Results 4,381-4,400 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

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

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that there is no record of an application pending on the folio number quoted by the Deputy at present. If the Deputy can provide me with the date of lodgement of the application and a Land Registry reference number, I will make further inquiries on his behalf.

Written Answers — Refugee Legal Services: Refugee Legal Services (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy may be aware, the Refugee Legal Service, RLS, is a specialised service within the Legal Aid Board providing confidential legal advice and assistance at all stages of the asylum process to persons applying for asylum in Ireland. The services provided by the RLS include assistance with regard to judicial review of recommendations of the Office of Refugee Applications Commissioner,...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that following a post mortem the cause of death of the person referred to in the Deputy's question was found to be drowning. The death was fully investigated by the Garda Síochána. This included a visit to the scene by a scene of crime examiner before the body of the deceased was removed and an examination of the deceased's car. All known witnesses...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I would refer the Deputy to the replies I made to Questions Nos. 290, 293, 295 and 298 on Wednesday 15 June 2005 and to the statement made by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, to the Seanad during the Adjournment debate there on 15 June 2005 about these cases. The position remains the same. I do not intend reversing the decisions to deport these persons...

Written Answers — Garda Vetting Procedures: Garda Vetting Procedures (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I would the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos. 8 and 43 of today's date. The Garda central vetting unit, GCVU, carries out criminal record vetting in respect of, inter alia, prospective full-time employees of the Health Service Executive and in certain agencies funded by the executive, as well as in respect of prospective child care workers on equal opportunities childcare schemes funded by...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: My Department did not incur any expenditure with regard to the two Nice treaty referenda.

Written Answers — Unlicensed Trading: Unlicensed Trading (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I understand from the Garda authorities that the retailer concerned is in possession of a retail licence issued in accordance with the powers conferred on the official censor under section 18 of the Video Recordings Act 1989 to sell video recordings by retail or to let them on hire from his business premises. I am informed by the Garda authorities while the retailer referred to by the Deputy...

Written Answers — Probation and Welfare Service: Probation and Welfare Service (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I can advise the Deputy that my Department, through the probation and welfare service, provides funding to 69 community based-projects and programmes nationally. The target group for the projects, supported by the probation and welfare service, are offenders who have been before the courts or who have been released following a period of detention. The overall objective of the...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: There are seven EU directives which have been adopted by the Council of the European Union but have yet to be transposed into domestic legislation in Ireland. One of these directives, Directive 2004/57/EC, has passed its deadline for transposition. It is anticipated that this directive will be transposed later this year by way of a Statutory Instrument under section 3 of the European...

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

Michael McDowell: Applications for certificates of naturalisation from the persons referred to by the Deputy were received in the citizenship section of my Department on 21 January 2005. The average processing time for such applications is currently 24 months. On the basis of the current average processing time, therefore, it is likely that the applications of the individuals concerned will be finalised in...

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

Michael McDowell: There are two aspects of this case under consideration at present. The first is an application under section 18 of the Refugee Act 1996 by the person's son, who is a recognised refugee, to have her remain with him in the State by way of family reunification. That issue is under consideration by the Refugee Applications Commissioner at present, as required by law. The second is an application...

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

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the citizenship section of my Department on 16 June 2004. The average processing time for such applications is currently 24 months. On the basis of the current average processing time, therefore, it is likely that the application of the individual concerned will be finalised in...

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

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together. I have been informed by the Garda Síochána that the successful targeting of criminal assets in this country has caused many of the major crime figures to re-locate and direct their criminal activity from outside this jurisdiction. I am further informed that the Garda Síochána maintains contact with other police forces through...

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

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda Síochána that the Criminal Assets Bureau takes civil proceedings focused on assets which are believed to be the proceeds of criminal conduct. These investigations will, in most cases, follow from earlier criminal investigations. The seizure of assets in criminal investigations or proceedings is carried out by the Director of Public Prosecutions under...

Written Answers — Security Industry: Security Industry (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 199 together. I continue to be concerned that there is some evidence of unacceptable elements entering the private security industry. My concern with regard to door management was one of the reasons I brought forward legislation to regulate the private security industry. The Private Security Authority, which was established in October 2004, will...

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

Michael McDowell: The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular form. Year Number of naturalisation applications received Number of certificates of naturalisation issued Number of certificates of naturalisation refused Number of declarations of post-nuptial citizenship received Number of certs issued (PNC) Number refused (PNC) 2005 (end of May) 1,760 577 860 1,317...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Section 3(2) of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, sets out nine categories of persons in respect of whom the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform may make deportation orders. An "economic emigrant" is not, per se, one of those categories. However, if the Deputy is referring to non-EEA nationals working in the State pursuant to permits issued by the Department of Enterprise, Trade...

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

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of headline offences where a firearm was involved from 2000 to 2004 is as set out in the table below. With regard to the extent of the number of successful prosecutions, as the Deputy is aware, the Director of Public Prosecutions is statutorily independent in the performance of his function and it would, therefore, be inappropriate for me...

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

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the information requested is as set out in the following table. It covers the three robbery offences of robbery from the person, robbery from an establishment-institution and robbery of cash-goods in transit. It should be noted that many of the proceedings commenced have not yet been completed. With regard to the extent of the number of successful...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (23 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Government's approach continues to support the underlying principles of the Children Act 2001 — namely, that prevention through early intervention is desirable, that detention should be used a last resort and that diversion and community sanctions should be available and used wherever appropriate. There is a well-acknowledged recognition of the need to join up strategy and operation of...