Results 5,161-5,180 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Communications Masts. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I wanted the Deputy to know in case he is wondering about the wisdom of the agreement.

Communications Masts. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy might like to know who was there at the time. It was a Government consisting of the Fine Gael Party, the Labour Party and Democratic Left which pushed through this agreement on its last day in office. It was not this Government that signed that agreement.

Communications Masts. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy may appreciate that Deputy O'Donoghue was appointed as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on 26 June 1997 but the agreement was authorised to be signed by Cabinet on 25 June 1997.

Communications Masts. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: This deal and all its provisions were done by the rainbow Government. What is interesting is not merely did that Government sign it on the last day in office, but it provided that Esat could extend it for five years, which it did. The agreement will only expire in 2007.

Communications Masts. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: It is not possible to provide a definitive figure of its value as some of the services provided under the terms of the agreement, such as calls within the 086 network and replacement masts, are provided free of charge to the Garda Síochána. Amounts relating to mobile usage for which charges apply are deducted from the gross fees paid to the Office of Public Works in accordance with the...

Communications Masts. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I suggest the Deputy stops digging. The terms of this agreement were agreed by the Fine Gael-Labour-Democratic Left Government. It was in such a rush to agree it, a provision was included that the rents payable under the agreement would be provisional and the ultimate rent would be established by a system of arbitration. The arbitration went on and on. However, the providence of the erstwhile...

Communications Masts. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The terms provided for an extension up to ten years. I agree the terms are open to a degree of criticism. However, any infelicity in concluding the terms falls into the hands of those who negotiated it. The arbitration process was delayed, at a cost to the taxpayer, because no provision was made for the company to pay any interest on the arbitrated award. This was an extraordinary omission by...

Child Care Services. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has lead responsibility for the equal opportunities childcare programme, EOCP, 2000 to 2006. The programme was established to deliver the Government's commitment, identified in the national development plan to develop quality child care services in Ireland through a major investment programme. This commitment was given in direct response to...

Child Care Services. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I agree with the Deputy that it is strange that child care policy is located in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The reasons were explained to the Deputy by my officials who attended the committee meeting. I agree with the Deputy that in a reorganisation of Government, it might well be appropriate to put it into a single social affairs or child-orientated Department. That...

Child Care Services. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: As long as it is our responsibility to discharge it, we will continue to do so as well as we have done to date. The Deputy asked whether there was a queue of Departments which thought it would fit neatly into their own administrative structures or areas of responsibility. I do not think there is but I believe any prospective Minister would find it attractive to have the brief in his or her...

Garda Operations. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: Operation Anvil commenced in the Dublin metropolitan region on 17 May 2005. The primary focus of this intelligence-driven operation is the targeting of active criminals and their associates involved in serious crime by preventing and disrupting their activities through additional overt patrolling and static checkpoints and by uniform mobile and foot patrols supported by armed plain clothes...

Garda Operations. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have already promised that the additional gardaí will not be put on administrative duties but will be put directly into frontline, operational, high-visibility policing such as Operation Anvil. The Commissioner is committed to that policy. Additional information not given on the floor of the House. The Garda Síochána is now better resourced than at any time in its history. The Garda...

Garda Operations. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I disagree with the Deputy on his fundamental premise that the use of overtime in policing is suspect and that it should all be done on basic pay. That is not the experience of any police force anywhere in the world. If we operated on the basis that police worked their own shift and no more without overtime-driven programmes, it would not produce the desired results. No police force of any...

Garda Operations. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: It is €1.1 billion.

Garda Operations. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy will appreciate that every year provision is made for Garda overtime. The exact amount needed for overtime depends on circumstances. I do not set aside money specifically for overtime. When one runs a Department and a police force——

Garda Operations. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: ——with a budget of €1.1 billion, it is necessary to pay for individual operations from time to time and there is nothing unusual about that. Police forces all over the world do it and it would be very strange if they did not.

Garda Operations. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy referred again to the phantom 2,000 gardaí. I will invite Deputy Costello down to Templemore to see the phantoms marching in front of him. Who will look like a ghost then? The Deputy will be ghostly white when he sees the reality.

Garda Operations. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The only phantom is Deputy Costello himself. The gardaí are very real, and they are flesh and blood.

Crime Levels. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: While all forms of gangland crime are unacceptable, I reject the assertion that violent crime connected with gangland activities is "out of hand". Unprecedented levels of resources are being made available through my Department to the Garda to combat this form of criminality on a focused and coherent basis. The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation is the Garda specialist unit tasked with...

Crime Levels. (20 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I agree with most points Deputy Finian McGrath makes. People in many communities are experiencing the intimidation the Deputy mentioned. I am glad the Deputy stated that gardaí attended the meeting to which he referred. I am sure the Garda will take on board what they heard and respond to it. With some difficulty, I have piloted through legislation regarding local policing committees. I am...