Results 8,981-9,000 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Public Order Offences: Public Order Offences (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Policing Plan for 2009, which reflects the priorities set for the Force by me as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, contains a series of measures aimed at reducing the impact of crime and criminal behaviour. One of the strategic goals identified in the Plan is to reduce significantly the incidence of public disorder and anti-social behaviour in communities. I am...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I would refer the Deputy to my replies to his previous questions in this regard on 8 July 2008 and 18 December 2008.

Written Answers — Court Staff: Court Staff (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: On foot of an amendment made by the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008, section 9 of the Courts and Courts Officers Act 1945 now enables a County Registrar to act as County Registrar in another county and exercise powers concurrently with their being exercised by the other County Registrar. Since this provision was implemented on 1 August 2008, the Courts Service has authorised a...

Written Answers — Vetting of Personnel: Vetting of Personnel (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) provides employment vetting for a number of organisations in Ireland, registered with the Unit, which employ personnel to work in a full-time, part time, voluntary or student capacity with children and/or vulnerable adults. The procedure is also conducted for fostering and the Adoption Board. The Health Service Executive is a registered organisation for...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The granting of Irish Citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour and not an entitlement. The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. One such condition is that the applicant must be of...

Written Answers — Drug Treatment Programme: Drug Treatment Programme (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question number 206, of 28th January, 2009. I await the proposal from the Probation Service relating to a new vision for Harristown House. When I receive that proposal I will be in a position to make informed decision(s) on what is the best and most viable option for the reopening of the House having particular regard to the client needs of...

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together. The following tabular statement provides the latest available information on drug seizures for 2007 and 2008. It shows seizures of a total of €167.5 million in 2007 and in excess of €200 million in 2008. Given the covert nature of the activity, it is not possible to give a reliable estimate of the proportion of drugs coming into the...

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I accept the drugs issue is a significant problem in the country. The Deputy suggested that because there is a dramatic increase in drug offences brought to court amounting to 25% year on year, there is an increased problem. Nevertheless, the Deputy should commend the Garda, the Navy, the Revenue and the Customs and Excise which has primary responsibility in this regard for the job well...

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy made a political charge relating to Garda overtime. The fact is the Government will oversee an increase in the number of gardaí this year from 14,200 at the beginning of the year to 14,900 at the end of the year. In effect, by the end of 2009 we will reach the level of Garda numbers that the Deputy, in his famous endless contract, promised in the general election in 2007.

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: In the general election of 2007 the Deputy said that he would reach the level of 15,000 by 2012. We will reach that level three years earlier so he need not make political charges in that regard.

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer again to the point in respect of increased activities by the Garda and the increased success in respect of prosecutions brought. Let us extend the logic in the argument of the Deputy to its conclusion. The implication is that the greater the number of successful offences charged and convicted, the greater the problem. However, the fact is——

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: According to the Deputy's logic if there were no seizures and no offences there would be no drugs in the country. That is not the case.

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy makes political charges relating to it. The reality is the Deputy's leader called for more cutbacks today.

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: We are putting extra gardaí into the system to prosecute these offences.

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to the position in respect of increased resources. There will be extra dog units available to the Revenue Commissioners and to the Customs and Excise. There will be an increase of 379 gardaí entering divisional drugs units, representing a dramatic increase from recent years. These are new initiatives. A greater number of dog detection teams will be provided. Extra...

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: We all abhor such incidents. That is why we are and have been beefing up our enforcement agencies.

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Our record is second to none. Instead of criticising the level of resources the Deputy should encourage——

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy should commend the Garda and the agencies involved for being more successful than ever before in making seizures. The figures speak for themselves, even though the Deputy tries to twist them to show that the situation is getting worse. With enforcement——

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: With proper resources, enforcement is getting better. That is not the entire——

Drug Seizures. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: One cannot gauge the success or otherwise of the fight on drugs purely and simply by enforcement. We have to do away with the demand also.