Results 15,281-15,300 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: If I am incorrect-----

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: Perhaps it was the individual who has been lobbying the Senator who some time ago only had seven years experience and now has eight years. It may be unfair-----

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I do not wish to be unfair to the Senator but if he is the subject of lobbying on this issue I would be very interested-----

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I would be very interested in knowing where the eight years originates from. Why is it not seven? Why is it not nine? Why is it eight? Why should it be eight when the Senator and I know and Senator Mullen knows that for an appointment to the District Court one has to be in practice for a minimum period of ten years? Why eight? In circumstances where a decision of a military judge can...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: -----and we operate a system of justice where people are entitled to have accusations made against them determined and resolved within a reasonable period of time. The existing legislation does not allow for the appointment, as I understand it, of a substitute judge. The Senator may point out to me where I am mistaken. It provides for the possibility of the appointment of two military...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: -----states. For the first time, the legislation opens up eligibility for appointment to this tribunal to a wider group of legal professionals who have expertise. It moves away from this being a closed shop appointment confined to a small group of individuals. I do not believe it is in the public interest that we maintain the current position. I also say to both Senators, had the...

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has neither applied for, nor received, any funding under the Drug Prevention and Information Programme of the European Parliament and European Council, DPIP, for the period 2007-2013.

Written Answers — EU Funding: EU Funding (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The Daphne Programme is a European Commission funding programme under the Commission's General Programme 'Fundamental Rights and Justice'. The first Daphne Programme ran from 2000 to 2003 and was followed by Daphne II from 2004 to 2008. Daphne III is the latest programme, running from 2007 to 2013. The specific objective of Daphne III is to contribute to the prevention of, and the fight...

Written Answers — Witness Protection Programme: Witness Protection Programme (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The budget allocated to the Witness Security Programme is set out in the table below. Year Estimate Provision 2008 â'¬0.900 Million 2009 â'¬0.498 Million 2010 â'¬1.198 Million 2011 â'¬1.198 Million The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment in any way on the Witness Security Programme other than to say that it is a vital part of the Garda...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that Cork, Dublin and Shannon Airports are policed by gardaí attached to the stations listed hereunder. The personnel strength of these Garda stations as at the latest date for which figures are readily available is also listed. Airport Garda Station Strength Cork Togher 59 Dublin Dublin Airport 25 Shannon Shannon 61

Written Answers — Garda Vetting of Personnel: Garda Vetting of Personnel (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am informed by the Garda authorities that a vetting application in respect of the person to whom the Deputy refers was received by the Garda Central Vetting Unit and is in the course of being processed. A response will issue to the registered organisation involved in due course.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I am very pleased to present this Bill to the Seanad. It is the first item of legislation to be brought before the Seanad in my defence capacity. Anyone seeking to join the Defence Forces chooses a very challenging and demanding career but one that is also very fulfilling and rewarding. Each member takes a solemn oath to be faithful to Ireland and loyal to the Constitution, marking them out...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I appreciate that and do not know why it was not circulated. We will make the necessary arrangements for its circulation. I gather-----

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: Some of the difficulty is due to the fact that there are many new officials in the Houses.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: They are coming to terms with the exigencies of what is required. I apologise that the script is being delivered later than anticipated. I shall continue on sections 5 and 6 of the Bill, found in the latter part of the script. Sections 5 and 6 provide that the committee established under section 184(K) of the Defence Act 1954 for the purposes of identifying candidates and informing the...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: I thank those who supported the Bill for the comments they made. I want to deal with the issues that arose during the course of this debate. I begin from a basic principle. I am sorry to note that Senator O'Donovan is so interested in this matter he left the Chamber but no doubt he will return at some point.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: This is an area of the law relating to the military tribunal that has been floored for some period of time. It required addressing for some time since the 2007 Bill was seen as inadequate. With all due respect to Senators Byrne and O'Donovan, it is an issue that my predecessor and his predecessor failed to address. Both were Fianna Fáil Ministers in a Fianna Fáil-led Administration-----

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: As a consequence, there are 22 outstanding cases to be dealt with before a military tribunal. As Minister, I will not prejudge these cases, nor do I know the outcome of these cases but it is not right that individuals whose case may be before a military tribunal are left in a position of uncertainty. It is not proper that the system of justice relating to the Defence Forces has been placed...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: The legal structure provided for in this legislation formalises a position whereby a Circuit Court judge can be nominated to deal with the matter. I am curious as to why Senators O'Donovan and Byrne are so exercised by this issue. I will come back to the points made by Senator Mullen. It seems that Senator Byrne and the Fianna Fáil Party, having not wanted to play Punch and Judy as their...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2011)

Alan Shatter: In the past 24 hours, Senator Byrne has sought to suggest that I am behaving improperly, presumably for the sake of getting his name in the papers.