Results 5,681-5,700 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that there are 147 locations equipped to record interviews with suspects. Details are set-out in the table beneath. It was never the intention that all Garda stations would be equipped to carry out audio/video recording of interviews. Indeed, most Garda stations are not used for detention and interviews. Rather the intention was that a sufficient...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the annual cost of running the Garda College, which is responsible for the ongoing professional development of attested Gardaí, is approximately €33m. It is not possible to identify the element of the overall running cost which is specific to internal...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I wish to inform the Deputy that a reply to his original question was issued from my office on 1 March, 2007.

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 444 which was put down by the Deputy for answer on Wednesday, 31 January, 2007. As the Deputy will be aware, the information required to enable me to respond fully to his question was not available at the time. I am informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my letter to him, dated 27th February, 2007 in this regard. The information sought is contained therein.

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my letter to him, dated 27th February, 2007 in this regard. The information sought is contained therein.

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 448 which was put down by the Deputy for answer on Wednesday, 31 January, 2007. As the Deputy will be aware, the information required to enable me to respond fully to the question was not available at the time. However, I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, that the personnel strength...

Written Answers — Garda Communications: Garda Communications (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my letter to him of 1 March 2007, issued as a follow up to Question No. 451, which sets out the information sought by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Sexual Offences: Sexual Offences (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The granting of remission to sentenced prisoners is a feature of prison systems internationally and a remission system has been in operation in this country, under statute, for more than fifty years. The current provision relating to remission is Rule 38 (1) of the Rules for the Government of Prisons, 1947, which states that:— A convicted prisoner sentenced to imprisonment, whether by one...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 204, 207 and 208 together. The Sex Offenders Act, 2001 which commenced on 27 September 2001 sets out the notification obligations on persons convicted of a range of sexual offences against both children and adults. A convicted sex offender must notify his/her name(s), date of birth and current home address to the Garda Síochána within seven days of the...

Written Answers — Sex Offenders: Sex Offenders (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together. The Sex Offenders Act which commenced on 27 September 2001 sets out the obligations on persons convicted of a range of sexual offences against both children and adults. Section 3 of the Act provides that each of the offences referred to in the Schedule to the Act shall, subject to subsections (2) and (3), be a sexual offence for the...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I have requested a Garda report in relation to this matter and I will contact the Deputy again when the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength (all ranks) of An Garda Síochána increased to a record 13,000 following the attestation of 299 new members on Thursday, 16 November, 2006. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June, 1997 and represents an...

Written Answers — Interception Orders: Interception Orders (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 to 214, inclusive, together. Lawful interception is governed by the provisions of the Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages (Regulation) Act 1993. Section 2 of that Act states that an authorisation to intercept may be granted only for the purpose of the investigation of serious crime or in the interests of the security of the...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 20 November, 2000 and applied for asylum. Her application was refused following consideration of her case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. In accordance with Section 3 of the Immigration Act, 1999, as amended, she was informed by letter dated 31 October, 2003, that the Minister...

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour Orders: Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being researched. I will contact the Deputy again when the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Prison Staff: Prison Staff (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Irish Prison Service that the person referred to joined in a temporary unestablished position on 14 November, 1970 and became an established Officer on 5 December, 1970. He paid a modified rate of PRSI (Rate B) and retired on 26 October, 2001.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Perhaps it should be a crime and maybe we should look at that. However, whatever we do, I do not believe there is a basis for saying a 16 year old gay boy should be dealt with differently from a 16 year old heterosexual girl in the same circumstances. I do not see there is a huge difference between the two. If, as a Legislature, we say a girl is entitled to behave in a manner which would...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am not suggesting it is but it is not criminal.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: All I will say is that before we go down that road, let us remember it was Deputy Jim O'Keeffe who caused ripples at our all-party committee by saying he wanted the age of consent to be stuck at 17 and that Deputy Howlin and I took a different view. The answer to that is: "I do not know." This is not an easy one and I do not want to get into the matter. The principle of the 2006 Act was...