Results 1,361-1,380 of 2,551 for speaker:Pat Carey

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (8 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 to 293, inclusive, together. I would like to refer the Deputies to my previous response to Questions numbered 20, 27 and 41 of 3rd April 2008.

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (8 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: Disbursements from the Dormant Accounts Fund are designed to assist three broad categories of persons – those who are socially or economically disadvantaged; those who are educationally disadvantaged and persons with a disability. The legislation provides for Government to make decisions on disbursements from the Fund following a transparent process. The organisation in question was...

Youth Services. (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter, with which I am becoming more familiar. I also thank him for the initiatives he has taken together with Councillor Carter and the Lord Mayor of Dublin. This issue has proved difficult to resolve for a long time. I am extremely anxious to engage with the group over the next number of weeks to reach a conclusion because the next round of...

Schools Building Projects. (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: I am taking this motion on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Mary Hanafin. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and for giving me the opportunity of outlining to the House the actions being taken by the Department of Education and Science to address the school accommodation needs in the Dublin 15 area. I am conscious that the Dublin 15 area, as a whole, is one...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: I would not accept that there have been failures in the implementation of the current Strategy. While there have been difficulties in progressing some of the actions at the rate envisaged, my view is that the Strategy has had significant successes, be it in the areas of treatment and rehabilitation, supply reduction, prevention or research. Some of the main achievements to date include: the...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 27 and 41 together. I would like to refer the Deputies to my previous response to Question No. 433 of 19th February 2008. My Department cannot extend these publicly procured contracts on an indefinite basis and tenders for support services will be advertised publicly in the very near future as part of the development of future support services for the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: The National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) and the National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST) reported to the Interdepartmental Group on Drugs (IDG) in September 2006 setting out a series of recommendations on how to best tackle the emerging cocaine problem. This paper formed the basis for their joint report "An Overview of Cocaine Use in Ireland II", which was published in March 2007. I am...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: Both the Gardaí and the D/JE&LR are represented on the National Drugs Strategy Team (NDST), which is, in fact, currently chaired by the Garda representative on the Team. The NDST meets regularly to discuss the implementation of the relevant actions in the Strategy. In addition, the Gardaí and the Probation Services are represented on the Drugs Task Forces and this ensures that issues can...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: In 2006, under the Dormant Accounts Fund, an indicative amount of €500,000 was earmarked for programmes and projects targeted at vulnerable immigrant families. Pobal carried out the appraisal process for this funding measure on behalf of the Departments of Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs and Justice Equality & Law Reform. For the purposes of this measure, the target groups were...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: Since the Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF) became operational in 2003, approximately €145m has been approved to support over 5,163 groups and organisations involved in tackling disadvantage and assisting persons with a disability. Initially, decisions on the disbursements of funds from dormant accounts were a matter for the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board, an independent body...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: Tackling the problem of drugs misuse is a key priority for the Government and will continue to be so. This commitment is evidenced by the allocation of over €64m in my Department's Vote for Drugs Initiatives and the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund in 2008. This, the Deputy should note, represents an increase of nearly 29% on the original 2007 allocation. The funding will...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: The Steering Group for the new National Drugs Strategy, which is being chaired by my Department, is currently finalising details of a comprehensive public consultation process, which will be undertaken over the coming months. Consultants — to assist the Group in its ongoing work — are also expected to be on board by next week. A broad consultation process is envisaged that will include...

Written Answers — Drugs Awareness: Drugs Awareness (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: Last February, I launched the National Awareness Campaign on Drugs, "The Party's Over". This campaign was developed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in consultation with many of the key Departments and Agencies involved in tackling problem drug use, including my own Department. The campaign was developed with the intention that it will be sustainable over the next three years. In the...

Written Answers — Drugs Task Forces: Drugs Task Forces (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: To dovetail with the HSE's National Drugs Awareness Campaign "The Party's Over", I recently announced funding for cocaine awareness campaigns at a local and regional level. These campaigns will be delivered through the Local and Regional Drugs Task Forces who, through their interaction with communities and groups on the ground, are I believe, best placed to deliver meaningful, appropriate and...

National Drugs Strategy. (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: One consultant group will do the lot. I have had no involvement in this initiative. Officials within my Department went through the usual process. I am not yet in a position to say how much is the cost of the consultancy. It involves not just reviewing the state of the present strategy but listening to what people have to say, in public consultations and so on. I shall be more than happy...

National Drugs Strategy. (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: On the question of examining what is happening in other jurisdictions, the eight Administrations participating in the British-Irish Council met in Kilmainham a few weeks ago and discussed drugs and alcohol. I was in Copenhagen and Helsinki prior to St. Patrick's Day and met a number of organisations involved in combating the misuse of drugs and alcohol. Ireland is probably as good as, if...

Departmental Staff. (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: The total staff complement for my Department is 269. The breakdown of staff by location is as follows: Dublin, 119; Tubbercurry, 79; Galway, 58; and other locations, including Donegal, Athlone and Cavan, 13. A total of 15 staff are assigned to the Minister, including ten in the private office and five in the constituency office. A total of 7.4 staff are assigned to my office, including 3.6...

Departmental Staff. (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: On decentralisation generally, the Office of Public Works, on behalf of the Department, will shortly be applying for planning permission for a new site in Charlestown in County Mayo. The staff currently located in Tubbercurry will relocate to that premises on its completion, which will be in 2010, all going well. Non-property costs mentioned over the period 2004 to 2007 cover ICT and...

Departmental Staff. (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: As far as I know it is leased, but I will confirm that.

Departmental Staff. (3 Apr 2008)

Pat Carey: Progress has been a little slower in respect of Foras na Gaeilge. Partly due to the fact that it is a North-South implementation body, it was necessary to secure the agreement of our Northern counterparts to the move. However, we now hope to see the start of the relocation process later this year, with possibly up to 20%, or just seven, of the targeted posts earmarked for relocation. The...