Results 8,301-8,320 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Pursuant to paragraph 5 of the Administrative Immigration Arrangements for the protection of Victims of Human Trafficking, which were introduced by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to coincide with the enactment of the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Act, 2008 which came into effect on 7th June, 2008, An Garda Síochána has recommended three (3) persons to the Minister for...

Written Answers — Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Administrative Immigration Arrangements for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking state that a person identified by a member of the Garda Síochána, not below the rank of Superintendent, in the Garda National Immigration Bureau, as a suspected victim of human trafficking shall be granted a permission to remain lawfully in the State for period of 60 days ( a 'recovery and...

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

Dermot Ahern: I wish to inform the Deputy that the person to whom he refers entered the State on 15 October 2006 and applied for asylum on 18 October 2006. This application was refused by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner on 8 November 2006, and that decision was affirmed by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. An application for Subsidiary Protection was received in my Department from the...

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

Dermot Ahern: I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 137 of Thursday, 5th February, 2009. As you will recall the details you requested were not available from An Garda Síochána in the time available. I am informed by the Garda authorities that vehicles from the Garda fleet, which extends to over 2,760 vehicles as a result of a major expansion in recent years, are distributed taking into account factors...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: A bilateral agreement on immigration matters, including readmission, was concluded in 2001 between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. While the agreement has not yet been formally ratified by the Nigerian side, both sides are operating in the spirit of the agreement, particularly in the area of repatriation. On a recent visit to Nigeria by the...

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

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 322 of 25 November, 2008. On the specific issue of the two agencies in question, the principal focus is on the introduction of measures which will reduce their operating costs to the greatest extent possible. Work is continuing in order to achieve that objective.

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

Dermot Ahern: It is expected that the Bill will be published in the very near future in this Session.

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

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware the Government is committed to the introduction of the Property Services (Regulation) Bill in the current Dáil term. This Bill, which will establish the Property Services Regulatory Authority on a statutory basis, sets out the main functions of the new Authority which include: establishing and administering a comprehensive licensing system covering all providers...

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

Dermot Ahern: I can inform the Deputy that the amalgamation will take place following the relocation of the Irish Film Classification Office to their new premises which is expected to take place before the end of June 2009.

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

Dermot Ahern: The Government Legislation Programme, announced on 22 April 2009, indicates that publication of the Civil Partnership Bill is expected in the current session.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (22 Apr 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 September 2005 and I decided to defer making any final decision in this case until May 2009. The person concerned was notified of this position and the reasons for it in a letter issued on 20 May, 2008. I expect the file will be...

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

Dermot Ahern: I am working on a range of measures to combat gangland crime in Limerick and throughout the State. Last week I published the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Bill. The Bill will strengthen the ability of An Garda Síochána to bring gang members before the courts and offer evidence by providing for the first time a legal framework to allow covert surveillance material to be used in criminal...

Written Answers — Prisoner Statistics: Prisoner Statistics (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: On 14 April, 2009, there were 3,849 prisoners in custody as compared to a bed capacity of 3,636. This represents an occupancy level of 106%. The following table provides a breakdown of the population of each prison/place of detention on 14 April, 2009: Prison/Place of Detention Bed Capacity No. in Custody Arbour Hill Prison 148 157 Castlerea Prison 228 269 Cloverhill Prison 431 468...

Crime Prevention. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Tackling organised and gangland crime remains my primary concern. Significant efforts and resources are already being directed on an ongoing basis in tackling organised crime and gangland culture. The State will be relentless in its approach in bringing those involved in such activities to justice. An Garda Síochána already co-ordinates a wide range of multi-agency activities to disrupt...

Crime Prevention. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: It is true to say that illegal drugs and their importation is a very large component of the issue of gangland crime in this country. To be fair, there is a question in regard to the related issue to which the Deputy refers. With regard to the drugs issue generally, there is a special national drugs unit, comprising 60 gardaí of all ranks at headquarters, and across the country there are...

Crime Prevention. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am somewhat reluctant to deal with the matter in response to this question because to be fair to Deputy Rabbitte he has tabled a priority question specifically on that issue. When this issue first arose in the media, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, which we established as an independent agency, set up a public interest inquiry under section 102 of the 2005 Act that we passed....

Crime Prevention. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I know that political charges have been made in this House. Neither my Department nor I had any hand, act or part in the granting of any of these licences, which is purely a matter for the Department of Transport liaising with the Garda Síochána.

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I have previously informed the House that I received an interim report from the Garda Commissioner concerning certain inquiries being carried out by an assistant commissioner into events related to a particular case involving a convicted drug dealer. I am informed by the Commissioner that those inquiries are still ongoing and I await a full report from the Commissioner as soon as those...

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: There was no delay on my part. When I got the interim report from the Garda Commissioner, I suggested, and it was agreed, that the interim report would be sent to the Garda Ombudsman Commission. I did so because it raised serious questions and serious questions were being raised in the media on the issue. As I said, with regard to the granting of a licence, neither I nor the Department had...

Garda Investigations. (22 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: With regard to the report, the Garda quickly produced an interim report. That interim report was referred immediately to the Garda Ombudsman Commission. A final report by the Garda Síochána is due and it will, ultimately, be fed into the Garda Ombudsman Commission. On the issue of a nolle prosequi, it is not for me to say whether that should have been put into the District Court at that...