Results 4,361-4,380 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am aware of the claims made in the Amnesty International report for 2005 but am firmly of the view that they are not well founded. I will address the position in respect of each of the categories of person referred to by the Deputy in turn. Beginning with the rights of people with disabilities, I believe the Government has demonstrated its commitment by developments over the past eight...

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (23 Jun 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 all of the expertise considered necessary. Work on the installation of the new facilities is well under way.

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the IT system at the Garda fixed penalty office does not distinguish between foreign drivers, Irish drivers, foreign addresses and Irish addresses. Consequently, no data are available on the number of foreign drivers who have been issued with fixed charge notices or who have paid a fixed charge. Fixed charge notices are issued in all cases where an...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the National Roads Authority, which falls within the area of responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Transport, is the agency responsible for recording statistics in relation to road traffic collisions, based on information provided by the Garda Síochána. The authority publishes these statistics in its annual road traffic facts reports....

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of murders in which firearms were used in respect of each year from 1998 to 22 June 2005 are as set out in the following table. 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 number of violent deaths — murder and...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The juvenile arrest referral scheme in Dublin's north inner city is currently a pilot initiative involving a partnership arrangement between the Health Services Executive, the Garda Síochána and the Dublin north inner city local drugs task force. Under this scheme, young people arrested for drugs offences, or offences believed to be related to drug misuse, in the Garda Dublin north central...

Written Answers — Paramilitary Activities: Paramilitary Activities (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am aware of the findings of the fifth report of the Independent Monitoring Commission with regard to the continuing activities of paramilitary groups, including recruitment, training and weapons acquisition. I also receive regular security briefings from the Garda authorities in respect of this and other matters. These security briefings fully confirm the findings of the Independent...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I presume the Deputy is referring to the State's obligations under the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the status of refugees and to recent exchanges at the Select Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights in the context of consideration by that committee of my Department's Estimates for 2005. The Deputy's question refers selectively to comments made during those...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: An application for permission to remain in the State under the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005 for the processing of applications from the non-national parents of Irish born children born before 1 January 2005 was received from the person concerned on 9 March 2005. Some 18,000 applications were received under the revised arrangements and more than 7,300 have been...

Written Answers — Closed Circuit Television Systems: Closed Circuit Television Systems (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I assume that the Deputy is referring to the community based CCTV scheme that I launched earlier this month. This scheme has been developed in response to a demonstrated demand from local communities across Ireland for the provision of CCTV systems. The purpose of the scheme is to support local communities who wish to install and maintain CCTV security systems in their area, with the aim of...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a formal certificate confirming the Irish citizenship of the person concerned issued to her by registered post on 16 June 2005.

Written Answers — Closed Circuit Television Systems: Closed Circuit Television Systems (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy is aware, Ennis is one of 17 locations nationwide which has been selected to receive a Garda CCTV system. This programme of implementation of CCTV systems is being implemented on a phased basis as follows: phase one — Bray, Dundalk, Dún Laoghaire, Finglas, Galway and Limerick; phase 2 — Athlone, Clondalkin, Tallaght and Waterford; and phase three — Ballyfermot, Carlow,...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The application referred to by the Deputy was only recently received, on the 15 June 2005, by my Department's visa section and is pending assessment. Applications are currently taking, on average, four to six weeks to process.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: There is no record in the immigration division of my Department of an application for residency having been received from the person concerned.

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that this is an application for transfer of part, which was lodged on 7 April 2004. Dealing Number D2004CK008150T refers. I am further informed that this application was completed on 21 June 2005.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person in question is a failed asylum seeker who is the subject of a deportation order. He subsequently sought to invoke European Union law on free movement to have that order set aside on the basis of his marriage to an EU national worker. Following consideration of the relevant provisions as enshrined in Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68, the application was refused as the EU national was not...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Although the Deputy has not supplied a visa application reference number, my officials believe they have located the application in question, reference number 1518085. I can inform the Deputy that this application was approved by my Department on 2 June 2005.

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The application referred to by the Deputy was received by my Department on 23 May 2005. The application in question was to enable the wife of a non-EEA national employed under the employment permit scheme travel to the State to reside with him. A worker employed under the employment permit scheme may be joined by their spouse and minor children after the worker has been in the State for one...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Although the Deputy has not supplied a visa application reference number, my officials believe they have located the application in question, reference number 1518084. I can inform the Deputy that this application was approved by my Department on 2 June 2005.

Written Answers — Victims of Crime: Victims of Crime (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have no plans at present to recommence core funding for the Victim Support organisation. The disbursement of funding to support victims of crime is now a matter for the new Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime. The commission is an independent body established in March 2005 with a remit to devise an appropriate support framework for victims of crime into the future and disburse...