Results 12,241-12,260 of 18,734 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Electoral Register: Electoral Register (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: Under the Juries Act 1976, each citizen aged 18 years or upwards and under the age of 70 who is entered in a register of Dáil electors is liable to serve as a juror. I have no plans to change this provision. The compilation of such registers is a matter for the relevant local authorities and, as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I have no function in the matter. The register is...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, is charged with providing accommodation under the Government policy of direct provision for asylum seekers. Decisions regarding the opening, reclassification or closing of centres are made in the context of the overall demand for accommodation and the need to achieve value for money in the context of managing a very large property portfolio. Such...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The persons to whom the Deputy refers arrived in the State on 20 January 2005 and sought asylum. It was decided to refuse refugee status and deportation orders in respect of the persons were made on 23 November 2005. Judicial review proceedings challenging the deportation orders were instituted on 13 January 2006 and, accordingly, as the matter is sub judice, I do not propose to comment...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 1165 to 1167, inclusive, together. I presume that the Deputy is referring to applications for leave to remain in the State made pursuant to section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended. An application for leave to remain in the State in these circumstances arises where a non-national is served with a notice of intent to deport under section 3(3)(a)...

Written Answers — Criminal Records: Criminal Records (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 1168 and 1169 together. As the Deputy will be aware, a criminal conviction reflects a verdict of the courts. There is currently no provision for expunging a criminal conviction from either court or Garda records. With the introduction of the Children Act 2001, provision was made for a limited "wiping of the slate" in respect of most offences committed by...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned, a Romanian national, arrived in the State on 27 May 1997 and applied for asylum. He withdrew his asylum application and lodged an application based on the parentage of a child born in the State. He was notified that his application for permission to remain in the State was refused because he did not form part of a family unit within the State with the child concerned or...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I regret that it has not been possible in the time available to obtain the information requested by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy again when the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: All applications for asylum in the State are processed in accordance with the provisions of the Refugee Act 1996 and in particular having due regard to the definition of a refugee in section 2 of that Act, which states that a refugee is: "a person who, owing to a well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have requested the Land Registry to contact the Deputy directly concerning the current position of the application in question. I understand that, in circumstances where the completion of an application in a particular case is urgent, the Land Registry will make every reasonable effort to facilitate such requests on receipt of a written explanation as to the reason underlying the urgency.

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have requested the Land Registry to contact the Deputy directly concerning the current position of the application in question. I understand that, in circumstances where the completion of an application in a particular case is urgent, the Land Registry will make every reasonable effort to facilitate such requests on receipt of a written explanation as to the reason underlying the urgency.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The amount of money collected by my Department by way of superannuation payments by employees in 2003, 2004, 2005 and the amount paid into the social insurance fund by those employees in each of these years is as follows: Superannuation Payments Garda Vote Prison Vote Justice Land Registry Courts Service 2003 24,344,443 4,154,524 975,523 416,817 705,173 2004 26,970,051...

Written Answers — Prison Staff: Prison Staff (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The proposal for organisational change in the Prison Service which is currently being implemented across the prison system allows for delivery of a full range of services to prisoners and for the ongoing development of services for prisoners. The staffing and attendance arrangements will enable the introduction of a coherent training and development policy for all grades of staff in the...

Written Answers — Closed Circuit Television Systems: Closed Circuit Television Systems (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: Section 38 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 provides a statutory basis for the operation of CCTV systems in public places by the Garda Síochána and certain other bodies. The provision outlines significant oversight powers for the Garda Síochána in the exercise of this function on behalf of the State. I am about to commence the provisions of section 38 of the Act, among others, and will...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the information sought is not readily available and that research is necessary to retrieve the relevant data. I will be in further contact with the Deputy when the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda national immigration bureau liaises with the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner on a regular basis. I am further informed that it is the policy of the Garda national immigration bureau to advise the director general, Irish naturalisation and immigration service and the Refugee Applications Commissioner when any applicant for...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Garda national immigration bureau is one of the specialist functions within the Garda Síochána concerned with operational immigration matters. The use of fingerprint evidence in relation to criminal offences is a matter for the Garda Commissioner in accordance with the law.

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available, as objections, and the reason for such objections, by the Garda Síochána to the granting of bail are not captured on the crime recording system and would require the expenditure of an inordinate and unjustifiable amount of personnel hours to collate. The Garda authorities also...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that a total of 1,125 student gardaí were inducted into the Garda College between 1 January 2005 and 1 January 2006, as set out in the following table. Intake Recruits Date A 275 7/2/2005 B 275 3/5/2005 C 275 2/8/2005 D 300 7/11/2005 The...

Written Answers — Bullying in the Workplace: Bullying in the Workplace (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The policy for dealing with bullying in the Civil Service is set out in the revised policy document entitled, A Positive Working Environment: an Anti-Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Bullying Policy for the Civil Service. This policy was circulated to all staff in my Department in August 2005 prior to the new code becoming effective on 1 September 2005. My Department endeavours to resolve...

Written Answers — Staff Remuneration: Staff Remuneration (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: As I understand the question, I wish to confirm that no bonuses were paid to staff in my Department for the year ending 31 December 2005. My Department does, however, operate an exceptional performance awards scheme for staff below the grade of assistant secretary. The total amount available for payment of awards cannot exceed 0.2% of the Department's payroll from the sanctioned subheads....