Results 141-160 of 183 for going forward speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Industrial Disputes: Industrial Disputes (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: .... It is regrettable that the considered and painstakingly developed approach negotiated over such a long period of time may not now be realised. My preference has always been for an agreed way forward. I have no option now but to move ahead, with or without agreement, to implement whatever other measures are required to realise the necessary cost efficiencies with all due urgency. I should...

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...that all available resources are actively targeting the problem. Ensuring public safety by reducing the incidence of public disorder and anti-social behaviour is one of the six strategic goals of the Garda Síochána policing plan for 2005. Strong provisions are already in place to combat vandalism and anti-social behaviour. Operation Encounter is an initiative by the Garda authorities...

Written Answers — Garda Complaints Procedures: Garda Complaints Procedures (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...publication of the 2004 annual report of the Garda Síochána Complaints Board. The report sets out the work of the board for the year and the progress made in a number of areas. I do not intend to go into detail on these as they are set out in the report itself and referred to in my press release of 14 June when I launched the report. That said, I note with satisfaction that the number of...

Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed). (22 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...that of Northern Ireland. The functions of our police force are broader than those of a regional constabulary within the United Kingdom. As a result, I believe a one-person ombudsman is not the way forward for this State. The advantages of a multi-person ombudsman include, for example, that while the holder of the office takes holidays each year, other commissioners remain to address...

Morris Tribunal: Motion. (21 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...in a professional, courteous way. Would the force's sternest critics be willing to discharge the functions of an ordinary man or woman who enlists in the Garda for a week or a month? Would they go to the door of an accident victim's family and say a son or daughter has been killed? Would they stand guard while bodies lie on the ground for hours on end? Would they risk their lives at bank...

Morris Tribunal: Statements. (17 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the events about which I spoke — the difficulties in having direct accountability — were fresh in my mind. When the Department's agenda was to put forward legislation dealing with the ombudsman-inspectorate issue, as it then was, I said we must go one stage further and recast in statute form the entire relationship between the Executive,...

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "—welcomes the Government's decision to codify Ireland's liquor licensing laws into one coherent modern statute; —welcomes the Government's decision to seek the views of the public and interested parties on the reform proposals set out in the Government's consultation paper; —commends and...

Written Answers — Public Order Offences: Public Order Offences (17 May 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...offences is the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994. Because of my concerns about the abuse of alcohol and its contribution to public order offending and broader social problems, I brought forward tough new provisions to deal with alcohol abuse and its effect on public order in the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003. One of the provisions is the use of temporary closure orders. The Act...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (17 May 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...to the proprietor or contractor. The memorandum of agreement places other obligations on the contractor in relation to reception, management and staff issues, menus and food for infants and school-going children, maintenance of the property and fire and safety standards. In circumstances where asylum seeker parents and their children are accommodated in centres operating under the aegis of...

Crime Levels. (17 May 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...me that he is confident of success in a number of those investigations. The Garda has amassed a considerable amount of intelligence about gun crime in Dublin and has a very clear picture of what is going on. Both the Garda Commissioner and I, in the course of intensive discussions in recent days, have agreed that the time is now ripe to build on that work in ways that will strike at the...

Seanad: Anti-Social Behaviour: Motion. (11 May 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...must have provision for an anti-social behaviour order as part of the available series of remedies for those people who are being let down by the state of our laws. I am quite happy to bring that forward. Garda youth diversion projects are, of course, a matter of great importance. As the Government's amendment points out, the number of such projects has grown from 12 in 1997 to 64 in 2005....

Written Answers — Commission on Policing and Crime: Commission on Policing and Crime (12 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...State but at the same time have the capacity to adapt to the particular needs and circumstances prevailing in the areas concerned. Furthermore, changes already made to the Bill in the other House go some considerable way towards meeting the commission's proposals. These include changes to how the joint policing committees will be structured, their membership and how they will be chaired,...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (12 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...parents to access employment, education or training. It is not intended that EOCP funding will meet the full costs of running a service. Over 800 community based not for profit groups receive ongoing staffing grant assistance, with over €30 million of EU and Exchequer funding going to this measure each year. It was originally envisaged that some groups would receive such funding for a...

Seanad: Asylum Applications. (24 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...with emotional consequences if one thinks long and hard enough about it. These are all difficult decisions. I must confess that many of them can put one into a spin as to which way one should go. However, in the end, one must make a decision. Normally speaking, having made the decision, I stand by it. It is important to point out that, on many occasions in the past, I have deported people...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion. (24 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...will be the participation of members of the Garda Síochána along the lines envisaged by the Good Friday Agreement and the Patten report. I ask individual gardaí to play their patriotic part by going to the North and taking this risk to their personal safety in bringing this process one step forward. The arrangement made by the two Governments in good fate must not be left moribund. I...

Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion. (23 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...motion before the House, which constitutes the tribunal's terms of reference. I briefly draw the House's attention to some of the more important aspects of the terms of reference. After a straightforward recitation, the main operative section is, of course, that a tribunal shall be established to inquire into suggestions that members of the Garda Síochána or other employees of the State...

Seanad: Child Care Services: Motion. (9 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...no point in two spouses working because the State took everything off the poor spouse who joined the labour market and it was not worth his or her while. The situation has changed dramatically. The Government originally made available €317.4 million, including €177 million in European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund support, for the development of quality child care...

Written Answers — Recidivism Rates: Recidivism Rates (2 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...to rates of recidivism in the prisoner population are not yet available, the computerisation of prisoner records from 2001 will provide a more detailed view of a prisoner is past committal history going forward. The institute of criminology in University College Dublin, with the co-operation of my Department, is undertaking a major research project on the issue of recidivism. It is hoped...

Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Second Stage. (10 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: ...judge to one of the positions. The appointments will be to full-time positions for a term of between three and six years and the members will be appointed by the President on the nomination of the Government and on the recommendation of both Houses of the Oireachtas. The ombudsman commission will be independent in its composition and its investigations. None of its members can be a current...

Northern Ireland Issues: Motion (Resumed). (9 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: .... It is a cul-de-sac and a road that has no end as far as republicanism is concerned. Like many other speakers, I support the Good Friday Agreement. However, we must realise now in early 2005 that, going back to the time the Agreement was hammered out in 1998, it was based upon the supposition and assumption that all who were to take part in its implementation would abandon paramilitarism,...