Results 9,661-9,680 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (14 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in this State on 23 March 2005 and claimed asylum on the same date. His application was considered at first instance by the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, both of whom concluded that the person concerned did not meet the criteria for recognition as a refugee. The person concerned was notified, by letter dated 22...

Written Answers — Coroners Service: Coroners Service (14 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that the position under section 23 of the Coroners Act, 1962 is that, where a coroner has reason to believe that a death has occurred in or near his district in such circumstances that an inquest is appropriate but the body is either destroyed or irrecoverable, the Minister may direct that an inquest be held in relation to that death. In the absence of further details,...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The real reason that Deputy Ferris made those remarks is that he still clings to the idiotic ideology of the Provisional movement that somehow their acts were not crimes because they were carried out at the behest of the army council, in whom, the idiots all believe, the Irish people's powers of government are somehow vested. It is the sad delusion of fanatics, and the sooner they abandon...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: It was brought about by the political emergency following the Omagh bombing but it is part of our law, subject to the rule that it be renewed annually. Certain comments have been made about my Department. My Department takes its job very seriously. Officials involved in security take their job very seriously but they are not the securocrats they are portrayed as. They are very reasonable...

Order of Business. (14 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: Deputy Stagg is a great man for the questions.

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I move: That Dáil Éireann resolves that sections 2 to 12, 14 and 17 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 39 of 1998), shall continue in operation for the period of 12 months beginning on 30 June 2006. This motion seeks approval for the continuance in force of those sections of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 which would otherwise cease to be in...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I thank Deputies for their contributions. Regarding Deputy Cuffe's last few remarks, he was not here when I stated that so-called dissident republicans, who are not and never have been true republicans, have in recent months been found trying to assemble bombs on the same scale as that which exploded in Omagh. I hope that it will never happen, but when one such bomb is detonated, I would like...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy cannot be reading the right parts of the newspapers. Massive efforts have been made to detonate very serious bombs.

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: It has nothing to do with George Bush. I am talking about the people who were blown to pieces in Omagh.

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy would be dumbstruck if another attack such as that on Omagh took place and his words today were recalled. If they get away with what they are trying to do and, to use the phrase the Provos once used, get lucky, the Deputy will be embarrassed to hear his words spoken back to him in this House. He will realise that he is in breach of a legislator's duty to protect ordinary people's...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (14 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: ——and stand up for the State against those trying to damage it. I entirely agree with Deputy Jim O'Keeffe's comment on recent remarks by Deputy Ferris. It is totally inappropriate for any person to say regarding an offence subject to investigation by the Garda Síochána that people should withhold information. Deputies Ferris and Ó Snodaigh are no exceptions to the rule that one sits in...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (13 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that my Department is endeavouring to purchase a site, the subject of this Parliamentary Question, from Kildare County Council for some time. I wish to confirm that funding is available from my Department for the purchase of the site and for the building of a premises to meet the needs of the Project in question. Planning permission has been obtained in accordance with...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (13 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation by the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the Citizenship Section of my Department on 28 February 2006. Officials in Citizenship Section are currently processing applications for naturalisation received in the first half of 2004 and, at the present time, there are over 8,000 applications awaiting processing before that of the...

Written Answers — Sexual Offences: Sexual Offences (13 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: Child sexual abuse is a heinous offence which cannot be tolerated in any civilised society. As far as I, and the Government are concerned, there will be no hiding place for those who are responsible for such vile crimes. In terms of specific action, the Government established the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse to afford victims of abuse in childhood an opportunity to tell of the abuse...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (13 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I wish to inform the Deputy that letters advising the persons concerned that residency had been granted to them were issued on 11 November 2005.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (13 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006 amends, inter alia, the Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956-86 to insert new values for the minimum stake and prize amounts allowed for gaming machines. Provision is also made to allow the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to vary the amount in stake and prize money in the future. As I indicated in the Adjournment Debate on 10th May, I...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (13 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tables. It should be noted that 11% (946) of all persons who entered the prison system in 2004 were immigration detainees, the corresponding percentage for 2005 was 9% (860). 2004 A total of 8,820 persons accounted for the 10,657 committals to prison in 2004. The breakdown by nationality was as follows: Nationality Total...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (13 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations, 1991 provide an exemption from the requirement to wear a seat belt for the drivers of vehicles which carry eight or more passengers. Consequently the question of convictions does not arise.

Written Answers — Garda Remuneration: Garda Remuneration (13 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: This officer was discharged from the Garda Síochána on the grounds of ill-health on 14 November, 2004 and was awarded an ordinary ill-health pension and retirement gratuity. Under the Garda Síochána Pension Regulations a special pension is awarded only where a member is discharged on ill-health grounds as a result of an injury received in the execution of his duties. The Garda...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (13 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the personnel strength (all ranks) of An Garda Síochána rose to a record 12,641 on 8 June 2006 with the attestation of 273 new members. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June 1997 and represents an increase of 1,939 (or 18.1%) in the personnel strength of the Force during that period. I have been further...