Results 7,141-7,160 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell
- Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: Asylum seekers who apply to the Irish State for recognition as a refugee under the Geneva Convention are provided with all basic needs to ensure that they do not suffer poverty. The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of my Department is charged with responsibility to provide accommodation for asylum seekers while their asylum application is being processed. In discharging this task,...
- Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: Neither I nor Ministers of State at my Department have not been contacted by the Moriarty Tribunal.
- Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: I presume the Deputy is referring to the recent High Court judgements delivered on 14 November 2006 on test case proceedings taken in relation to the IBC/05 Scheme. The IBC/05 scheme was initiated to provide non-EU national parents of Irish citizen children, who were born in the State prior to 1 January 2005, an opportunity to apply for permission to remain in the State on that basis. One of...
- Written Answers — Stardust Fire: Stardust Fire (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that the position remains as set out in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 128 on this subject of Wednesday, 22 November (39279/06).
- Written Answers — Prisoner Rehabilitation: Prisoner Rehabilitation (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: I can advise the Deputy that â¬0.5 million was made available from the Dormant Accounts Fund in 2006 under the Economic and Social Disadvantage Category for projects supporting Prisoners / Ex Prisoners. The funding has been equally divided between addiction counselling and employability services for prisoners: â¬250,000 for addiction counsellors and â¬250,000 for employability services....
- Financial Resolution No. 2: Mineral Oils (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: Deputy Ring used to have an interest in the all-Ireland championship but that is no longer the case.
- Financial Resolution No. 4: Value-Added Tax (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: I move: (1) THAT the level of the turnover from taxable supplies below which persons shall not, unless they otherwise elect, be taxable persons be increased to â¬35,000 from â¬27,500 in respect of a person's supply of services, and to â¬70,000 from â¬55,000 in respect of a person's supply of goods and that, accordinglyââ (a) section 8 of the Value-Added Tax Act 1972 (No. 22 of 1972)...
- Financial Resolution No. 4: Value-Added Tax (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: The threshold has increased by 27%.
- Financial Resolution No. 4: Value-Added Tax (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: And business.
- Financial Resolution No. 4: Value-Added Tax (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: With regard to the farmers' flat rate and Deputy Johnny Brady's comments, VAT incurred on the construction of farm buildings and land drainage is still reclaimable. The amounts of VAT reclaimed under the provisions mentioned by the Deputy were of the order of â¬32 million in 2005 and the same amount to the end of October 2006. There is no change. I listened to the Deputy talking about his...
- Financial Resolution No. 4: Value-Added Tax (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: Listening to Deputy Ardagh speaking about Dublin South-Central reminds me that agriculture was wiped out in my constituency under a Fine Gael and Labour Government. The nuns on Merrion Road gave up their last few cattle and that was the end of agriculture in Dublin South-East. I warned the Government at the time it would happen, but it was wiped out just like that. Member states are given...
- Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: That is what growth does.
- Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: Unemployment was at 10%.
- Budget Statement 2006 (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: Where is the Democratic Left now?
- Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: I am pleased to have the opportunity to introduce the Defamation Bill 2006 and to outline its main provisions. We have had a number of very good debates in this House, most recently on 9 February 2005, on the reform of our current defamation legislation which dates from 1961. I took note of the contributions that day and promised Senators not only to take them into account when drafting the...
- Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: I have many attributes, but infallibility is not yet one of them.
- Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: However, the Bill in Schedule 2 provides, in the public interestââ
- Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: ââ some guidance as the basic standard expected in such a code. I am not against self-regulation, either by the universities or by the professions.
- Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: One of the primary benefits of a statutorily recognised press council, as provided for in the Bill, is that qualified privilege would attach to its reports and decisions or to those of a subsidiary body, such as the press ombudsman service it would operate. Subscription to the press council and adherence to its code of practice by a current affairs publication would strengthen its...
- Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Second Stage (6 Dec 2006)
Michael McDowell: However, self-regulation must carry with it the notion that there are some rules to which injured parties can point in seeking redress from abuse of press power. There is no point in having an independent press council which can do nothing and is ignored by its members with complete impunity. I am conscious of the danger in arguing that all press activity should be capable of regulation in...