Results 9,801-9,820 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The coordination of responses between Government Departments in respect of children at risk of involvement in crime and other troubling behaviour has been identified as a priority issue within my Department. New structures, which foster greater dialogue between the relevant Departments, have recently been established to address the matter. In October 2004, an internal project team was...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: In recent years there has been a renewed focus on the State's response to youth crime and youth justice issues. In October 2004, a project team was established within my Department to examine the youth justice system and make recommendations for any improvements necessary. The project team's recommendations were approved by Government last December. The recommendations included the...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Garda authorities inform me they are satisfied that sufficient resources are available to the Criminal Assets Bureau to enable it operate effectively. The Criminal Assets Bureau has been at the forefront of the fight against organised crime in this jurisdiction since its inception in 1996. The manner in which the Bureau operates has, in that 10 year period, come to be viewed, both...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (8 Jun 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 as at 1 June 2002 and 2006 was 11,754 and 12,391, respectively. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the serving strength of the Force is to receive a significant additional boost with the attestation...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 and 204 together. I wish to refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 25 (ref: 22147/06) today.

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The information in the detail sought by the Deputy has been requested from the Garda authorities and I will contact the Deputy directly when this information is to hand.

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Garda authorities are satisfied that the technology required to assist in the fight against crime is available to them. An Garda Síochána constantly evaluate all available technology with a view to determining the technology best suited to their needs. Significant resources are being invested in technology for the Gardaí to assist them in the exercise of all their functions. The...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the visa application in question was approved on 6th June, 2006.

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Services: Garda Vetting Services (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) was established in January 2002 to deal with the then known demand for criminal record vetting. I am pleased to report that, under the guidance of a multi-agency implementation group, the vetting service of the GCVU is currently undergoing major expansion. This is being made possible, in part, by the provision of significant additional human and other...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: In relation to the treatment of returnees by the authorities in their countries of origin, it should be borne in mind that before a deportation decision is made in any individual case, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform must have regard to the eleven factors contained in Section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act, 1999 (as amended) and the provisions of Section 5 of the Refugee Act,...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have already outlined on a number of occasions Ireland's position on the European Council Directive on residence permits for victims of trafficking. In practice this Directive does not require us to do anything which we cannot already do under our existing immigration legislation and practice. It would require more formalised procedures that we currently have, but in any event we have the...

Written Answers — Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Criminal Justice (Trafficking in Persons and Sexual Offences) Bill should be published later this year and enacted in the lifetime of this Dáil. The primary purpose of the legislation is to allow for compliance with the Framework Decision on combating trafficking in human beings (for the purpose of their sexual and labour exploitation) and the Framework Decision on combating the sexual...

Written Answers — Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: My Department has provided substantial funding to Ruhama (more than €1.6m in total from 2002 to 2005) and I understand that funding is also provided by the Health Service Executive. The funding provided relates to the organisation's overall objectives, of which assisting persons trafficked for sexual exploitation is an important part. Insofar as my Department is concerned, Ruhama receives...

Written Answers — Disability Act 2005: Disability Act 2005 (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I can confirm that under the Disability Act 2005, I have declared by order, on 6 April 2006, that the code of practice prepared by the National Disability Authority in relation to sections 26 (on accessibility to services provided by public bodies), 27 (on accessibility of services supplied to public bodies) and 28 (on access to information through communication formats) of the Act, is an...

Probation and Welfare Service. (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The proposals will give a court power to suspend or partially suspend sentences, subject to certain conditions. This will not reduce custodial sentences but it will permit the courts to leave major further sentences hanging over offenders to give them an incentive to comply with the conditions laid down by the courts for rehabilitation and probationary purposes, as well as a significant...

Probation and Welfare Service. (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The newly appointed head of the probation and welfare service, Mr. Michael Donnellan, is implementing a complete reformation of the probation and welfare service to refocus its efforts in a manner which is most productive of its time. He reported that much of its time was absorbed in furnishing reports for court cases while he believed its resources would be better utilised handling...

Probation and Welfare Service. (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I would like to strengthen the service in any way I can. Its new head, Michael Donellan, has a clear vision of where it is going and I have given him an assurance that I will support him in implementing reform and refocusing the service.

Crime Levels. (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I consistently emphasise that care must be taken in interpreting statistics, especially when considering short-term fluctuations and extrapolating trends over short periods. I emphasised this when the level of crime decreased and, on occasion, when it increased. I have indicated my concerns at recent trends but we need to be conscious of what the figures taken over a prolonged period show....

Crime Levels. (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I agree with the Deputy that firearms homicides are a major concern. I also agree it is difficult for the Garda to detect them not because of the firearms used but because the great majority of such homicides are carried out by members of small gangs who are impervious to ordinary pleas of humanity and who are gripped by a sense of viciousness towards the people they deal with. One of the...

Crime Levels. (8 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: Witnesses are unwilling to co-operate in many cases with the Garda in the detection and prosecution of these offences. I have provided immense resources for the force and I informed the Garda Commissioner on a number of occasions that if he believes he can get more value for additional resources under Operation Anvil, I will give him 100% backing. A budget of approximately €11 million has...