Results 12,101-12,120 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I have no plans to establish the Irish Prison Service as an independent statutory body. The recently published OECD report which looked at the Irish Public Service expressed views on the establishment of new agencies and that report will, in part, inform any future consideration that may be given to placing the Service on a statutory footing.

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided that certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. One such condition is that the applicant is required to show that they have been supporting themselves and their families without recourse to State support...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: An application on behalf of the person in question for residence in the State on the basis of marriage to an Irish national was received by the Immigration Division of my Department in June 2007. Applications of this kind, in fairness to all other such applicants, are dealt with in strict chronological order and currently take up to twelve months to process. It should be noted that marriage...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I should advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service has already spent approximately €400,000 to date on landscaping at the site. This includes a 10 metre deep strip along the entire length of the boundary of the site planted with trees/shrubs. As part of my review of submissions received in relation to the Environmental Impact Assessment I acceded to requests to further screen the...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in tabular format below. The number of asylum applications received by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner (ORAC) from June 2004 to May 2008. Date Number Jun-04 324 Jul-04 371 Aug-04 401 Sep-04 466 Oct-04 329 Nov-04 409 Dec-04 430 Jan-05 393 Feb-05 377 Mar-05 489 Apr-05 320 May-05 322 Jun-05 315 Jul-05 325...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It is not the practice to issue long term multi entry visas for the purpose of visits, which, by their nature are of a short stay duration. However the Deputy will be aware that my office previously issued one year multi entry visas to the persons referred to and unless there is a significant change in circumstances my Department is happy to continue to provide this facility in the future....

Written Answers — Trafficking in Human Beings: Trafficking in Human Beings (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The recommendations of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda Síochána Working Group on Trafficking in Human Beings fall into three categories, (i) those relating to Legislation, (ii) those relating to Garda operational, enforcement and monitoring measures and (iii) those relating to cooperation with other Government Departments, Non-Governmental Organisations and...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It is not the practice to comment in detail on individual asylum applications. As the Deputy will be aware, applications for refugee status in the State are determined by an independent process comprising the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal which make recommendations to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on whether such status...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that under my Department's decentralisation programme, the Garda Civilian Human Resources Unit, the National Property Services Regulatory Authority, the Office of the Director of Probation Service and the Coroners Unit have now moved to Navan, involving the transfer to date of around seventy posts.

Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I thank the House for agreeing to deal with the Intoxicating Liquor Bill as an urgent matter and I look forward to the co-operation of both Houses in having the legislation enacted before the summer recess. There is broad recognition in this House and beyond that legislative reforms are needed to tackle public disorder and alcohol-related...

Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Following separate discussions last week with the Garda Commissioner and the vintner organisations, I am disposed to allowing premises already availing of such orders to continue to apply for them in the normal way. However, no general exemption order shall be granted in respect of premises unless a general exemption order was in force in respect of the premises on 30 May 2008, that is, the...

Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: It is a reprieve. I also intend to table an amendment on Committee Stage which will mean that off-sales of alcohol will not in future be permitted during periods covered by general exemption orders, from 7.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. in those early houses. Section 13 provides for the introduction of test purchasing of alcohol products in the new section 37C to be inserted in the Intoxicating...

Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: Not at all.

Victims' Rights Bill 2008: Second Stage. (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The Government and I can agree fully with the sentiments expressed in regard to the needs of victims of crime, innocent people who, through no fault of their own, have suffered hurt, isolation and unbearable trauma, all because something completely outside their control happened. We, as a society, must help them cope and, where possible, overcome this. The impact of their experience can be...

Victims' Rights Bill 2008: Second Stage. (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: My Bill will also include measures to restrict unjustified and vexatious imputations at trial against the character of a deceased or incapacitated victim or witness. It will also provide additional protection for victims at pre-trial stage. I believe the courts should have stronger powers, for example, to order an accused to refrain from contact with the victim, his or her family and other...

Victims' Rights Bill 2008: Second Stage. (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: ——with additions relating to the setting up of a statutory authority. The Bill has been resurrected six years later with the additional provision for a commission for the support of victims of crime, which has been reproduced from the Fianna Fáil manifesto and our agreed programme for Government.

Victims' Rights Bill 2008: Second Stage. (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: That is the only addition the Deputy has made to the so-called Bill. The truth is that the Bill appears reasonable because it is, in essence, a replication of New Zealand's Victims' Rights Act 2002. Virtually every section, line by line and word by word, is a replication of the New Zealand Act.

Victims' Rights Bill 2008: Second Stage. (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: The only two sections Deputy Shatter did not reproduce are the second section that outlines that the New Zealand Act is subject to royal assent——

Victims' Rights Bill 2008: Second Stage. (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: ——and section 6, which states that when passed the New Zealand Act will be binding on the crown.

Victims' Rights Bill 2008: Second Stage. (24 Jun 2008)

Dermot Ahern: They are the only two sections Deputy Shatter did not include in his Bill. The truth is that, in effect, the Bill is a replication of the New Zealand Victims' Rights Act. I urge Members of the House to examine the contents of that Act. In New Zealand, the legislation is credited with having improved the position of crime victims in that jurisdiction and I have no doubt it is appropriate to...