Results 9,041-9,060 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Anti-Social Behaviour. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I will bring it to the Deputy's attention after the sitting. The ASBO legislation is working well. Members of the House feel there should be a league table regarding the number of ASBOs and that the more ASBOs and court orders we get, the more successful the legislation is, but I disagree. I rely on the gardaí and their good judgment to go to court when necessary, but not to overly...

Anti-Social Behaviour. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Garda Commissioner and I recently launched a new model of community policing to build on the existing community policing, which has been very successful. The last time I was in this House, the figures for community police in the country were 670; today they are in the region of 706, so the number is ever-increasing. The more gardaí one puts on exclusively community policing, the fewer...

Citizenship Applications. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: There are 16,853 applications for naturalisation with the citizenship division of my Department that are still awaiting a decision. This is primarily due to the significant increase in the volume of applications received in the past number of years. In 2002, there were 3,500 applications, whereas in 2008 the number of such applications was 10,885. This upward trend seems set to continue...

Citizenship Applications. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: That has not been brought to my attention heretofore. I will have it changed as quickly as possible. However, all the applicants know the information required, and they would be told clearly on application. As I stated, ultimately we must get the checks from the Garda, the Department of Social and Family Affairs and from other agencies, and this normally creates the delay in the...

Citizenship Applications. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I do not accept that. From my dealings in my constituency on naturalisation applications, I am aware that people generally know what is required. It is not rocket science. They need an application and they need the supporting documents including passports and documentation on their legal stay while in Ireland. The issue of marriages is a complex area. It is one of the reasons there are...

Citizenship Applications. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I am not sure what the other matter is.

Legislative Programme. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Legislation to give effect in Irish law to the third EU money laundering directive and the related implementing directive is being drafted and is at an advanced stage. This legislation also takes into account relevant recommendations arising from the Financial Action Task Force, FATF, third mutual evaluation report 2006 on Ireland's measures to combat money laundering and the financing of...

Legislative Programme. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I have no friends in the gaming industry, unlike some members of Deputy Flanagan's party. The reason for the delay in proceeding with the issue of the casinos and gaming legislation is well known to Deputy Flanagan. I wrote to his party leader, as I did to the Labour Party leader, to try to follow on from the understanding I inherited. I understood that there would be a cross-party...

Legislative Programme. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: ——to address the issue, I have decided to proceed. In view of this I have now asked my officials to proceed to include in this anti-money laundering legislation the regulation of gaming clubs. It will be included, as will other professions such as law, accountancy and the banking sector, in the anti-money laundering legislation. For the first time, gaming clubs will be regulated and...

Legislative Programme. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: This is being treated as a priority by the Department and by the Office of the Attorney General.

Legislative Programme. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy slurred me. I have no friends in the gaming industry.

Legislative Programme. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I know Deputy Rabbitte holds me in the highest esteem.

Legislative Programme. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I decided to proceed in the short term to include a mechanism whereby the private gaming clubs that have mushroomed in this country would have to apply for authorisation. Under the anti-money laundering legislation which will come forward quickly, if those clubs are to go ahead, they must sign up to it so there will be an element of regulation. We plan to introduce legislation for the...

Legislative Programme. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I do not have that information but the Commission has raised the implementation of this directive in a number of countries — France, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Poland and Finland have not fully transposed it yet. We will transpose it in the next couple of months with the help of the House.

Immigration Controls. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: Arrangements for disembarking passengers at Dublin Airport currently do not allow for the separation of passengers from domestic flights within the State and those arriving on flights originating outside the State. Consequently, all arriving passengers must pass through immigration controls to ensure that those persons who, by law, require the permission of an immigration officer to enter...

Immigration Controls. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: I have inquired about this with the Garda Commissioner on many occasions and I am conscious people are having difficultly. There is an industrial relations issue concerning a meal allowance that has been withdrawn but extra staff have been put into Dublin Airport. There are now 142 gardaí, with 15 more arriving recently, although I accept there has been a detrimental impact on perception...

Immigration Controls. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: On other occasions, I know for a fact and I discussed this with my officials before we came in here, people have come through the airport and said there were no particular difficulties. I monitor the situation to find anecdotal evidence and I accept it happens on occasion. I have raised the issue and have indicated to my officials that I would be open to looking at other ways of dealing with...

Immigration Controls. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: All those options, including civilianisation, will be examined. I have an open mind on these issues, which I have discussed with my officials. Primarily, however, there are gardaí involved who are doing a good job.

Immigration Controls. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: They have the resources and the Garda Commissioner has dedicated more resources because of the anecdotal evidence.

Immigration Controls. (25 Feb 2009)

Dermot Ahern: My view is that the civilianisation of the booths could happen quite easily with oversight by a number of gardaí.