Results 10,521-10,540 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

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

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the Citizenship section of my Department on 23 February 2006. The first stage in the naturalisation process is to determine if the applicant satisfies the statutory residency criteria. In this regard, it has been necessary to seek clarification of some matters from the person concerned...

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

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 457 to 459, inclusive, together. In regard to applications for naturalisation the Gardaí are asked to respond positively or negatively in respect of the following three questions: (i) Has the person come to the adverse attention of the Gardaí since arriving in the State? (ii) Has the person got a criminal record in the State? (iii) Are there any legal...

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

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 30 July, 2004 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 29 December, 2005, that...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (3 May 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 31 March 2006 was 12,439. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June 1997 and represents an increase of 1,737 (or 16.2%) in the personnel strength of the Force during...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (3 May 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 31 March 2006 was 12,439. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June 1997 and represents an increase of 1,737 (or 16.2%) in the personnel strength of the Force during...

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

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that they are aware of a number of incidents involving the persons in question and a number of complaints are currently under investigation. I am assured by the Garda authorities that they will continue to afford every assistance to the person referred to and any complaints will be fully investigated. In relation to the entitlement of one of the persons...

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

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that the Department has a limited institutional membership arrangement with the Irish Times on-line edition restricted to five simultaneous users. Irish daily newspapers are also made available to certain staff, generally speaking to at Assistant Principal and more senior grades, in light of business requirements. During 2005, on a typical daily basis, 84 of the more...

Written Answers — Prison Drug Treatment Services: Prison Drug Treatment Services (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned is accommodated in Wheatfield Prison which operates a drug free unit. Any prisoner wishing to enter this facility must submit a written application and perform satisfactorily at an interview with staff of the unit. The applicant must agree to submit to a series of drugs testing procedures from which negative results must be obtained. Subject to successful completion of...

Written Answers — Compensation Claims: Compensation Claims (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The member's legal representatives in this case were informed that it was proposed to refuse his application under the Garda Síochana (Compensations) Acts 1941 and 1945 on the basis that his injuries were of a minor character and were sustained in the course of the performance of a duty not involving special risk. In addition, the member was afforded the opportunity to forward further...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: There is currently no provision in Irish immigration legislation for granting permanent residency in respect of persons who are the holders of work permits/work visa/work authorisation. However, in relation to granting long term residency which was introduced by way of administrative procedures in May 2004, the position is as follows: Persons who have been legally resident in the State for...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Irish Prison Service is bound by the guidelines for the award of added years for pension purposes as provided by the Department of Finance. I have been informed by the Irish Prison Service that information is required from the Public Appointments Service in relation to the terms of recruitment of the officer concerned in order to ascertain whether he is eligible to be credited with...

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

Michael McDowell: There are currently 226 non-Irish national prisoners serving sentences for a range of offences coming from 44 different countries. This figure includes 109 non-EU nationals. There is no provision in Irish law for the automatic deportation of a non-national who has committed a criminal offence. It has long been the practice of Ministers for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to give...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question is over sixteen years of age and is obliged to register her presence in the State under the provisions of Section 9 of the Immigration Act 2004. However before this process is completed the person concerned must make a written application to the Immigration Division of my Department for permission to remain in the State providing details as to her circumstances, address...

School Closures. (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline to the House, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, the position of her Department on the recently announced closure of St. Michael's national school in Inchicore. The Minister has asked me to apologise on her behalf for being unable to attend to deal with this matter. She is...

Written Answers — Garda Ombudsman Commission: Garda Ombudsman Commission (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: On 12 December 2005, I made an order under the provisions of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 establishing the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. On 13 December 2005 the Government decided to nominate the following persons for appointment by the President to be members of the Ombudsman Commission: Mr. Justice Kevin Haugh to be chairperson; Ms Carmel Foley and Mr. Conor Brady. Subsequently,...

Written Answers — Refugee Appeals Tribunal: Refugee Appeals Tribunal (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy will be aware, the Refugee Appeals Tribunal is a statutory independent body established under the Refugee Act 1996 in order to deal with appeals arising from negative recommendations in respect of applications for refugee status issued by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, ORAC. The tribunal has been in operation since November 2000 and is comprised, at the...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: It is not correct to say that the age of criminal responsibility is being reduced from 12 years to ten years of age. The Children Act 2001 proposed to raise the age of criminal responsibility from seven years to 12 years but, as the relevant section was never commenced, the age at present is still seven years. Two problems were encountered in raising the age as envisaged in the 2001 Act....

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: As regards future legislation, the position is that the Government legislative programme provides for publication of the Sale of Alcohol Bill later this year. This Bill will repeal the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2004, as well as the Registration of Clubs Acts 1904 to 2004, and replace them with provisions more suited to modern conditions. While I have no current proposals to prohibit the sale of...

Written Answers — Security Industry: Security Industry (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Private Security Authority was established under the Private Security Services Act 2004 to regulate the private security industry. One of its principal functions under the Act is to licence companies and persons providing a whole range of security services. The authority has already commenced licensing contractors providing private security services in the door supervisor and security...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the murder of Donna Cleary is under investigation by the gardaí at Coolock Garda station. A number of persons have been arrested and questioned in relation to the murder. To date, no person has been charged. An investigation file is currently being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecution. As the Garda investigation is ongoing, it...