Results 1-20 of 2,034 for drugs speaker:Simon Harris

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: ...has been very beneficial. Three of the four citizens' assemblies referenced in the briefing and committed to in the programme for Government have now been completed. The relevant Departments are drafting detailed responses to the Dublin Citizens' Assembly and the Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. An Oireachtas joint committee on drug use is expected to shortly commence examining...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: ...with the Road Safety Authority this week. There are at least three aspects to road safety and probably more. There are killer behaviours, which we need to get on top of, including drink driving, drug driving and speed. There is enforcement. I agree that there is also the issue of the quality and safety of our roads. There is a correlation between the number of accidents at accident...

Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State (16 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: ...with special responsibility for communications and the circular economy; Deputy Colm Burke as Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for public health, well-being and the national drug strategy; Deputy Martin Heydon as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine with special responsibility for research and development, farm safety...

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences against the Person (Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023: Second Stage (31 May 2023)

Simon Harris: ...without that person's consent. The spiking does not need to have succeeded, either in interfering with the victim's bodily functions or in enabling any further offence. If you administer a drug capable of having those effects, you are committing a crime. If the drugging is done with an intent to commit a further offence, be that a sexual offence, a theft or anything else, then a person...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 May 2023)

Simon Harris: ..., I have no role in such matters. I have contacted the Garda authorities and have been advised that An Garda Síochána is unable to provide counts of seizures related to cannabis edibles. Confirmation of drugs seized are subject to analysis and verification by Forensic Science Ireland prior to publication in the Garda Annual Report. Page 94 of the 2021 report provides a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 May 2023)

Simon Harris: ...in such matters. I have contacted the Garda authorities and have been advised that An Garda Síochána is unable to provide counts of seizures and/or arrests related to cannabis edibles. Confirmation of drugs seized are subject to analysis and verification by Forensic Science Ireland prior to publication in the Garda Annual Report. Page 94 of the 2021 report provides a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 May 2023)

Simon Harris: .... I have contacted the Garda authorities and have been advised that An Garda Síochána is unable to provide counts of seizures and/or arrests related to cannabis edibles. Confirmation of drugs seized are subject to analysis and verification by Forensic Science Ireland prior to publication in the Garda Annual Report. Page 94 of the 2021 report provides a breakdown of Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Misuse of Drugs (30 May 2023)

Simon Harris: ...or legislation governing the sale of controlled substances, by any means, are for his Department. I can assure the Deputy however that I am acutely conscious of the devastating impact that illegal drugs, drug dealing and related criminality have on communities across the country and I have discussed these concerns with the Garda Commissioner and his senior team since my appointment as...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gangland Crime (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: ...face in tackling organised crime activity. We continue to see the significant results of their efforts in arrests made, people being brought before the Courts, both here and in other jurisdictions, and drugs and firearms seizures. An Garda Síochána tackles organised criminal activity through a range of targeted measures designed to disrupt and dismantle the operations of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gangland Crime (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: ...involved in organised crime. The Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the compilation and publication of all crime statistics including drug related crime.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug Dealing (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I want to assure the Deputy that I am very aware of the devastating impact that illegal drugs and drug dealing have on communities across the country and I have discussed these concerns with the Garda Commissioner and his senior team on a number of occasions since my appointment as Minister.  Tackling drug dealing and associated criminal activity, including by organised crime groups and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: ..., with the unprecedented allocation provided in Budget 2023 of over €2 billion. I am advised by the Garda authorities that at the end of April 2023, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 332 Garda members assigned to Divisional Drugs Units nationwide. This represents an increase of almost 7% since end December 2022 when there were 311 Garda members assigned...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Service (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: ...by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that it is not possible to provide complete statistics for people in custody specifically for cannabis-related offences, as the recording of controlled drugs offences does not always specify the type of substance. On 30 April 2023, there were 16 individuals in custody whose most serious offence was specifically categorised as a cannabis-related...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I understand that Parliamentary Question No. 1039 of 18 April 2023 refers to the number of full-time forensic accountants working in the Criminal Assets Bureau and Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau in the years of 2022 and to-date in 2023. As the Deputy will be aware, the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) is a multi-agency statutory body established under the Criminal Assets...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (4 May 2023)

Simon Harris: ...Task Force has made strong progress in tackling cross-border criminal activity across a range of crime areas, not just the traditional smuggling activities, but also rural and farm crimes, organised burglary and drug crime. I am satisfied that effective and collaborative policing in the border region continues to be a priority for the Garda Commissioner and that the long established...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (3 May 2023)

Simon Harris: ...Agency are also involved as needed in operational activity. Officers from An Garda Síochána and the PSNI have highlighted the practical value in the continuing excellent level of co-operation and operational activity between the agencies in tackling drug crime, rural crime, financial crime, trafficking in human beings including children, excise fraud and organised...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (3 May 2023)

Simon Harris: ..., and its links with terrorist organisations, we continue to see the significant results of their efforts in the arrests made and people being brought before the Courts. This is evident both here and in other jurisdictions, as indeed are the ongoing drugs and firearms seizures made.  An Garda Síochána tackles organised criminal activity through a range of targeted...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Drug and Alcohol Testing (25 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I understand that Parliamentary Question No. 604 of 28 March 2023 refers to the number of persons arrested and charged with drug driving within the Tipperary Garda division in 2022 and to date in 2023. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), which...

Organised Crime: Statements (20 Apr 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Members for contributing to the debate. I want to begin on the topic of drugs because we have had a good discussion on this during the debate. It is an important one. I have listened very carefully to what people have said. People have spoken from different perspectives. I am conscious that Citizens’ Assembly proceedings are under way and have no doubt that the...