Results 8,421-8,440 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Voluntary Repatriation: Voluntary Repatriation (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: In 2007, a total of 231 people voluntarily returned to their home country under the Voluntary Assisted Return & Reintegration Programme (VARRP), with a further 436 being assisted under the Programme in 2008. The average cost of each return under the VARRP during the 2007/2008 period was €3,047. The countries of return were Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,...

Written Answers — Sexual Offences: Sexual Offences (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Sex Offenders Act, 2001 contains a comprehensive series of provisions aimed at protecting children and other persons against sexual abuse and attack. The Act makes persons convicted of a range of sexual offences subject to notification requirements under Part 2 of the Act. The provisions of the Act also extend to any sex offenders who enter the State. An Garda Síochána has a system in...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Under the Refugee Act 1996, two independent statutory offices were established to consider applications and appeals in respect of refugee status and to make recommendations to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on whether such status should be granted. These offices are the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. I am informed by the...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 to 164, inclusive, together. The persons to whom the Deputy refers are failed asylum seekers. This applicant and her daughters applied for asylum on 21 January 2005. Following a full and detailed consideration of their applications by the Refugee Applications Commissioner and an unsuccessful appeal to the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, they were refused...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The telephone number to which the Deputy refers is made available by national telecoms regulators. This is therefore a matter primarily for the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg). I should mention that I have asked the Garda Inspectorate to undertake a study of the handling by An Garda Síochána of missing...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The first, second and third named persons, a husband, wife and dependant child, applied for asylum in the State on 5 September 2005. The third named person was included in her mother's asylum application. The fourth named person was born in the State in late 2005 and was subsequently included in her mother's asylum application. As the immigration case histories and up to date positions of...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I expect to publish the Fines Bill very shortly. It will include a provision under which the courts will be able to direct that fines, imposed on conviction for criminal offences, be paid in instalments over a 12 month period, or in exceptional circumstances, over a 24 month period.

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my detailed Reply to her recent Parliamentary Question, No. 84 of Thursday 29 January 2009, in this matter. The position in the State of the person concerned is as set out in that Reply.

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 337 of 21 October 2008. I wish to add that the person concerned was subsequently informed, by letter dated 28 January 2009, of her entitlement to apply for Subsidiary Protection. Representations have been received from the person concerned and are being considered by the relevant officials. The person concerned will be contacted...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The person concerned arrived in the State on 19 December 2005 and applied for asylum on 20 December 2005. Her application was refused following consideration of her case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, and, on appeal, by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Subsequently, in accordance with Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, the person concerned was informed,...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: It has not been possible, given the timeframe involved, to collate the information required by the Deputy going back to 2002. However, I can inform the Deputy that my Department's records for the period 7 May, 2008 (the date of my appointment) to 31 December, 2008 - the latest period for which records are available - show that the cost of providing me with my official mobile telephony and PDA...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the location referred to by the Deputy is in Clontarf Garda Sub-District. While local Garda management is aware of incidents of public disorder and anti-social behaviour in the area, they are not aware of any specific incidents at the location referred to by the Deputy. However, arrangements have been made for Garda personnel from the...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The issue raised in the Question is the competency of persons with an intellectual disability to give evidence in court, in particular in cases of alleged sexual offences. This is a sensitive and complex subject, and following an examination of the issues involved, I have concluded that a more detailed review of the matter is warranted. Projects included in the Law Reform Commission's Third...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The first named person concerned arrived in the State on 20 May 2005 and applied for asylum. Her application was refused following consideration of her case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Subsequently, in accordance with Section 3 of the Immigration Act, 1999 (as amended), the first named person concerned was informed, by...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The person concerned applied for asylum on 25 July 2003. Her application was refused following consideration of her case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Subsequently, in accordance with Section 3 of the Immigration Act, 1999 (as amended), the person concerned was informed, by letter dated 21 March 2005, that the Minister...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of his Members who have applied for early retirement in the year since April 2008 and the numbers being processed are as set out in the following table. 2008 2009 April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May 25 18 34 11 9 61 41 21 34 23 16 86 64 52 It is not possible to provide a detailed breakdown of how many...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy may be aware that the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004 made significant changes to the Civil Service Superannuation Scheme. That Act increased to 55 the minimum age at which superannuation benefits may be paid to 'new entrants' to the Prison Service. Whilst the compulsory retirement age for members of the Prison Service remains unchanged at 60...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: No staff in my Department terminated their employment under the circumstances set out by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my response to Question No. 59 of 25 February, 2009, in which I indicated that the Privacy Bill 2006, which is before the Seanad, having been restored to the Seanad Order Paper in late 2007 by the Leader of the Seanad, represents Government policy in the area of privacy. My Department continues to review the provisions in the Bill taking into account developments in the...

Written Answers — Detention Centres: Detention Centres (7 Apr 2009)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware the Irish Youth Justice Service was established as an executive office within my Department to develop an integrated response to youth offending. That Office has published a National Youth Justice Strategy for the period 2008-2010 in which the vision for managing youth offending is clearly set out. In relation to St Patrick's Institution I would point out that...