Results 10,181-10,200 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Gangland Crime: Motion (18 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: This Government is not only strengthening the criminal law to enable it to respond to current circumstances, but it will continue to provide the Garda Síochána with the resources it needs to prevent crime and pursue criminals. I will not detail the resources which are being provided to the Garda, as these are set out comprehensively in the Government's amendment to the motion. My...

Written Answers — Prison Visiting Committees: Prison Visiting Committees (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: A Visiting Committee is appointed to each prison under the Prisons (Visiting Committees) Act, 1925 and Prisons (Visiting Committees) Order, 1925. Members of Committees are appointed by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform for a term not exceeding three years. A Committee should have a minimum of 6 members and a maximum of 12 members. The function of Visiting Committees is to...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 16 together. I set out below tables provided by the Garda Authorities which show the quantities and estimates the street value of the most significant drugs analysed by the Forensic Science Laboratory for 2007 and provisional figures for 2008. In relation to statistics for convictions, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Central Statistics...

Written Answers — Prison Violence: Prison Violence (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: While the prison regime is designed to limit the scope for acts of violence, it is simply impossible to completely eliminate the possibility of such acts in prisons holding a high proportion of violent offenders without introducing a "lock-down" regime that would be unacceptable in human rights terms. The growth of organised criminal gangs outside prison has had obvious consequences within...

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Over the last 12 months the numbers of persons in custody has increased by 10% and the total number of persons serving sentences has increased by 14%. This indicates the effectiveness of this Government's policy of providing additional resources to the Gardaí and the Courts as well as the effectiveness of the substantive body of new criminal law enacted in recent years. I am committed to...

Written Answers — Civil Unions: Civil Unions (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Deputy will be aware that my proposals, in the form of heads of a Civil Partnership Bill, were published on 24 June 2008 following the approval of the Government. Formal drafting of the Bill by Parliamentary Counsel is now well advanced and I can confirm, in line with the indication in the Government Legislation Programme as announced on 23 September 2008, that the Bill is expected to be...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Immigration Act 2003, contained a number of key changes to the Refugee Act, 1996 which enabled the processing of asylum applications to be speeded up and enhanced the state's ability to deal with abusive applications. These changes included the imposition on applicants of a clear statutory duty to actively pursue their asylum applications and co-operate at all times with the processing...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the number of Gardaí operating as Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLO's) on 30 September 2008, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 105. The overall strength of An Garda Síochána on 30 September 2008 was 14,284. The number operating as JLO's represents 0.74% of the overall strength. The Commissioner has approved the...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: While the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) deals with numerous types of applications for residence in this State, I assume the Deputy is referring to applications for long term residence. The current Long Term Residence Scheme was introduced in May 2004 and operates on an administrative basis. This administrative scheme is focused on persons who have been legally resident...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: While my Department has a key role in the development of disability equality policy and legislation, it is not directly involved in the provision of services for people with disabilities. These services are mainstreamed to the relevant Departments. However, from time to time my Department provides funds for schemes which are usually stand-alone and / or aimed to develop innovative pilot...

Written Answers — Recidivism Rate: Recidivism Rate (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service facilitated a major study of prisoner re-offending by the UCD Institute of Criminology. The study found that 27.4% of released prisoners were serving a new prison sentence with one year. This rose to 39.2% after two years, 45.1% after three years, and 49.2% after four years. In the context of addressing recidivism, the Irish Prison...

Written Answers — Prison Service: Prison Service (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I can advise the Deputy that I am determined to continue to progress initiatives in all of the areas mentioned by the Inspector. I am setting out some of the more important developments hereunder: Overcrowding The Government has committed significant resources to the prison building programme. In addition to the 1300 extra prison spaces provided in recent years current developments will...

Written Answers — Community Policing: Community Policing (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the report of the Working Group on the National Model of Community Policing is at present being considered by Senior Garda Management and I look forward to seeing the proposals which emerge from this. The national strategies for Neighbourhood Watch and Community Alert, both of which were launched in 2007, will also inform the organisation on how...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that 1,775 civilian personnel were employed in An Garda Síochána as of 31 December 2002. This figure represents the actual number of employees, including part-time employees, and is not a whole time equivalent figure as it was inadvertently referred to in my answer to the Deputy's Question No: 32865/08 of 2nd October 2008. The corresponding figure on...

Written Answers — Joint Policing Committees: Joint Policing Committees (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my answer to Question No. 7 of today's date. The JPC's already established in the pilot phase are located in the following areas: Fingal, Kerry, Offaly, South Dublin and Wicklow County Councils; Clonmel, Drogheda and Sligo Borough Councils; Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford City Councils; Athy, Arklow, Ballinasloe, Birr, Bray, Cavan, Carrick-on-Suir,...

Written Answers — Courts Service: Courts Service (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I have nothing further to add to my response to Question No. 292 of 29 October 2008 other than to confirm that my Department has received a copy of the MABS submission to the Law Reform Commission.

Written Answers — Probation and Welfare Service: Probation and Welfare Service (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I can advise the Deputy that my Department, through the Probation Service, provides funding to over 50 voluntary bodies to assist with the management of offenders in the community. These funded projects provide a range of services to offenders in local communities, including training and education, offender management programmes, residential accommodation and drug and alcohol abuse treatment...

Written Answers — Prison Medical Service: Prison Medical Service (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I can advise the Deputy that figures relating to 31 October, 2008 indicated that there were 56 male persons under the age of 18 in custody in St. Patrick's Institution which is the designated detention centre for young male offenders aged between 16 and 21 years of age. Of these 40 were aged 17 and the remaining 16 were sixteen years of age. The enactment of the remaining sections of the...

Written Answers — Prison Education Service: Prison Education Service (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: In St Patrick's Institution educational classes and courses are provided by a team of 20 whole-time equivalent teachers. The number of teachers increased from 12 to the current 20 in February 2007 following the opening of the new B Division. All young persons are interviewed on committal for both Work/Training and Education and offered places in one or other of these activities. While the...

Written Answers — Garda Reserve: Garda Reserve (13 Nov 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I believe that the establishment of the Garda Reserve is one of the most progressive innovations in policing in Ireland in recent years. It has strengthened the links between the Garda Síochána and local communities and is a source of local support and knowledge. Full-time and Reserve members are working well together and I believe that the positive impacts made since the establishment of...