Results 8,481-8,500 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I share the concerns expressed about anti-social behaviour and its effects on people. In many such incidents, vulnerable people, often the elderly, are subjected to serious nuisance and forms of harassment which cause significant and persistent distress to the people concerned and interfere fundamentally with their capacity to enjoy quiet and peaceful lives. Often such people are simply too...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person referred to by the Deputy is a Nigerian woman who was deported from the State on a charter flight to Lagos on the night of the 20/21 September, 2006. She arrived in the State on 18 May 2005 and was accompanied by her son, a minor child born on 12 June 2001. On 18 July 2005 the person concerned gave birth to a second son in the State. The asylum application of the person...

Written Answers — Voluntary Repatriation Schemes: Voluntary Repatriation Schemes (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person referred to by the Deputy has expressed an interest in transferring to a prison in Ireland under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. However, the formal application and necessary supporting documentation has not been received to date from the United Kingdom authorities. My Department has written to the United Kingdom authorities requesting them...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have indicated that I will require, in due course, a Garda report in relation to their ongoing contact with the banks and the Irish Payment Services Organisation. I will contact the Deputy further when the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (3 Oct 2006)

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 12,762 on Friday, 8 September, 2006, following the attestation of 249 new members. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June, 1997 and represents an...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Under the provisions of Section 8(4)(a) of the National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act, 2000, the State Claims Agency shall advise and assist a State Authority whenever it considers it appropriate to do so or is requested by such an authority to do so in relation to the measures to be taken to prevent the occurrence, or to reduce the incidence, of acts, omissions or other matters...

Written Answers — State Claims Agency: State Claims Agency (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Personal injury claims arising from road traffic accidents involving Garda vehicles were formerly managed by the Garda authorities. In December, 2001, the State Claims Agency took over the management of the claims. The number of active claims for An Garda Síochána arising from road traffic accidents which are currently being dealt with by the Agency is 494. All official road traffic...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: There are plans to construct a new Wexford Divisional Headquarters Garda station. I understand that the necessary first step in providing the new station, the acquisition of a suitable site, has almost been completed by the Office of Public Works and it is expected that this will be finalised by the end of October, 2006. The Garda authorities and my Department have undertaken the necessary...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that searches conducted by them indicate that no correspondence has been received from the person referred to. I am further informed that further enquiries indicate that the person referred to is not the registered owner of the vehicle in question.

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that Garda management within the Dublin Metropolitan Region has an excellent working relationship with the management of Dublin Bus. Regular contact is maintained and any issues raised are dealt with promptly. I am further informed that, while there are no dedicated patrols on Dublin Bus, An Garda Síochána carries out patrols to deal with specific...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that the person referred to by the Deputy failed to return to the Training Unit on 20 January, 2006 having been granted a short period of temporary release for humanitarian reasons. He was returned to prison custody by Gardaí on 5 June, 2006 and was transferred to the Midlands Prison on 8 June, 2006. His case was subsequently...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 217, 229, 234, 237 and 239 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the death of the person referred to is under review by a senior Garda Officer. It is expected that the investigation file will be completed shortly. As the Deputies will appreciate it would be inappropriate for me to comment further before completion of the review.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 21 January, 2003 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. Subsequently, in accordance with Section 3 of the Immigration Act, 1999, as amended, she was informed by letter dated 23 September, 2004,...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's question was received in the Citizenship section of my Department on 4 September 2006. Applications received in the second half of 2004 are currently being processed and there are approximately 11,000 applications awaiting processing before that of the person in question. It is likely that...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: As I informed the Deputy in my responses to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 243 of 16 February 2006 and 68 of 15 June 2006, officials in the Citizenship section of my Department were not satisfied that the person referred to in the Deputy's question fulfilled one of the key statutory conditions for obtaining post-nuptial citizenship, i.e. that she and her Irish spouse were living together as...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that there were 3,080 prisoners in custody on 1 September, 2006 which equates to approximately 91% of the total bed capacity.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The average cost of keeping a prisoner in custody in 2005 was €90,900. The cost of keeping a prisoner in custody in Portlaoise Prison in 2005 was €240,700. The average cost of keeping an offender is calculated by averaging out the current running costs of the prisons and places of detention against the average number of offenders in those institutions. These costs include certain items...

Written Answers — Community Service Orders: Community Service Orders (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act, 1983 provides for the performance of unpaid work in the community by a person who is 16 years or over, who has been convicted of an offence, for which the appropriate penalty would be an immediate custodial sentence and who has given his/her consent to the Court. The precise information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. The...

Written Answers — Garda Communications: Garda Communications (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: An Garda Síochána currently records Garda radio traffic and emergency 112/999 calls. An Garda Síochána depends on the public to provide information to assist in preventing and detecting crime and such information is provided on a confidential basis, often by telephone. Prisoners detained in custody in Garda Stations are entitled to telephone their family and their legal representatives...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together. I am advised by the Office of Public Works that the appropriate planning procedure for a bridge to Spike Island which will address environmental concerns and other issues will commence shortly. The entire project, including detailed design, tendering, commissioning and construction will take between 18 months and two years and building is...