Results 9,901-9,920 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell
- Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: The application referred to by the Deputy was received in my Department on 15th April, 2005. The decision of the Visa Officer to refuse this application was taken on 12th July, 2005. An appeal against the initial refusal decision was received on 18th August, 2005. Following a re-examination of the case, the decision to refuse was upheld on 20th September, 2005. As each applicant is entitled...
- Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: The persons concerned arrived in the State on 4 May, 2004 and applied for asylum. Their applications were refused following consideration of their cases 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, the first named person was informed by letter dated 30...
- Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 2 January, 2000 and applied for asylum. His application was refused following consideration of his 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, he was informed by letter dated 18 May, 2005, that the...
- Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my response to Parliamentary Question No. 206 of 18 May, 2006.
- Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (7 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: I want to assure the Deputy that an impeccable "due process" approach was taken to filling this position. Following the enactment of the Garda SÃochána Act 2005 in July 2005, the Secretary General of my Department requested the Public Appointments Service (PAS) to advise on the most appropriate recruitment process to source the best possible candidates for the Garda SÃochána Inspectorate....
- Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (7 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: The procedures for the appointment of members of the Garda SÃochána Ombudsman Commission are set out in section 65 of the Garda SÃochána Act 2005, which provides that they are to be appointed by the President on the nomination of the Government and the passage of resolutions by both Houses of the Oireachtas. On 12 December 2005, I made an order under the provisions of the Garda SÃochána...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service currently employs 18 General Practitioners â 3 full-time and 15 part-time â as Prison Doctors in its 14 institutions nationwide. The current remuneration based on a 39 hour week is â¬119,646 per annum at 1 December, 2004. In addition an on call allowance of â¬5,202 per annum is paid. While the figures for 1997 are not readily...
- Order of Business. (7 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: They are on to Deputy Durkan.
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: It has been suggested that we should have some very light penalty, in the form of a fine only, for teenagers who engage in consensual sex. I will not go down that road for two reasons. First, it would stigmatise unmarried mothers for the first time and, second, even though it would be gender neutral, it would be ineffectual because to fine teenagers â¬500 , â¬1,000 or whatever else for...
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: Deputy Jim O'Keeffe should let me finish. Where are working class children to find the money to pay fines if we have a special provision to fine teenagers for having consensual sex, and what will happen to them if they do not come up with the money?
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: The Deputies should hold on. They do not have to shout all the time.
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: I am not.
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: Deputy Joe Higgins evidently believes this proposal was not made. It was made to me.
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: I am trying to achieve a consensus in this House among all the political parties.
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: I am trying to produce a Bill that will get maximum support. I have to placate Deputy McCormack on the one hand and Deputy Joe Higgins on the other. I am trying to drive a middle road to accommodate the consensus opinion in this House. I want to finish on this point. It is reasonable to try to achieve consensus. I have done it. It is reasonable to try to achieve as good a Bill as I can in...
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: I have tried to bring this House with me on the matter and I deeply regret that yet again on an important speech on a Second Stage debate, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has been continually heckled, harassed and shouted down on a number of occasions.
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following: ""Act of 1981" means the Criminal Law (Rape) Act 1981;".
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: I am unhappy with the proposal that a person who is five years older in calendar months would be deemed to be a person in authority. It is not one I find attractive. I do not believe there are not genuine consensual situations in which this may not render a significant injustice. The Deputy will be aware that I had in mind two or three years as a possible age difference provision. I am aware...
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: One of the things I intended to say if I had been allowed to finish my speech this morning was that I intend to establish an all-party committee on this subject because issues such as this need to be teased out very carefully. People have spoken about a two-phase, as opposed to two-faced, approach to this legislation. I am happy to adopt the proposal that we should have a second look at this...
- Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (2 Jun 2006)
Michael McDowell: To be honest, when I spoke about two and three years, I was referring to consensual activity which would attract a lesser penalty. This provision would put people who are over 30, 50 or 60 months older than the other individual into a situation where they commit a much graver offence. We are not talking about exactly the same thing so this matter should be kept back for all-party consideration.