Results 5,841-5,860 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Road Traffic Offences. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The courts are independent under the Constitution and carry out their functions independently.

Road Traffic Offences. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I will not comment on a decision that is to be the subject of an appellate process. The decision on whether to provide information requested is primarily for the person having carriage of the prosecution, the Director of Public Prosecutions. He is the person in charge of a prosecution and it falls to him to decide what information is supplied or what facilities for examination should be...

Road Traffic Offences. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: This is the point that must be decided by the courts and not by me. It is not appropriate for me to express opinions on the merits of an outcome.

Road Traffic Offences. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: If it is reasonable, a set of implications follows but if it is not correctly legally based, other inferences must be drawn. I am not in a position to speculate on what a court will decide on these issues and it would not help if I did so.

Road Traffic Offences. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: In a process of discovery in a criminal prosecution decisions are primarily for the prosecutor because we have an adversarial legal system. The prosecutor decides if, as part of bringing the case, he will make available certain information. It is not the function of the Minister to send directives to the gardaí as to what they should do in particular cases.

Road Traffic Offences. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform would be wholly unaware of the state of litigation in any particular case and would have no reason to become involved. These are matters left by the Constitution for others to decide.

Road Traffic Offences. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am not aware who made the decision.

Road Traffic Offences. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: It is certainly not, however, a decision made in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Prison Building Programme. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Government has approved in principle the development of a new prison complex on the Thornton site on a value for money PPP basis. The Irish Prison Service is preparing a detailed assessment of the project in accordance with the Department of Finance guidelines for the provision of capital projects through public private partnerships which will result in a detailed business case being...

Prison Building Programme. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: With regard to the process envisaged, consultants will be appointed because that is justifiable in these circumstances. I visited the Midlands Prison last Monday. The new buildings were constructed there on a quasi-PPP basis in good time and to a high quality. It compares favourably with the construction of prison buildings in the past, which caused substantial problems.

Prison Building Programme. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: No. This is a design, build and maintenance project and, therefore, the prisons will not be operated privately, similar to those in America and the UK. I intend to keep the operation of prisons within the public sector as long as that is economically feasible.

Prison Building Programme. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: "Almost" makes me a socialist but not quite. With regard to transport, it is not my intention, unless I am forced to do so in the future, to outsource escort services. On Monday I was informed that the new cellular transport vans are in operation and they are proving a success. They are operated by Prison Service staff.

Prison Building Programme. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I do not want to give misleading information and, therefore, I stated the cost would be between €200 million and €300 million because if I stated hundreds of millions, the figure would be leapt on and we would be at €1 billion before we finished.

Prison Building Programme. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: However, the private sector tenderers for a PPP must submit competitive tenders and I will not, therefore, outline the cost. Even if I could offer an educated guess, it would not be helpful.

Prison Building Programme. (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: It is not being offered as an educated guess. If the Minister for Health and Children decides to relocate the Central Mental Hospital, land will be available at Thornton Hall for that purpose. A significant capital dividend will accrue to the State because the lands at Dundrum have a colossal redevelopment value. The premises on the site are wholly unsuitable for the purpose for which they...

Written Answers — Bilateral Agreements: Bilateral Agreements (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I take it the Deputy is referring to readmission agreements with African countries involving reciprocal undertakings in relation to the return of illegal residents to their countries of origin and related immigration matters. Such agreements take two forms — bilateral agreements between Ireland and another country and agreements negotiated by the European Commission with third countries on...

Written Answers — Data Collection: Data Collection (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The question of placing on a statutory basis the recording and use of the type of information referred to in the question which may be in the possession of the Garda Síochána arises in the context of an examination being carried out in my Department concerning the placing of the Garda vetting unit procedures on a statutory basis. This is a comprehensive exercise which will take into account...

Written Answers — Parental Leave: Parental Leave (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2004 provides for a range of improvements to the existing parental leave legislation which will offer greater flexibility to working parents. The main provisions of the Bill are as follows: raising the maximum age of the eligible child from five to eight years; an increase in the maximum age of the eligible child to 16 years in the case of children with...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the total number of gardaí allocated to traffic duties as at 19 October 2005 was 574 — all ranks. A further seven gardaí — all ranks — are attached to the Garda national traffic bureau based at Garda headquarters. The personnel strength of the Garda Síochána includes personnel assigned to the Garda traffic corps. While the members...

Written Answers — Garda Communications: Garda Communications (23 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The roll-out of e-mail to the Garda Síochána is underway. It is now available to all chief superintendents and higher grades and is currently being extended to superintendent level. The gardaí have plans for significant further extension of the system next year. Members of the public who wish to make a general comment or submit a general query by e-mail concerning the Garda Síochána can...