Results 10,721-10,740 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: I have obviously hit a particularly vulnerable point in the positioning Sinn Féin has taken-----

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: -----because it is a falsehood. The positioning is a falsehood.

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: If it favours the peace process, if it is opposed to terrorist organisations targeting individuals, if it is opposed to individuals being shot or maimed, if it supports the cross-community police force-----

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: -----in the PSNI, if the Senator believes that people who live in this State-----

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: Perhaps I could continue my contribution without interruption.

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: If Sinn Féin is opposed to individuals in this State targeting other individuals, if it recognises that this democracy, like every other democracy, is entitled to have in place legislation which protects democracy and ensures it is not subverted and that those still committed to murder and mayhem are brought before our courts, there is no answer other than to support the continuation of this...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: It also indicates very clearly that Sinn Féin still has not-----

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: -----sufficiently matured to play any serious role in the governance of this country-----

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: -----because if Sinn Féin is incapable of recognising that the crucial civil right is to recognise that democracies can protect themselves, that governments and indeed this House, like Dáil Éireann, have an obligation to protect the people on this island from the violence and mayhem that the terrorists we tragically still have are intent on perpetrating, Sinn Féin has not yet got it....

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: This motion will provide for the continuation and operation of section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 for a period of 12 months, from 30 June 2012. The purpose of section 8 is to ensure that organised criminal gangs cannot interfere with the criminal process to determine the outcome of cases. To this end, the section declares that for certain offences, the ordinary courts are...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: I thank most of the speakers for their support for this motion. Senator Byrne made reference to organised criminals in rural Ireland. It is a real issue that individuals are using our motorway system to act as predators on isolated elderly people in rural communities. The Garda Síochána has taken serious action, as part of Operation Fiacla, to target those engaged in such activities....

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: There is no point in members of Sinn Féin telling me we should give further resources to the Garda Síochána when they want the Garda Síochána to address some areas of crime with its hands tied and without an assurance that, should an investigation prove successful, an appropriate trial can take place.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: Senator Cullinane wanted to ensure people have the right to a fair trial but fair trials are conducted in the Special Criminal Court, just as they are before jury trials. Fair trials are conducted because we have an independent Judiciary that applies the rule of law very carefully. Should something arise in a trial that warrants further examination, the opportunity to appeal a decision...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: Senator Cullinane is having a bad day today.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: I regret that, when it comes to ensuring the law and structures necessary to tackle organised crime and remaining small groups engaged in terrorism in this country, Sinn Féin wants to verbalise a position. It is willing to talk but not willing to walk the walk. I thank other Senators on all sides for their support on this important measure.

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: It seems to have been an exciting morning in this Chamber. I do not know what is going on at all. The House will be aware of the background to the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998. It was enacted in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing of August 1998, in which 29 people were murdered in an indiscriminate and barbarous bomb attack. Those innocent lives were lost as a...

Written Answers — Asylum Seeker Accommodation: Asylum Seeker Accommodation (19 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers through the policy of direct provision. For the most part, this represents a cashless system with the State assuming responsibility for providing suitable accommodation and certain other services on a full board basis. I am satisfied that the level of service and support provided to asylum...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (19 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: I propose to take Questions Nos. 490 and 491 together. The Deputy may know applications for refugee status in the State are determined by an independent process comprising the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal (RAT) both of which make recommendations to the Minister for Justice and Equality on whether such status should be granted. The...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (19 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service that in the period 2008 to 2011, approximately 92,000 naturalisation applications were received of which some 56,000 were deemed to be valid. So far this year, 7,800 valid applications have been received. The number of applications approved for the years in question and in 2012 to date was approximately 42,400 with 7,900* being...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (19 Jun 2012)

Alan Shatter: The Garda stations closed under the 2012 Garda Síochána Annual Policing Plan form part of the portfolio of State properties owned and maintained by the Office of Public Works. Accordingly, it is for that Office to decide on the future of these properties and I do not have a role in relation to the matter.