Results 8,021-8,040 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have no current proposals for changes in legislative provisions relating to the sale of intoxicating liquor on Good Friday which have their origin in the Licensing (Ireland) Act 1833. However the matter can be debated further in the context of the sale of alcohol Bill which will repeal the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2004 and is due for publication later this year. I should add that the response...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (25 Apr 2006)

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

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: No specific arrangements exist regarding the issue of visas to non-EU citizens who wish to travel to Ireland to engage in voluntary work with an established church or other body. All such applications are subject to the usual criteria required for issuing a visa. Details of the documentation required may be found on my Department's website, www.justice.ie.

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (25 Apr 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 at 31 March 2006 was 12,439. This compares with a total strength of 10,702, all ranks, as at 30 June 1997 and represents an increase of 1,737, or 16.2%, in the personnel strength of the force during...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Garda Commissioner has my full support in the provision of firearms training and facilities in the Garda Síochána up to international best practice. The Commissioner will report to me shortly on this issue and I will contact the Deputy with more detailed information on current and proposed arrangements.

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 728 and 729 and Questions Nos. 733 to 739, inclusive, together. I will attend the Justice and Home Affairs Council which will take place in Luxembourg later this week. In that context, my general approach to the discussions will be to support the development of co-operation at EU level in line with the EU treaties. For me, this is particularly important when...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (25 Apr 2006)

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

Written Answers — Closed Circuit Television Systems: Closed Circuit Television Systems (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the CCTV advisory committee, that was established by the Garda Commissioner to advise on CCTV matters, has received a report from the Chief Superintendent of the Dublin metropolitan region, north central division, which outlines the CCTV requirements of the division. In this report recommendations were made for the installation of CCTV...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have requested the Land Registry to contact the Deputy directly concerning the current position of the application in question. I understand that in circumstances where the completion of an application in a particular case is urgent, the Land Registry will make every reasonable effort to facilitate such requests on receipt of a written explanation as to the reason underlying the urgency.

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: It will be necessary to re-examine the provisions of the Hague programme to take account of the fact that the European constitutional treaty will not have come into effect by the anticipated date of 1 November 2006. In that context, a review mechanism is specifically provided for in the programme. I anticipate that forthcoming Justice and Home Affairs Councils will be asked to devote specific...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: Directive 2006/24/EC of 15 March 2006, on the retention of data generated or processed in connection with the provision of publicly available electronic communications services or of public communications networks, applies to the EU member states only. At the EU-US informal high level meeting on freedom, security and justice held on 2 and 3 March 2006, the US indicated that it was considering...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: The draft framework decision on the protection of personal data processed in the context of police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters determines common standards to ensure the protection of individuals' personal data. The proposal applies to the sharing of information between member states' law enforcement agencies for the purpose of the prevention, investigation, detection, and...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Question No. 374 of today by my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern.

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (25 Apr 2006)

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

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the citizenship section of my Department in February 2004. I am advised by my officials that processing of the application of the person concerned is well advanced and that the file will be presented to me for a decision in the near future. I will inform the Deputy and the applicant...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: The appeals referred to by the Deputy were received in the visa office in New Delhi on 27 March 2006 and have been examined by a visa appeals officer. In the appeal application, the spouse in Ireland stated that in addition to his full-time employment he had secured part-time employment. However, no evidence to support this was submitted with the appeal. The visa appeals officer has requested...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: The breakdown of headline crimes recorded per Garda division for 2005 on a quarterly basis are not currently available. As part of Government policing priorities for 2006, I have asked the Garda Síochána to submit quarterly statistics for each Garda division. The headline crime statistics for 2005 for the Carlow-Kildare Garda division were given in a reply to Parliamentary Question No. 479...

Written Answers — Legal Services: Legal Services (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy will be aware, legal advice and representation required by my Department, as opposed to certain of the agencies under its remit, is in the main provided via the Offices of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor. In some instances, however, external legal advice is obtained directly for particular tasks. During the period in question, legal advice was sought by my...

Written Answers — Legal Services: Legal Services (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: In so far as the State bodies under my Department's aegis are concerned, in a number of instances legal advisors are employed in a professional capacity by the agencies in question in order to provide in-house advice and expertise necessary for the delivery of their respective statutory objectives. Specifically, the Criminal Assets Bureau employs a bureau legal officer, the Equality Authority...

Written Answers — Legal Services: Legal Services (25 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: There are no legal advisers employed directly in my Department. However, two agencies operating under the aegis of my Department, the Equality Authority and the Equality Tribunal both employ legal advisers on their staff to assist them in carrying out their quasi-judicial functions.