Results 6,581-6,600 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (16 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: This project is to replace Cork Prison with a modern prison complex at Kilworth, County Cork. Agreement has been reached with the Department of Defence to acquire about 160 acres at Kilworth, County Cork for a new prison development. Government approval for the transfer of the land has also been obtained. The Prison Service commissioned a preliminary site suitability report. This involved a...

Written Answers — Commencement of Legislation: Commencement of Legislation (16 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: 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 decision on a commencement date, I would note that the section will not be commenced...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (16 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 767 to 770, inclusive, together. One of the options open to persons faced with the prospect of having a Deportation Order issued in respect of them is that they can seek to return voluntarily to their country of origin. Asylum seekers and irregular migrants from non-EU countries who agree to return voluntarily to their countries of origin but do not have...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (16 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to direct the Deputy to the replies to Parliamentary Question Nos. 382 of 22 April 2008, 194 to 196 of 5 June 2008 and 305 and 306 of 23 June 2009. I can also inform the Deputy that in October 2008 my Department ran two awareness raising campaigns concerning (a) Fireworks, at a total cost of €150,320 and (b) Anti-Human Trafficking, at a cost of €129,566, exclusive of VAT. In...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (16 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The administration of the Cycle-to-Work scheme has been carried out within existing resources and no additional costs have arisen.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (16 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 February 2006. All applications are dealt with in chronological order as this is deemed to be the fairest to all applicants. The average processing time from application to decision is now at 24 months. More complicated cases can...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (16 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the area referred to by the Deputy is covered by Coolock Garda District. The personnel strength of that District, as of the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 249. The area is subject of regular patrols by uniform and plain-clothes personnel, including the local Community Policing and Garda Mountain Bike Units, the District...

Written Answers — Ministerial Expenses: Ministerial Expenses (16 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The information sought by the Deputy is only available from 1998 onwards. The expenditure in question relates for the most part to travel and subsistence expenses incurred by the office holders, while away from home, during the periods in question. Year Expenses paid Ms. Mary Wallace T.D , Minister of State 1998 €28,731 1999 €23,268 2000 €43,672 2001 €1,023 2002 €69,404...

Suspension of Member (16 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Not so distinguished.

Suspension of Member (16 Sep 2009)

Dermot Ahern: He has subverted democracy long enough.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, and the Cathaoirleach for facilitating this debate. I thank the Senators who contributed. This was an excellent debate where we teased out many of the issues and everyone understood each other. The level of debate was higher than some of the debate I heard elsewhere, in that people fully understood what the legislation involved. It is clear that the...

Seanad: Health Services (14 Jul 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. Much of the concern expressed about waiting times for access to addiction services in the Cork area in recent times has been in respect of the waiting times for opiate users to access methadone treatment. Currently, 106 opiate users in the Cork area are awaiting this service, a decrease of almost one third on the 150 opiate users who were on the...

Seanad: Private Rented Accommodation (14 Jul 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I thank the Senator for raising this item and for the opportunity to outline the progress that has been made in recent years in tackling the issue of substandard accommodation in the rental sector. New regulations were signed at the end of last year updating the minimum standards for rented housing. These regulations are part of a package of measures delivering on a commitment in the...

Seanad: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (14 Jul 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I thank the Senators for raising this matter. As they have said, the rural environment protection scheme has undoubtedly been a successful measure. By the end of 2009, payments made to farmers since the launch of the scheme in 1994 will have passed the €3 billion mark. REPS has always been about much more than money. It has delivered enormous benefits in enhancing the rural environment,...

Seanad: Rural Environment Protection Scheme (14 Jul 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I can assure the Senator that the Government will do its level best to ensure that we access all the EU funding that is available and that we will provide the necessary funding in this respect. In regard to the new scheme, its details have not yet been indicated and they will be available later this year. There is no easy way around the fact that our public finances are in a difficult...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to reply to the accusation that there is a creeping move towards longer periods of detention. It had been suggested that in the context of the legislation we should consider longer periods of detention but I resisted those calls because I believe seven days is sufficient. When one considers the figures it is quite clear that under the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act that for...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am sorry. I understood the Senator to say it was used more frequently. Since 2007, a total of 19 individuals have been detained for questioning by the Garda under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. A total of four persons have been detained for up to 48 hours. A total of 13 persons have been detained for up to five days. A total of two persons have been detained for up to...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The purpose of explicitly stating in statute that no issue as to the lawfulness of the arrest or detention of a person to whom an extension of time application relates may be raised, is to counter a growing tendency in recent years on the part of the suspect to try to turn the hearing into a hearing on the lawfulness of his or her arrest or detention. This has a number of undesirable...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I cannot put it any further than the advice of the Attorney General that the overriding principle in the Keating case is the one that applies concerning detention hearings, that is, that the District Court has no jurisdiction and that under Article 40 of the Constitution it is purely and simply a matter for the High Court.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Dermot Ahern: No.