Results 5,081-5,100 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The application from the person concerned for permission to remain in the State under the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005 for the non-national parents of Irish born children born before 1 January 2005 is currently being processed and a decision in the case will be made shortly.

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The personnel strength of Dunboyne Garda station as at 18 October 2005 is 14 across all ranks. Local Garda management is satisfied that the resources allocated to Dunboyne Garda station are adequate to meet the present policing needs of the area. The accelerated recruitment campaign of 1,100 Garda recruits each year to reach a record force strength of 14,000, in line with the commitment in...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 668 and 669 together. The Explosives Act 1875 provides for the control of the importation, manufacture, storage and sale of fireworks and, under the Act, any person wishing to import fireworks into the State must first obtain an importation licence from me. It is long standing policy to only grant importation licences for organised fireworks displays conducted...

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 670 and 671 together. The number of persons awaiting a first appointment with a solicitor at the end of August 2005 at the centres in question is: Centre Newbridge Law Centre 48 (maximum waiting time 2 months) Carlow (Part Time) Law Centre 23 (maximum waiting time 3 months) These waiting times reflect the progress made by the Legal Aid Board in...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 672 and 673 together. In the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 there were, respectively, 11, 15 and 12 applications for capital grant assistance under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006, from both community based/not for profit groups and private sector child care projects in County Kildare. In the same years, eight, 11 and six capital grants were...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person who is the subject of the correspondence, a Romanian national, arrived in the State on 9 August 1999 and applied for asylum. She was refused refugee status by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. A deportation order was made in respect of her on 11 March 2004 and on 17 November 2004 she was deported from the State....

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned has been granted temporary permission to remain in the State for an initial period of two years, effective from 17 May 2005. Some 18,000 applications for permission to remain were received under the revised arrangements and more than 14,000 have been processed to date.

Written Answers — Childhood Development Initiative: Childhood Development Initiative (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the ten year strategy produced by the Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative, which seeks to improve children's health, safety, learning and achieving and to increase their sense of community belonging. I understand that officials from a number of Departments, including my own Department and from the National Children's Office, will be meeting representatives of the project...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 677 and 678 together. The press office in my Department is currently staffed by the following personnel: one assistant principal officer; one administrative officer; one executive officer; and one clerical officer. Overtime payments are made to staff up to and including the grades of higher executive officer and administrative officer, as set out in Department...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I assume when the Deputy is referring to compensatory leave he is referring to the situation where staff within the Department work additional hours either before or after normal working hours and opt for time in lieu, instead of extra attendance payments. The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available as the granting of time in lieu is managed at local level, having regard...

Written Answers — : (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I can assure the Deputy that personnel files or personal information of staff in this Department would not be copied or released to external parties, except with the consent of the staff member concerned. Staff within the Department's human resources division are briefed regarding confidentiality of personnel files and comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003 and...

Written Answers — : (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: In light of the scale of this query and the number of agencies involved, it has not been feasible for my Department to prepare a response in the time available. Accordingly, my Department will respond directly in writing to the Deputy with the information requested.

Written Answers — : (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 682 and 683 together. My Department makes refund of fees to members of staff in accordance with the provisions of Department of Finance circular 21/78. This provides for refunds to courses in the following areas: degrees of bachelor or master of arts or commerce; accountancy; business administration; business studies; computer science; economics; general...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy is as follows: the cost of briefcases purchased since May 2002 is €3,672.07; the number of briefcases purchased since May 2002 is 33 and the largest single amount paid for a briefcase was €202.50. There have been no refunds made to staff in respect of purchases of briefcases during this time.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that, after evaluation of a number of personal digital assistant-mobile mail devices, the Blackberry platform has been selected for use in my Department. Since 17 May 2002, Blackberry units have been assigned to 62 of my Department's staff and a small number of other devices have been acquired for research and evaluation purposes. The current cost of these devices is...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I understand the Deputy has clarified that he is looking for the number of staff in my Department who are currently on sick leave absence of more than six months. There are currently 13 staff in my Department on sick leave of more than six months duration. Staff returning from long-term sick leave are required to provide a medical certificate detailing fitness to resume duty. Occasionally,...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The following amounts have been paid to the company in question by my Department for each of the years in question: in 2000, nil; in 2001, €8,686.80; in 2002, €20,328; in 2003, €23,861.30; in 2004, €14,520 and in 2005, €14,520. All figures include VAT. These payments are in respect of access to vendor-independent research material, briefings and advisory services on the IT industry...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The contracts and services provided to my Department by the company in question since 2000 have been outlined below. A contract was awarded to supply and implement a financial management system for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Courts Service, the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Síochána. This contract was awarded to the company in question in March 2002. The...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the current full-time juvenile liaison officer allocated to Gorey district is based in Arklow Garda station. This full-time juvenile liaison officer deals with and monitors referrals under the juvenile diversion programme for qualifying young people from the Gorey...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 690 and 691 together. I understand from the Garda authorities that heroin abuse is a relatively new phenomenon in the Gorey town area. Gorey and its hinterland is one of the fastest growing areas in the south east and is now a satellite town of Dublin with many people from the greater Dublin area settled in the local community. I am informed by the Garda...