Results 10,201-10,220 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: Question 332: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she is satisfied with the extent of after care and out of hour services available to drug misusers, particularly in the north east; if she will provide details of such services as available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31213/06]

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: Question 494: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children who applied for a place in junior infants in 2006 in schools (details supplied) in Dublin 15 but were refused. [31482/06]

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: He just asked for a debate on the subject.

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: He was doing well for the past ten minutes.

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: Wild women——

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: We on this side of the House agree with the Minister of State on that point.

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: The Minister of State finished on time, despite spending a considerable amount of time off-script. It shows, at least, that he is interested in the drugs problem and is probably aware of how serious it is. He is probably quietly ashamed of the Government in this regard, as I am. One of the biggest failures of the two parties in Government over the last ten years is the outright mess that...

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: He said the level of cocaine being seized had increased by 500% since 1995, an indication of the depth of the problem. The only response from the Government, however, has been to fund three pilot projects. One of the Minister of State's answers to a parliamentary question this week indicates that four more are funded.

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: His own figures say three.

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: The pilot project to tackle the cocaine programme is massive and in his own words the Minister of State says: "I am confident that through the implementation of the actions in the National Drugs Strategy the problem of cocaine use can be and is being addressed." The reality is far from that. There is a massive cocaine problem. It runs to billions of euro and the Minister of State is quoted...

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: I do not give a damn. I care about what is happening——

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: ——here. The reality is that there is a serious problem, but the Minister of State does not admit that. He should not try to quote international figures to defend it. That is not good enough. According to his own figures on the waiting lists for methadone treatment from May 2006, some people are waiting 18 months to start a maintenance programme — not for treatment for drugs, just a...

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: I am asking the Minister of State to consider change. Surely, with all the people he has working in this area, some way could be invented to solve the problem. It is not good enough that people known to gardaí are running round the streets every night of the week.

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: They even do deliveries to pubs and estates. One can stand in estates and watch people going to collect their drugs. That is how obvious it is, yet these people who are known to gardaí cannot be touched. There is something seriously wrong there. RAPID is also part of the Minister of State's responsibilities. We recently discussed where the money is being spent and while it is sometimes...

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: The Government has been in office for long enough.

Crime Prevention: Motion. (10 Oct 2006)

Damien English: Does it work in private airports?

Community Development. (5 Oct 2006)

Damien English: I am glad the Minister went through the faults of the report, so I will not have to list them, and the changes that need to be made. There is a lack of focus in a few RAPID areas and that is addressed in the report. It might help to have a person in each of the various bodies that are dealing with the RAPID co-ordinator assigned to RAPID. It is hard to get things moving at a fast pace, so...

Community Development. (5 Oct 2006)

Damien English: I asked about people buying their houses and whether there is any hope for them. I do not expect a full answer today as it is a new topic I have raised.

Community Development. (5 Oct 2006)

Damien English: I am glad the Minister is thinking about it. He will get support from this end. We can invent new clauses to prevent problems arising. RAPID was to correct problems of the past, such as bad planning, bad housing and so on. Can we learn from the RAPID report and the work of RAPID to prevent this happening again in other areas? Whose job is that?

Community Development. (5 Oct 2006)

Damien English: Question 1: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he is satisfied regarding the outcome of the work undertaken by Comhairle na Tuaithe; the strategies he intends to introduce to overcome existing opposition to the proposed countryside recreation strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31395/06]