by serving a sufficient period and the operational requirements of the Force in terms of having an age profile appropriate to the demands...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The number of people over the age of 18 awaiting issue of their naturalisation certificate as of the 15th September 2009 was 1043. The number of applicants currently awaiting the issue of their certificate of naturalisation who have made their declaration of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State and paid the €950 fee prior to 15 August 2009 was 6. In each of the 6 cases further...

Written Answers — Civil Marriage: Civil Marriage (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question number 641 that I answered on 16 September 2009. The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service is unable to make a determination in this application for family reunification on the basis of the documentation submitted to date. In this regard a letter was sent to the person concerned on 10 September 2009 requesting them to obtain a...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (22 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Division of my Department in March 2006. The average processing time from application to decision is now at 24 months. More complicated cases can at times take more than the current average, while an element of straight forward cases can be dealt with in less...

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

Dermot Ahern: As indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question no. 766 of 16 September 2009, when Section 132 of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 was brought forward in July, I made it clear that an appropriate period of time would be needed to allow the market to factor in the very significant changes which were being introduced. That remains the position. While I have taken no final...

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

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218, 219 and 231 together. There is no requirement for Reserve Gardaí to resign before applying to join the force as a full-time member. In actual fact membership of the Reserve potentially enhances an applicant's chances of securing a position as a full-time Garda. The Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 (SI 509 of...