Results 2,541-2,560 of 18,727 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Child Care Services: Motion. (9 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: That is not true.

Order of Business. (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: They will take a whole half hour.

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: The visa application referred to by the Deputy was refused by my Department at initial stage, on 14 September 2004. The Deputy should note that marriage to an Irish national does not automatically carry any entitlement to the granting of a visa to enter the State. In cases such as this, the visa officer will, among other considerations, look for sufficient evidence of a clear pre-existing...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138, 172 and 173 together. The €499 million Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-06, EOCP, includes a measure which provides grant assistance towards staffing costs for community based not for profit child care services which serve disadvantaged parents through the provision of reduced cost child care to support the parents when they are in...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have received representations from solicitors representing the sister of one of the victims of the Grangegorman murders of 6 and 7 March 1997 requesting that there be an independent public inquiry into the Garda investigation of the murder. As I have indicated to the House previously, I am not at present satisfied that the investigation which has been performed has fallen short of the...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities who are responsible for the detailed allocation of Garda resources, including personnel, that the Drimnagh area is policed by gardaí attached to Crumlin and Sundrive Road Garda stations. The personnel strength of Crumlin Garda station as at 9 March 2005 was 88 including all ranks. The personnel strength of Sundrive Road Garda station as at 9 March 2005...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 5 January 2004 and claimed asylum. His application was refused by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and on appeal by the Office of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. He was notified of my decision to refuse him refugee status by letter of 20 October 2004 and afforded three options: to leave the State before his case was considered for...

Written Answers — Prisoner Transfers: Prisoner Transfers (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: My Department has not as yet received a formal application for a transfer to this country under the Council of Europe convention on the transfer of sentenced persons in respect of this person from the United Kingdom authorities. My Department has made inquiries of the United Kingdom authorities in this case and has been informed that the United Kingdom authorities are currently collating the...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: A person who is lawfully resident in the State is under a legal obligation to register with the Garda Síochána. Thus, even though a person has the permission of the Minister to be in the State, he may be in breach of immigration law if he or she fails to register. However, the converse of this situation is that if a person has, through some error or omission, failed to obtain a stamp in his...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength, by rank, of the Garda national drugs unit as at 9 March 2005 was as set out hereunder: Rank Number Chief Superintendent 1 Superintendent 2 Inspectors 3 Sergeants 10 ...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda Síochána that for security reasons it would be inappropriate to detail the quantity of drugs stored at any particular location at any given time.

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of seizures and the value of drugs seized by the national drugs unit in the years 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 are as in the table. Year No. of Seizures Estimated Street Value â'¬ 2001 31 29,584,250 2002 29 29,856,000 2003 39 39,129,200 2004 31 20,129,200 The second table sets out details of joint operations carried...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the operational strength of the Garda national drugs unit is kept under review having regard to the issues of drug supply and criminality within the State, available resources and other policing priorities. The operational strength of the Garda national drugs unit will be reviewed having regard to the prevailing circumstances and the recent decision...

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 to 156, inclusive, together. In replies that I have given to parliamentary questions on PULSE on a number of occasions recently, I have addressed this matter in considerable detail. In that regard, I refer the Deputy to my most recent response to his Priority Question No. 59 on Wednesday, 16 February 2005. The specific additional information requested by...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 to 161, inclusive, together. In the case of Finglas Garda station, which is not of an acceptable standard, I have already stated that immediate priority is being given to providing a new Garda station there. A suitable site has been identified by the Office of Public Works on the Mellowes Road, and I understand that it is in negotiation to agree the terms...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Garda authorities do not prioritise Garda stations for repairs. I refer the Deputy to my response to Question No. 109, ref. 5080/05, of 16 February 2005 in which I stated, inter alia, that all Garda accommodation is continually under review to ensure that it meets the operational requirements of the Garda Síochána. As I indicated, where it does not meet those requirements, the required...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: I made the general scheme of the Bill available to the Human Rights Commission and to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Womens' Rights to encourage a broad debate on the proposals to be contained in the Criminal Justice Bill, prior to its publication. It is my intention to take the same approach to the proposed heads providing for amendments to the Bill as soon...

Written Answers — Immigration System: Immigration System (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Government has approved the establishment of the Irish naturalisation and immigration service, INIS, which will be an executive office within the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. A primary aim of the executive office will be to improve the customer services provided to migrants. It will incorporate the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform's current structures...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together. The Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of Garda resources, including personnel, have stated that for security and operational reasons they do not disclose the number of personnel who will perform duty in any particular area over a certain period of time.

Written Answers — Probation and Welfare Service: Probation and Welfare Service (10 Mar 2005)

Michael McDowell: My predecessor, Deputy O'Donoghue, set up an expert group to examine the probation and welfare service under the chairmanship of Mr. Brian McCarthy. This group produced its first report in November 1998. The final report was published in May 1999 and made several recommendations. Many of the recommendations of the expert group report have been implemented by my Department. Staffing levels...