Results 11,721-11,740 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: May I share time with the Minister of State, Deputy Barry Andrews?

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It is difficult to listen to lectures from Deputy McManus, who has left the Chamber, on broadband. We have one of the fastest growing broadband markets in the EU.

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: That is accepted, but it is an historical issue. To be lectured by the Labour Party, which hardly mentioned broadband in its election manifesto, is difficult. The Labour Party's record in office was abysmal, as was Fine Gael's.

National Development Plan: Motion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Morgan lectured the Government on the economy. Were this and previous Governments not required to spend so much money chasing paramilitaries out of the country, we might have had more money today and in previous economically difficult years. However, I am pleased to have this opportunity to support this motion and to join with my colleagues in calling attention to the substantial...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (9 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: There are special exemptions which can be obtained and under which establishments must stop serving alcohol at 2.30 a.m. Provision is made for drinking up time of 30 minutes; therefore, closing time is 3 a.m. There is no other mechanism available other than the theatre licence, of which 76 were granted in 2007. To date this year, 150 such licences have been granted.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (9 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Senator stated nightclubs were disgorging people onto the streets at 3.30 a.m. or 4 a.m. The reality is that other than——

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (9 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: ——the small number of theatre licences, the law is that——

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (9 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Any nightclub which does not have a theatre licence and which is disgorging people onto the streets at 3.30 a.m. or 4 a.m. is breaking the law.

Leaders' Questions (9 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: No, he did not.

Written Answers — Joint Policing Committees: Joint Policing Committees (8 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Joint Policing Committees are provided for in the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Because a Committee will be established in each local authority area in the State — of which there are 114 — it was considered desirable to run a time-limited pilot to gain experience in their operation before full rollout. There are now 29 Committees established in the pilot phase, and they operate under...

Written Answers — Civilianisation Programme: Civilianisation Programme (8 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The civilianisation programme proposed for An Garda Síochána is being implemented by the Garda Commissioner and significant progress has been made to date in the recruitment of civilian staff. The total number of full and part-time civilian staff assigned to the Garda Síochána as at the 30th June 2008 has increased to 2,549 from 2,267 on 10th December 2007. This represents just over 14%...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (8 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The existing processing time for applications for certificates of naturalisation is approximately thirty months and this is primarily due to the significant increase in the volume of applications received in the last number of years. In 2002 there were 3,500 applications for certificates of naturalisation whereas in 2007, the number of such applications exceeded 8,000, representing a very...

Written Answers — Crime Statistics: Crime Statistics (8 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I propose to circulate in the Official Report a tabular statement setting out details of the number of recorded incidents involving a firearm in each of the five years to date; the number of proceedings commenced; and the number leading to convictions. Figures provided for 2008 are provisional, operational and liable to change. The details have been compiled by the Central Statistics...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (8 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Negotiations are currently underway with a commercial consortium, which was selected following an E.U. tender procedure as the preferred tender for the design, construction, finance and maintenance of the proposed prison facilities at Thornton Hall, North County Dublin. The project includes the construction of the prison facilities along with the ancillary infrastructure including services....

Written Answers — Gangland Killings: Gangland Killings (8 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Priority Question No. 52 of today. I condemn the activities of those involved in organised crime who carry out attacks on others with whom they regard themselves as being in dispute and who do not hesitate to use lethal weapons in doing so. In particular, I condemn attacks on people who appear to have been targeted for no other reason other than that they...

Written Answers — Inquiries into Garda Activities: Inquiries into Garda Activities (8 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: As the Deputy will be aware, Mr Justice Morris has produced six excellent and comprehensive reports to date all of which have been published. His seventh and eighth reports are currently awaited by me. On 1 April 2008 he wrote to my predecessor indicating that he would be in a position to submit those last remaining reports in mid June. However on 13 June he contacted the Secretary General...

Written Answers — Departmental Websites: Departmental Websites (8 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The website launch follows the publication last year of an OECD Report on Ireland's implementation of the Convention on Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and represents a cross-departmental, multi-agency approach to raising awareness and ensuring that the public is fully informed of how they should report any suspicion of such corrupt practices. It is...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (8 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: A central element of the Criminal Justice (Forensic Sampling and Evidence) Bill will be the establishment of a DNA database for the purposes of criminal investigations and the identification of missing or unknown deceased persons or seriously injured persons. The Bill will provide an updated statutory framework for the taking and use of forensic samples and will repeal the Criminal Justice...

Written Answers — Child Abduction: Child Abduction (8 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Article 13 of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction sets out criteria whereby a court before whom an application for the return of a child to its country of habitual residence might refuse to order that return. Where a party to such proceedings asserts that those criteria or any of them exist in any particular case, it is a matter to be determined by the...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (8 Jul 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Children Act 2001, as amended, provides for a number of measures in relation to parental responsibility in respect of children involved in anti-social behaviour, and children found guilty of offences. Section 91 of the Act provides that the parents or guardian of a child shall, be required to attend at all stages of any proceedings against the child for an offence, including family...