Results 8,481-8,500 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: Headline crime statistics from 2000 to 2005 for the Garda Division of Sligo/Leitrim, which includes the Garda District of Manorhamilton, are contained in the relevant Garda Annual Reports which are available in the Oireachtas Library.

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: Headline crime statistics from 2000 to 2005 for the Garda Division of Sligo/Leitrim, which includes the Garda District of Carrick-on-Shannon, are contained in the relevant Garda Annual Reports which are available in the Oireachtas Library.

Written Answers — Court Accommodation: Court Accommodation (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: Under the Courts Service Act 1998, the Courts Service is responsible for the day to day management of the courts system. Section 5 of the Act provides, inter alia, that the functions of the Court Service include the provision, management and maintenance of court buildings and the provision of facilities for court users. The Courts Service is committed to improving the standard of court...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: It is not the practice to comment in detail on individual asylum applications. As the Deputy will be aware, applications for refugee status in the State are determined by an independent process comprising the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal which make recommendations to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on whether such status...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 252 to 254, inclusive, together. A decision was taken in 2001 to amalgamate the Garda Stations at Kill O'Grange and Cabinteely and a site has been acquired at Rochestown Avenue by the Office of Public Works to facilitate this development. Good progress is being made on the new station project, a brief of the accommodation requirements has been agreed and a...

Written Answers — Human Trafficking: Human Trafficking (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The current immigration system in Ireland allows the authorities to deal with the victims of trafficking in a sympathetic and pragmatic way. It is recognised that it is in the interests of both the victims of trafficking and the authorities to co-operate with a view to ensuring the protection of victims and the prosecution of perpetrators. Although Ireland has not opted to participate in the...

Written Answers — Court Accommodation: Court Accommodation (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: Earlier this year, it was announced that the Pilot Drug Treatment Court, currently operating in the Dublin 7 area, was to be placed on a permanent footing. It will be extended on a phased basis to the wider Dublin area in consultation with the other agencies involved in supporting the Court. The President of the District Court has assigned a Judge of the Dublin Metropolitan District Court to...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I wish to advise the Deputy that no application for naturalisation has been received from the person in question. However an application for permission to remain in the State on the basis of marriage to an Irish national was received in April 2006. An acknowledgement of receipt of the application was issued on 3 May 2006. Applications of this type, in fairness to all other such applicants,...

Written Answers — Penalty Points System: Penalty Points System (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Department of Transport, on the written request of a Chief Superintendent, may remove penalty points from a driving licence in circumstances including where the individual named on the notification to the Minister for Transport was not the person who committed the offence or two notifications to the Minister for Transport were issued in respect...

Written Answers — Community Service Orders: Community Service Orders (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Criminal Justice (Community Service) Act, 1983 provides for the performance of unpaid work in the community by a person who is 16 years or over, who has been convicted of an offence, for which the appropriate penalty would be an immediate custodial sentence and who has given his/her consent to the Court. The information sought by the Deputy, regarding the number of Community Service...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: A request to meet the family to discuss the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of their son has recently been received by me. The current position is that an inquest into this person's death is still ongoing. An inquest is an independent inquiry to ascertain the cause of death and the Coroner has statutory duties and powers, including the power to call witnesses. The Coroner cannot...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The National Crime Council was established in 1999 by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to facilitate broadly based and well informed discussion on crime on an ongoing basis and to serve as an important aid to policy formulation. The Council has four key roles, namely: to focus on crime prevention, with particular emphasis on the underlying causes of crime and the development...

Written Answers — Restorative Justice Services: Restorative Justice Services (17 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I was pleased to be invited, on Thursday last, 11th May, to launch the 2005 Report of Restorative Justice Services at The Iona Centre in Knocklyon. As the Deputy will be aware, the Report shows that some 100 cases were referred to the Reparation Programme in 2005 and 97 offenders successfully completed their contracts. I think the Deputy will share the view that the success of this project in...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (18 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The purchase of the site at Thornton Hall and the associated contracts awarded do not fall within the scope of the capital expenditure review specification, for which invitations to tender have been recently invited as the focus of the review is on completed prison projects over the period 2000 to 2005. The Thornton Hall project is at an early stage of development and may fall to be...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (18 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question applied for permission to remain in the State under the revised arrangements announced on 15 January 2005 for non national parents of Irish children born prior to 1 January 2005. It is a requirement of this scheme that each applicant is resident in the State with their Irish-born child on a continuous basis since that child's birth and that evidence of such residence is...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (18 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that there are currently two Community Gardaí allocated to patrol the area which includes the Blessington Basin. They frequent and visit the Basin on a daily basis while on patrol and any incidents or complaints are dealt with immediately. In the year to date there have been no reported complaints or incidents in the Basin. Gardaí, while on patrol, are...

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (18 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: There are two Ministers of State attached to my Department. Minister of State Frank Fahey was appointed by the Government on 29 September, 2004 with responsibility for equality matters, particularly disability. A New National Childcare Investment Programme 2006-2010, was announced by the Minister for Finance, Mr. Brian Cowen T.D. on 7 December last, in Budget 2006. Also announced was a...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (18 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 325 of Tuesday, 9 May, 2006 and the written reply to that Question. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (18 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that no new offences were created by the introduction of the Child Trafficking and Pornography (Amendment) Act, 2004. Therefore, no prosecutions have been taken or convictions recorded for offences under the Act.

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (18 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I regret that it has not been possible in the time available to obtain the information requested by the Deputy. I will be in touch with the Deputy in relation to this matter when it becomes available.