Results 5,661-5,680 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Coroners Service: Coroners Service (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 474, 475, 503 and 529 together. The report of the working group on the review of the coroners service published in December 2000 recommended a comprehensive overhaul and modernisation of the coroners service in Ireland, with regard to the legislation governing the work of coroners, the support services available to coroners and the structural organisation of...

Written Answers — EU Negotiations: EU Negotiations (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: There are two matters in particular where legal issues have arisen. These relate to proposals concerning procedural rights in criminal matters and the retention of communications data. I have made Ireland's concerns on these matters known to the Council. Ireland's position is guided by the advice of the Attorney General.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 477 and 478 together. Exemptions specific to Ireland have not been, and are not being, sought from EU directives or regulations within my area of responsibility.

Written Answers — Refugee Status: Refugee Status (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to the reply I gave to Parliamentary Question No. 61 on Thursday 20 October 2005. A total of 413 unaccompanied minors who have now reached the age of 18 years have been refused refugee status. These persons received notifications under section 3(3)(a) of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, informing them of the decision to refuse them refugee status and setting out the...

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The question of whether a person will be permitted to enter the United States of America is a matter completely within the discretion of the US immigration authorities. Regarding the question of the re-designation of information relating to the person concerned on the Garda computer system, I understand that the Commissioner wrote to him on 19 November 2004 confirming that data on him were...

Written Answers — Sentencing Policy: Sentencing Policy (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person referred to by the Deputy was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, on 15 January 2004. With standard remission she is due to complete her sentence on 15 October 2007. In common with other persons serving prison sentences, contact occurred between prison service headquarters and gardaí on a number of occasions and at appropriate times since her...

Written Answers — Sentencing Policy: Sentencing Policy (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have made inquiries with the Garda authorities on the information sought by the Deputy. The following table shows the number of allegations of rape of a female and rape section 4 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990 reported to the Garda Síochána for the years 2000 to 2004 and up to 31 October 2005 and the percentage of such cases prosecuted. The figures provided for 2004 and...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy follows under a number of broad headings. My Department, through the probation and welfare service, currently provides funding to 69 voluntary bodies which provide a range of services to offenders in local communities. These services include pre-industrial training and education, offender management programmes, residential accommodation, drug and...

Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am on record as having commended Mr. Justice Frederick Morris on the excellent work of the Morris Tribunal thus far and I have no reason to dispute any of the findings arising therefrom. However, notwithstanding the eminence of the tribunal's sole member and the quality of the work done to date the tribunal is not a court of law — either civil or criminal. Consequently, neither its...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned was granted permission to remain in the State for a two year period from 14 October 2005 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. Some 18,000 applications to remain in Ireland under the revised arrangements were received by the closing date of 31 March 2005. Some...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: As I stated in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 268 on 27 October 2005, the refugee in question made an application in respect of his daughter in July 2005. The application was then forwarded to the Refugee Applications Commissioner for investigation as required under section 18 of the Refugee Act 1996. When this investigation is completed the commissioner will prepare and forward a...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the numbers of proceedings forno insurance commenced for the years 2000-2004 are shown in the following table: Year 2000 19,353 2001 18,820 2002 36,383 2003 30,430 2004* *28,754 *The figure for 2004 is operational, provisional and liable to change. The application of penalty points is a matter for the Department of Transport. I...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 488, 489 and 491 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that several incidents involving the persons referred to by the Deputy have been fully investigated by the Garda Síochána and are before the courts at present. Attention is being given to the persons concerned in the form of regular patrols in the area concerned. I am assured that any...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda Síochána has received no specific complaints regarding drug dealing in the park referred to by the Deputy. I am further informed, however, that a series of measures to proactively combat the supply and use of drugs in the general area is in place. These measures include continuous liaison with the local county council parks department,...

Written Answers — Garda Remuneration: Garda Remuneration (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The annual overtime bill for the Garda Síochána for 2005 is not running at anything like €170 million. The budgetary position is that €61.5 million was provided for Garda overtime in 2005. The Deputy will be aware that, in October 2004, the Government approved my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members on a phased basis, in line with the commitment in...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that a Garda inspector from Rathmines Garda station has acted as a liaison officer between the Garda and the company operating the Luas since it commenced operations. I am further informed that there have been no reported incidents of public disorder in respect of the Luas on Cowper Road since it commenced operations. Local Garda management has not...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I wish to inform the Deputy that I have requested the Land Registry to contact him directly concerning the current position of the application in question.

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 495 and 496 together. Entry to the Garda Síochána is governed by the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 1988, as amended. The Deputy may be aware that prior to the current Garda Síochána recruitment competition which was launched in September 2005, I made a number of highly significant changes to the entry criteria with a view to...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: Due to constraints on my schedule, I regret that I am not in a position to meet the delegation referred to by the Deputy. I have instructed officials from my Department to make themselves available to meet the delegation to discuss their concerns and report to me. I understand that the association in question has been informed accordingly.

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (15 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 498 and 499 together. I understand the Deputy is referring to anti-social and unlawful behaviour on the part of gangs of youths wearing hoods for the purpose of making their identification by the Garda Síochána difficult. I share the Deputy's concern about this type of behaviour and would draw his attention to the response of my colleague, the Minister of...