Results 7,641-7,660 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that there is no persistent offenders' task force dealing with traffic offenders. The Garda Síochána is committed to making all traffic offenders amenable for their actions, in particular, those who persistently commit breaches of driving regulations and other offences which impact on road safety. Through its enforcement activities the Garda Síochána...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the legislation underpinning the fixed charge system requires a motorist who allegedly commits a fixed charge offence to be issued with a fixed charge notice. Before a prosecution may be instituted the person must have failed to pay the fixed charge notice within the statutory period. Statistics are not compiled in such a way as to identify the...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that statistics are not compiled in such a way as to indicate the number of speed checks carried out on motorways. The safety of Garda personnel operating the speed checks and the motoring public are a primary consideration when deciding where to locate a speed check.

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (23 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The persons concerned, a husband and wife, arrived in the State on 25 April 2001 and 30 December 2000 respectively and applied for asylum. Their applications were refused following consideration of their cases by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, by the Office of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. The persons referred to by the Deputy were informed, by letter...

Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Motion. (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, it be an Instruction to the Select Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights that it has power to make provision in the Criminal Justice Bill 2004 in relation to: —the Firearms Acts 1925 to 2000 including increasing fines and penalties generally for firearm offences, creating mandatory minimum sentences for certain...

Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Motion. (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: While the Fine Gael leader is fond of referring to the number of crimes committed in recent years, he may be interested to note that during the two year term of the rainbow Government there were 102,484 headline crimes recorded in 1995 and a further 100,785 headline crimes recorded in 1996. Despite the fact that there were 600,000 less people living in Ireland and despite the fact that the...

Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Motion. (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: To a large extent, these will pertain to issues already covered by the present set of amendments and to the Bill as initiated. However, I refer to a proposal on reckless endangerment of children arising from the recommendations of Mr. Justice Murphy in the Ferns Report. I also plan to bring forward some minor but necessary amendments to the European Arrest Warrant Act and the Garda Síochána...

Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Motion. (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: It will be included in another Bill.

Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Motion. (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: There will be a separate Fines Bill.

Criminal Justice Bill 2004: Motion. (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: One cannot put everything in.

Written Answers — Stardust Tragedy: Stardust Tragedy (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: As I have indicated on a number of occasions, I will be happy to meet with the Stardust Victims Committee in the event that new evidence arises which could form the basis of a productive discussion. With this in mind, my Department has forwarded a copy of the recent "Prime Time" programme to the forensic science laboratory for evaluation and a report on its content is in preparation. No...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my response of 21 March 2006 to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 596 and 621.

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings is currently under consideration by my Department. Legislation to criminalise trafficking in human beings for the purpose of their sexual and labour exploitation as provided for in the EU framework decision on combating trafficking in persons is at an advanced stage of preparation in my Department. This legislation...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: A measure of Community competence arises with regard to the signature and conclusion of this particular convention. Any decision as to ratification by Ireland will be taken in the context of Community action in this matter.

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength, all ranks, of the Garda Síochána as of 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 have...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question was granted permission to remain in the State based on parentage of an Irish born child on 5 October 2000. She kept her permission up to date until October 2004 but has since allowed her residency in the State to lapse. An application for a renewal of the permission to remain previously granted to her must now be made in writing directly to the immigration division of...

Written Answers — Prisoner Health: Prisoner Health (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The total number of admissions to the Central Mental Hospital on foot of a person being certified during the period specified by the Deputy are set out in the following table. Some prisoners were certified more than once during each year. Year Total Number of Certifications 2004 190 2005 101 2006 19 (up to 28 February 2006)

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 360 together. As the Deputy is aware, I previously gave a commitment to abolish the use of old style padded cells in our prisons and I am pleased to inform the Deputy that significant progress has been made in replacing such cells with the newly designed special observation and close supervision cells. The newly designed special observation and close...

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: There is no provision for solitary confinement in the Irish Prison Service. However, there are two situations in which a prisoner may be removed from the general population. Information relating to the placement of prisoners in the newly designed close supervision and special observation cells are set out in the following table. These figures are composite in nature and include placement in...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (28 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the provisions of the Road Traffic (Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles) Regulations 1983 empower a road authority to remove, store and dispose of vehicles which have been abandoned on a public road or in a public park. An officer of the Garda Síochána, not below the rank of inspector, may request the road authority to remove an...