Results 4,561-4,580 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: It could well be but maybe not. If three people had been selected in Northern Ireland and I said I wanted one I would have been beaten around these Houses for doing the opposite of what I am now doing. I have listened carefully to the debate and have substantially amended the proposal. There is an argument for involving more than one person. I also believe there is an argument for having a...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Eddie Fullerton issue is a live one.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I make the point to Senator White in particular, that there are many things which apparently it would be rude and against the thrust of the peace process even to mention, which are never to be investigated in Northern Ireland. Take the case of the poor girl in Derry who was shot and whose parents were told by the Provisional IRA that it was the British Army who killed her, knowing that was a...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The question we must ask in those circumstances is whether that would be an appropriate use of Garda resources. There are people whose homes are under attack today and will be tomorrow, people who want to walk the streets in safety today and plots to commit crime which require the activities and intelligence of skilled detectives to be applied today in surveillance. Am I to draw all these...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I cannot comment on an individual case in this House. I do not want to be deflected into doing that. There are many individual cases, many of which are current and known but I cannot in the course of this debate comment on their merits or demerits because that is not what we are doing here.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: There are many fora for doing so but the purpose of this ombudsman commission is to deal with contemporary complaints in general and only in exceptional cases will it be employed on a retrospective basis. It is open to the ombudsman commission, if it appears to it to be desirable in the public interest to do so, without receiving a complaint, to investigate any matter which appears to...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am sorry.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: It is section 94 in the Senators' documents but this is not of my doing. The procedure of this House is not imposed by me. Senator Tuffy mentioned resources, which will be a significant issue. The present scale of the Garda Síochána Complaints Board would not be justifiable as an indicator of what will happen when the ombudsman commission is put in place. The complaints board has a budget...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The four amendments in this group comprise a core set of provisions in the Bill. As I said during the Dáil debate on the Morris reports recently, the findings of the tribunal are profoundly disturbing and shocking at times and call for a strong, effective response from the Government. Notwithstanding that a relatively small number of gardaí were involved in what Mr. Justice Morris uncovered...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: On the last point, there is no intention to change the pyramid of ranks in the Garda Síochána Bill. The current ranks are Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, chief superintendents, superintendents, inspectors, sergeants and gardaí, and there will be reserve gardaí as well if that comes into operation. Those are the only ranks which exist, just in case anybody is...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The sergeant must ask the question. If such questions could only be put by a neutral outsider, the member would hide behind a smokescreen of evasion and prevarication as long as the neutral outsider was not called in. We cannot have that culture in an Garda Síochána.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Perhaps we should get going.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage (Resumed). (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Chapter 3 of the Bill, which deals with the roles of the Minister and the Garda Commissioner, includes provisions which require the Garda Commissioner to prepare a strategy statement and an annual policing plan. In addition to those provisions, I decided to require the commissioner to prepare a three year review report that will review the efficiency and effectiveness of the management and...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (30 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 486 and 541 together. On 22 June 2005, I approved additional capital grant assistance of €130,000 under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, EOCP, 2000-2006, in respect of an application from the group in question. This brings the total capital amount approved to date to this community-based group to €1,130,000. The approval of additional capital...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (30 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: There are no proposals in the current Government legislative programme with regard to the modernisation of the Bankruptcy Act 1988. However, the situation will be kept under review with a view towards considering any necessary future legislative action.

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (30 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy will be aware that there have been significant improvements in the provision of supports for the development of child care over the last number of years. Child care was identified as an investment priority under the National Development Plan 2000-2006. The equal opportunities child care programme has an equal opportunities and social inclusion perspective and facilitates the...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (30 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy may be aware the community-based group in question was awarded staffing grant assistance under the Equal Opportunities Child Care Programme, EOCP, 2000-2006, of €36,000 over three years in May 2002 and a further €24,000 over two years in September 2002. This brings the total staffing allocation approved for the group to €60,000, which was considered to be a sufficient...

Written Answers — Underage Drinking: Underage Drinking (30 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: A consultation process on my proposals for a Bill to streamline and modernise the liquor licensing laws by repealing the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2004 and replacing them with updated provisions more suited to modern conditions has recently concluded. I will take account of the views of organisations and individuals who responded to my request for submissions in the context of drafting the Bill....

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (30 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 387 on Wednesday, 29 June 2005.

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (30 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of Malin Garda station as at 28 June 2005 was two — all ranks. The sergeant attached to Malin Garda station retired from an Garda Síochána on 2 June 2005. Local Garda management reports that available resources are deployed to...