Results 11,101-11,120 of 18,733 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: A non-EEA national who is residing in Ireland on the basis of marriage to an Irish citizen, and whose marriage subsequently fails, will no longer be residing in the State in accordance with the permission granted to them by my Department. This change of circumstances will necessitate a review of their situation by my Department. If I am satisfied that there is a legitimate basis for the...

Written Answers — Parental Leave: Parental Leave (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2004 provides for a range of improvements to the existing parental leave legislation which will offer greater flexibility to working parents. These include provisions to raise the maximum age of the eligible child from five to eight years and an increase in the maximum age of the eligible child to 16 years in the case of children with disabilities. The...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 18 April 2002 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 22 September 2004 that the...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: Operation Anvil commenced in the Dublin metropolitan region on 17 May 2005 with a view to addressing the problem of serious crime such as gun crime, robberies and burglaries and combating an emerging gun culture. At my request, Operation Anvil will be extended outside the Dublin metropolitan region during 2006. I also obtained funding to enable Operation Anvil to continue as long as it is...

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: A copy of the results of the survey referred to by the Deputy was received in my Department. The Government legislation programme published on 25 January last makes provision for publication of a sale of alcohol Bill in 2006 which will update and streamline the law relating to the sale and consumption of alcohol. The Bill will repeal the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2004, as well as the...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have requested a report from the Garda authorities on the matters raised by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy again when the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation if he is satisfied that certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. Those conditions include having a period of residence in the State and being of good character. When an...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos. 669 and 670 of 21 March 2006.

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: When the decision was made to close Fort Mitchel Prison, all furniture and equipment was examined to identify what could be used in other prisons. Following this, certain items were transferred to other prisons. Other items were then sold locally, which realised approximately €3,000 of which €500 remains outstanding. I understand this was due to an administrative oversight and the Irish...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (23 Mar 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 the Garda Síochána as at 31 December 1997 and 20 March 2006 was 10,702 and 12,445, respectively. This represents an increase of 1,743 or 16.3% in the personnel strength of the Garda Síochána during that period. The...

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: There are the equivalent of 42 civilian posts vacant within the Garda Síochána. This includes some 15 posts at clerical level with the remainder in professional, technical and general services grades. Several of these vacancies arise from worksharing arrangements and the normal time-lags between selection and appointment. The Government decision of December 2002 to cap and reduce the...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The number of on-the-spot fines or fixed charge notices issued by the Garda Síochána in each of the years from 2000 to 2005 is set out in the following tables. Year Non-display of licence disc 2005* 49,547 2004 49,552 2003 49,853 2002 58,963 2001 53,349 2000 42,113 Year Parking Violation 2005* 50,143 2004 56,479 2003 68,087 2002 77,598 2001 76,815 ...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: Road traffic legislation, in particular section 27 of the Road Traffic Act 2004, provides exemptions for the drivers of emergency vehicles from the application of restrictions, requirements and prohibitions imposed under the Road Traffic Acts generally. Such exemptions apply where the safety of a road user is not endangered. Bar the exemption provided by section 27, the typical reason for...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the cancellation of an on-the-spot fine is a matter for the Garda district officer where the alleged offence was committed and is recorded locally at Garda district office level. Each Garda district office is subject to a bi-annual audit by the Garda divisional officer and may also be subject to an audit by the Garda internal audit unit.

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: Gardaí at roadside checkpoints do not have direct access to the PULSE system. However, the Garda information service centre has been established in Castlebar to centralise the inputting of data onto PULSE. A pilot of the centralisation of the input of data was extended to the entire southern region by the end of February 2006. This means that in the pilot area, gardaí no longer have to...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that there is no persistent offenders' task force dealing with traffic offenders. The Garda Síochána is committed to making all traffic offenders amenable for their actions, in particular, those who persistently commit breaches of driving regulations and other offences which impact on road safety. Through its enforcement activities the Garda Síochána...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the legislation underpinning the fixed charge system requires a motorist who allegedly commits a fixed charge offence to be issued with a fixed charge notice. Before a prosecution may be instituted the person must have failed to pay the fixed charge notice within the statutory period. Statistics are not compiled in such a way as to identify the...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that statistics are not compiled in such a way as to indicate the number of speed checks carried out on motorways. The safety of Garda personnel operating the speed checks and the motoring public are a primary consideration when deciding where to locate a speed check.

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The persons concerned, a husband and wife, arrived in the State on 25 April 2001 and 30 December 2000 respectively 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 Office of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. The persons referred to by the Deputy were informed, by letter...

Criminal Law (Insanity) Bill 2002 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: There is nothing to prevent a judge who is passing sentence from expressing an opinion of this kind. Hence, making a formal statutory provision for it would elevate it to an unnecessary degree of importance. While I have an enormous respect for the Judiciary, sometimes the opinions of its members on the question of mental treatment may or may not be correct. It is more appropriate that the...