Results 7,521-7,540 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The applications referred to by the Deputy were processed by the visa office recently established in the Irish Embassy in New Delhi, staffed by dedicated visa officers of my Department. I am informed that no appeal against the refusal decisions have been received by that office to date. All appeals must be submitted within two months of receipt of the initial refusal decision.

Written Answers — Refugee Status: Refugee Status (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 28 January 2004 and applied for asylum. His application was refused following consideration of his case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Subsequently, in accordance with section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, he was informed by letter, dated 13 February 2006, that...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 2 February 2005 and applied for asylum. His application was refused following consideration of his case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Subsequently, in accordance with section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, he was informed by letter, dated 30 September 2005, that...

Written Answers — Child Care Facilities: Child Care Facilities (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy may be aware, responsibility for the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010 has been assigned to the Department of Health and Children as part of the establishment of the new Office of the Minister for Children, under the Minister of State with responsibility for children, Deputy Brian Lenihan. The group in question was recently approved staffing grant assistance up...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy will be aware, the issue of claims for leave to remain in the State by the non-national parents of Irish-born children has been a matter of serious concern to the Government. A claimed right to reside in Ireland based solely on the birth of a child in Ireland had come to be used as a method of attempting to circumvent normal immigration controls. In order to address these...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy is referring to the proposal for organisational change in the Irish Prison Service which was accepted by staff in August 2005. The central element of the agreement is the replacement of overtime with a new additional hours system which is broadly based on the concept of annualised hours. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have reversed the unacceptable trend of spiralling...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The key performance indicator identifying the cost and efficiency for the prison service is the cost of keeping an offender in prison. This has fallen over the last three years from €84,750 in 2002 to €83,800 in 2004 as set out below. The reduction in cost is due to the strict budget management, and in particular overtime management. In this regard, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that new working arrangements under the agreed proposal for organisational change should enhance prisoner regimes in the years ahead, particularly in terms of improving availability and facilities, and making the most of out of cell time for prisoners. Apart from service levels, there are issues too in regard to quality of services. Rigorous standard setting...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength, all ranks, of the Garda Síochána as at 31 December 1997 and 20 March 2006 was 10,702 and 12,445, respectively. This represents an increase of 1,743, or 16.3%, in the personnel strength of the Garda Síochána during that period. I...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The refugee in question made an application for family reunification in respect of his wife in December 2003. This application was approved in February 2005. There are no applications pending in respect of family members of the above named. Correspondence has been received from the above named enquiring as to the status of an application in respect his daughter. He has been notified in...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table shows the number of headline offences by group recorded and detected in the Garda districts of Cahir, Clonmel and Tipperary town for the years 2004 and 2005. I understand that Cashel is included in the Cahir Garda district, and that Fethard and Carrick-on-Suir are included in the Clonmel Garda district. It should be borne in mind...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: Before dealing with the specifics of the question, I should briefly explain the workings of the Dublin II Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No. 343/2003). This regulation is intended to prevent the phenomenon of "asylum shopping" across Europe and sets out criteria for determining which member state is responsible for examining an asylum application where applications have been lodged in...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I understand that the person in question entered the State on 7 November 2005 and was granted permission to remain until 7 February 2006 as a visitor on a self-sufficiency basis. The person concerned has now lodged an application with the immigration division of my Department to remain in the State. It is important to emphasise that persons permitted to enter the State as visitors do not have...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: An application for family reunification was made by the person in question in May 2003. This application was refused and the person in question was notified of the decision in writing on 18 July 2005.

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned, together with one child, arrived in the State on 2 January 2005. It is understood that she gave birth to a second child on the day of her arrival in the State. The person concerned, on behalf of herself and her two dependent children, applied for asylum on 6 January 2005. Her asylum application was refused following consideration of her case by the Office of the Refugee...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I informed the Deputy in response to Parliamentary Question No. 227 on 24 November 2005 and also to Question No. 298 on 15 December 2005 that an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy had been received in July 2005. Officials in the citizenship section of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform wrote to the person in question on 21...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to the answers I gave to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 384 on 6 December 2005, 183 on 1 December 2005 and 46 on 20 October 2005. The person concerned applied for permission to remain in the State under the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005 for the processing of applications from the non-national parents of Irish-born children born before 1 January 2005....

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to the answer I gave to Parliamentary Question No. 384 on 6 December 2005. The person concerned applied for permission to remain in the State under the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005 for the processing of applications from the non-national parents of Irish-born children born before 1 January 2005. For the reasons set out in my previous reply the...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The application referred to by the Deputy was received in the visa office on 10 February 2006. Having given full consideration to the matter, the application was refused on 23 February 2006. It is open to applicants to appeal against the refusal of a visa application by writing to the visa appeals officer and submitting any additional documentation which they feel may support the application....

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (21 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: In March 2005 I established the Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime to devise an appropriate support framework for victims of crime into the future and to disburse funding for victim support measures. The commission is entirely independent in its decision-making and examines each application on its merits. The commission received an application from the Missing in Ireland Support...