Results 2,221-2,240 of 18,726 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: Up to and including Friday, 11 February 2005, a total of 5,843 applications had been received for permission to remain under the revised arrangements for the consideration of applications for permission to remain made by the non-national parents of Irish born children born before 1 January 2005. Of this number, 1,191 applicants have been granted temporary permission to remain. To date no...

Written Answers — Racism Issues: Racism Issues (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: As I have outlined previously, I have secured sanction from the Government for a core budget of €1 million per annum for each year of the life of the national action plan against racism 2005-08. This money will be used to further the goals of the plan and in particular to: make strategic interventions in the implementation of the plan; pursue specific research or consultancy projects in...

Written Answers — Departmental Assistance: Departmental Assistance (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: There are already inquiry lines in place in relation to some of the services available from my Department involving large volume of transactions, such as the Land Registry and immigration, citizenship and visa applications. My Department's website also contains details of the functions of my Department. I have no plans to provide further inquiry lines at this stage. However, I can inform the...

Written Answers — Search Warrants: Search Warrants (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I assume the Deputy is referring to the Supreme Court judgment in the case of Dylan Creaven, Silicon Technologies (Europe) Limited & Anor v. CAB & Anor. This case concerned the validity of a number of search warrants issued by the District Court. The Supreme Court found inter alia that where a district judge issues a search warrant he or she should be sitting within the District Court...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: The number of violent deaths, murder and manslaughter, recorded in 2004 is 45, the lowest number recorded in ten years, despite our population increasing by 400,000 during the same period. I am informed by the Garda authorities that murders involving the use of firearms tend to have lower conviction rates than other murders. This is not unique to Ireland. The worldwide experience of murders...

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been advised that the Irish Prison Service steering committee which oversaw the development of the special cells referred to by the Deputy had access to the expertise considered necessary for the task assigned to them. The design of these cells was finalised following a thorough examination of all requirements and issues involved.

Written Answers — Property Disposal: Property Disposal (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been advised by the Irish Prison Service that there is no such covenant in existence.

Written Answers — Sexual Offences: Sexual Offences (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: As of 15 February 2005, there were 267 prisoners serving sentences for sexual offences. There are three forms of direct therapeutic intervention for sex offenders currently operating within the Irish prison system. These are as follows: individual counselling from the Irish Prison Service's psychology service and from the probation and welfare service; the sex offender programme which has...

Written Answers — Metrology Service: Metrology Service (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: Taxi meters are currently being modified to reflect distance in kilometres. The legal metrology service checks and verifies the meters are operating correctly after modification. The legal metrology service is a statutory body with the National Standards Authority of Ireland which is under the aegis of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and is therefore outside the remit of my...

Written Answers — Drugs in Prisons: Drugs in Prisons (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: Mindful of the commitments in the programme for Government, a group comprising Irish Prison Service management, prison governors, health authority representatives and clinicians have been consulted in relation to a drugs policy for the Irish Prison Service. The intention is that the drugs policy will facilitate consistent regulatory and operational structures in pursuing both supply and...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that, in the immediate aftermath of the incident in question, a full Garda murder investigation was launched and a large number of persons were arrested for questioning. Although no person has, to date, been made amenable for the murder, I am further informed that the Garda investigation remains open.

Written Answers — Land Registry Office: Land Registry Office (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Land Registry processes a range of application types and provides a wide variety of services to its customers. The Deputy will be aware that in recent years the volume of demand for these services, consistent with the buoyancy in the economy, has grown considerably. The Deputy will be interested to note that, in the case of the vast majority of services provided by the Land Registry, no...

Written Answers — Property Disposal: Property Disposal (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have no plans to reopen Shanganagh Castle Prison. Part of the property has been disposed of and I plan to place the remainder on the market later this year.

Written Answers — Work-Life Balance: Work-Life Balance (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: The introduction of paid parental leave would obviously be attractive to employees who are parents of young children. In considering enhanced work-life balance measures for employees it is also necessary to consider the wider implications for employment and competitiveness. The question of introducing paid parental leave was considered by the working group on the review of the Parental Leave...

Written Answers — Garda Traffic Corps: Garda Traffic Corps (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy is aware, I announced the establishment within the Garda Síochána of the traffic corps on 23 November 2004. The Deputy will also be aware that the Government has approved my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members on a phased basis in line with the commitment in the An Agreed Programme for Government. As each cycle of recruit training is...

Written Answers — Commission on Policing and Crime: Commission on Policing and Crime (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am currently considering the report and its recommendations, and I will be responding to the Lord Mayor in the near future. The Garda Síochána can operate effectively only if the support and assistance of the community they are policing are forthcoming. Proactive local authorities are vital in bringing this about. A number of the report's recommendations, such as those relating to the...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the Garda Commissioner authorised the appointment of liaison officers to ethnic minorities in divisions where the need was identified. The divisional officer assessed the ethnic issue in each division and, in consultation with the district officers,...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: Section 14 of the Garda Síochána Bill, providing for the appointment of volunteer members of the Garda Síochána, is an enabling provision only. Such officers provide valuable assistance to the police in other common law jurisdictions. No decision to appoint such members here has been taken by the Government. The Bill has two conditions which must be fulfilled before such members can be...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that since the enactment of the Employment Permit Act 2003 on 10 April, 2003 there have been 47 prosecutions against employees and 21 prosecutions against employers. The majority of these cases are still before the courts and, as such, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on them. I understand that there are seven recorded convictions concerning...

Written Answers — International Terrorism: International Terrorism (16 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that there is no evidence — nor has any been adduced — that any charity based in this jurisdiction is being used to facilitate the activities of terrorist groups. Ireland remains fully committed to implementing its international obligations regarding terrorism and the financing of terrorism, as set out, inter alia, in a number of United Nations...