Results 6,921-6,940 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: In December 1999, when the direct provision system was first introduced, the rates paid to the providers of this full board accommodation ranged from €10,400 per person per annum to €17,888 per person per annum. Since then the reception and integration agency of my Department has negotiated significant reductions in the rates paid. Currently, payments in the commercial sector for direct...

Written Answers — Communications Masts: Communications Masts (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 495 and 529 together. Last year the Office of Public Works entered into a new licence agreement with telecommunications operators for the utilisation of the State property portfolio, including Garda masts. There is no direct benefit accruing to the Garda Síochána in the agreement apart from the replacement of masts and ancillary equipment as provided for...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: There were 33 material damage, eight non-serious injury, three serious injury and no fatal traffic collisions on the Stillorgan Road in the year 2004. During the same period on the Stillorgan Road, 71 speed operations were conducted. The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the cost of providing, and revenue arising from, the speed checks is not readily available. The amount of...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: Personnel allocated to the Garda traffic corps are selected from existing available resources in each division. Newly appointed gardaí are not allocated to traffic corps duties following completion of the initial training period. The divisional breakdown of the traffic corps at 31 January 2006 is as follows: Garda Traffic Corps at 31 January, 2006 Division Number Dublin Metropolitan...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: Article 40.6.1(i) of the Constitution provides for the offence of blasphemy. In addition, section 13 of the Defamation Act 1961 provides penalties for the offence. However, as noted by the Supreme Court in the case of Corway v. Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Limited [1999] 4IR 484, no definition of the offence of blasphemy exists in Irish law. The position on this constitutional offence has...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: Local Garda management is aware of recent complaints regarding strangers in cars approaching children in the estate in question and the surrounding area. The Garda has put in place an investigation team to investigate these matters fully and extensive enquires are being carried out in the area concerned, including interviewing all known witnesses. All local gardaí have been fully briefed...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The visa applications in question have been assessed by my officers in New Delhi. In assessing applications of this type, the visa officer will consider, among other factors, whether the level of salary of the worker would come within the ambit of qualifying for payment from public funds. In this regard, the criteria set by the Department of Social and Family Affairs for eligibility for...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question applied for permission to remain in Ireland on the basis of having an Irish born child prior to 1 January 2005, in accordance with the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005. His application is being reviewed and I will notify the Deputy when the outcome of the review is known.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: A declaration of acceptance of Irish citizenship as post-nuptial citizenship was received in the citizenship section of my Department on 8 March 2005 from the person referred to in the Deputy's question. Processing of the declaration has commenced and it is likely that the case will be finalised within the next couple of months. I will advise both the Deputy and the person concerned when the...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 503 and 504 together. Under the Government's decentralisation programme, there are no general service posts at Secretary General level or assistant secretary level within my Department, which are due to decentralise. There are, however, four posts at assistant secretary level or higher within the justice and equality sector which, along with the four offices...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned, a Romanian national, arrived in the State on 22 June 1998 and applied for asylum. His application was refused by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner on 29 February 2000. His subsequent appeal was refused by the Office of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal and he was notified of this recommendation by letter on 27 September 2000. In accordance with section 3 of...

Written Answers — Closed Circuit Television Systems: Closed Circuit Television Systems (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that all applications for Garda CCTV town centre systems must be prepared in co-operation with the local Garda district and divisional officers and must receive their full support. The application is then considered by the CCTV advisory committee which makes a recommendation, through the Garda Commissioner, to me. Applications are assessed by the...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question arrived in the State on 10 June 2000. She made an application for asylum on 28 November 2000. This application was refused on 24 October 2001 and appealed on 14 November 2001 to the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Her application for asylum was withdrawn on 11 December 2001 indicating that she was voluntarily returning to her country of origin as her mother was ill. She did...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned entered the State on a "D" employment visa on 4 May 2002 and was granted permission to remain until 4 June 2002. She subsequently attended at her local immigration office and was granted permission to remain until 11 April 2003 in line with the duration of her work permit. She married a non-EEA national on 13 November 2002. Her spouse was granted humanitarian leave to...

Written Answers — Public Order Offences: Public Order Offences (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The position remains as set out in my answer to Parliamentary Question No. 158 of 2 February 2006. The legislation on noise pollution is a matter for my colleague. the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. His Department has issued a leaflet, A Guide to the Noise Regulations, which outlines the steps which can be taken when a person is experiencing nuisance caused by...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, of my Department is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers and currently has a portfolio of 67 centres across the State for this purpose. In March 2005 a total of 8,080 asylum seekers were being accommodated by the RIA. Approximately 3,500 residents applied for leave to remain in the State under the Irish born children measures announced...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (14 Feb 2006)

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

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The application in question was to enable the husband of a non-EEA national to come and reside with her in the State. The non-EEA national concerned was granted permission to remain in the State on the basis of parentage of an Irish born child from 2001. Having given full consideration to the application the visa officer was not satisfied that an adequate relationship history existed prior to...

Written Answers — Garda Reserve Force: Garda Reserve Force (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 513 to 515, inclusive, and 518 together. Section 15 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 provides for the establishment of a Garda reserve and Deputies will recall that the measure won widespread support in the House during the passage of the Act. The Act lays special emphasis on training for members of the Garda reserve. It provides that the power to appoint...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (14 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: PULSE is a co-ordinated proprietary system which replaced a range of older computer and paper-based systems to enable a single entry system and on-line access to information thereby maximising its use throughout the Garda organisation. The resulting scale and complexity of the PULSE system means that no one specific benchmark is used to measure or assess the performance of the system. Rather,...