Results 4,461-4,480 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Naturalisation Applications: Naturalisation Applications (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation by the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the citizenship section of my Department in February 2003. Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that an applicant for naturalisation must have a period of one year's continuous residence in the State before the date of the application and a...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that this is an application for transmission of part which was lodged on 24 March 2004. Dealing Number D2004SM002579W refers. I am further informed that this application is in the final stages of completion and, subject to no queries arising, will be completed within the next few weeks.

Written Answers — Civil Service Allowances: Civil Service Allowances (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The position with regard to the payment of travel and subsistence to the staff concerned was set out in my replies to Questions Nos. 198 and 199 on 16 June 2004. I indicated that the payment of travel and subsistence is governed by the provisions of Department of the Public Service Circular 11/82. It is a matter for each Department to determine whether it would be appropriate to make travel...

Written Answers — Firearms Offences: Firearms Offences (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: According to the Garda authorities the category of "pistol-revolver" on the crime recording system is broad and captures different types of pistols and revolvers including starting pistols, air pistols, antique pistols and flare pistols. Starting pistols, antique pistols and flare pistols do not require a firearm certificate for possession, use or carriage. Where an air pistol falls under the...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of Killucan Garda station as at 24 June 2005 was one garda. As I stated in my reply to Question No. 263 of 18 May 2005, it is the responsibility of the divisional officer to allocate personnel within his or her division. I am advised...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Applications 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 were received from the persons concerned on 27 January 2005. Some 18,000 applications were received under the revised arrangements and more than 7,600 have been...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (28 Jun 2005)

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 — Prisoner Transfers: Prisoner Transfers (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not received formal applications for transfer to this country under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons in respect of these persons. The Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons requires extensive documentation to be exchanged between both jurisdictions to allow an application to be fully considered. A...

Written Answers — Film Censorship: Film Censorship (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Under Section 6(2) of the Censorship of Films Act 1923, it is an offence to knowingly exhibit in public a film in the presence of any person who is not a member of the class in whose presence such a film is authorised to be exhibited. The staff of the film censor's office includes an inspector, one of whose duties includes visiting cinemas to ensure compliance with the aforementioned Act....

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 623 and 624 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the weapon in question, which was never claimed, was destroyed, together with other weaponry, in July 2000, as the storage site — Clancy Barracks — had been sold. In this regard, when cases are finalised in the courts or if no charges are preferred, items such as this are returned to the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government's overall policy to tackle the drug problem is set out in the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008, Building on Experience, and responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the strategy lies with my colleague, Deputy Noel Ahern, Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Under the current national strategy,...

Written Answers — Equality Matters: Equality Matters (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Equality Authority is independent in the performance of its functions. It is open to the Equality Authority in this case to appeal to the Supreme Court. The time allowed for lodging an appeal has not yet elapsed. It would be inappropriate, therefore, for me to comment at this stage other than to welcome the judge's finding that the relevant sections of the Equal Status Act are constitutional.

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have received a number of reports on this matter from the Garda authorities who have informed me that on 2 June, 2005, the person referred to by the Deputy was arrested for an offence under Section 112 of the Road Traffic Acts 1964-1994 unauthorised taking of a vehicle, and conveyed to Store Street Garda station. Upon arrival, the person was processed, subjected to a search and placed in a...

Written Answers — Departmental Revenue: Departmental Revenue (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I take it the Deputy is referring to appropriations-in-aid received into my Department's Votes for each of the calendar years 1995 to 1998 — the financial year for Departments and offices is the calendar year. The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement, which reflects the levels of appropriations-in-aid for the years in question including a...

Seanad: Registration of Deeds and Title Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The House may recall that on Committee Stage I announced my intention to examine the existing provisions dealing with the compulsory registration of title in the Registration of Title Act 1964 with a view to introducing amendments on Report Stage that would promote and increase the rate of registration of land. This is all the more important now because promotion of registration of ownership...

Seanad: Registration of Deeds and Title Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: This is a drafting amendment substituting the phrase "stands" for the phrase "shall stand" where it appears in the section.

Seanad: Registration of Deeds and Title Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am grateful to the House for its timely consideration of this measure. I thank the Members and officials in my Department for speedily getting this legislation through at this stage of the legislative process. It is my intention to put the Register of Deeds and the Land Registry on this new footing as soon as possible. I also wish to speed up the modernisation process in this area. This is...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: There is no sense in which my Department refused anybody a briefing. If such a request had been communicated to us, we would have given a briefing to anybody who wanted it. I do not wish to devote much time to the group 1 amendments because these are technical in nature, with little serious content from a policy perspective. In the main, they arise from drafting improvements suggested by the...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I agree with Senator Ryan.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Senator is wrong again.