Results 10,321-10,340 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my previous reply to Parliamentary Question No. 445 of 27 September, 2006 regarding the opening hours of Ardee Garda Station. Garda personnel assigned to Ardee Garda Station, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are the responsibility of Garda management and are continually monitored and reviewed. I am informed that such monitoring...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: An application from the person referred to in the Deputy's question was received on 15 March 2004. I understand that the processing of the application has recently been completed and that the case file is en route to me for a decision. I will advise the Deputy and the person in question as soon as I have reached that decision.

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The issue of the acquisition of a prison site at Thornton was included in the 2005 report of the Comptroller and Auditor General at the request of the Public Accounts Committee and will be examined by them in October. The relevant officials from my Department will be present to account in detail to the Public Accounts Committee on all the issues raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General....

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The two persons referred to are a married couple, both Romanian nationals, who previously applied for asylum in the State. The first person concerned arrived in the State on 10 March, 1995 and applied for asylum. Initially he was refused status as a refugee but subsequently was granted temporary leave to remain in the State, on 26 August, 1999. The leave to remain was further extended until...

Written Answers — Disability Awareness Programmes: Disability Awareness Programmes (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: One of my Department's functions is the promotion of social inclusion for people with disabilities through raising awareness of disability equality and access issues. My Department has set in motion a number of initiatives aimed at achieving this goal which have proved successful over the past number of years. The following are the main activities currently undertaken by my Department in...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that there were four horses seized in 2003, seven in 2004 and four in 2005. No horses have been seized to date in 2006. The following legislation provides for the seizure of horses: the Control of Horses Act 1996; the Protection of Animals Acts 1911 and 1965; and the Summary Jurisdiction (Ireland) Act 1851 as amended by the Animal Act 1985.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned, a Nigerian national, arrived in the State on 24 November, 2004 and applied for asylum. Her application was refused following consideration of the 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, the person concerned was informed...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question made an application for permission to remain in the State under the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005 for parents of Irish children born before 1 January 2005, and commonly referred to as the IBC/05 scheme. It is a requirement of the IBC/05 scheme that each applicant be of good character and give honest and complete details in the application form...

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy. (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Deputy Kenny has described Mr. Tom Fitzpatrick as one of nature's gentlemen and, from my first meetings with him when I was in Fine Gael and on every occasion since, I regarded him as belonging to that category. In his oratorical skills from the backs of lorries in places such as Bailieborough, there was a fierce and combative side to him, but in this House, where I first encountered him, I...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Report of the Auctioneering/Estate Agency Review Group has recommended the establishment of a Regulatory Authority with responsibility for the licensing and regulation of property service providers, including auctioneers, estate agents and property management services. The Government has accepted the Review Group's recommendation and legislation is currently being prepared to give effect...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 676 of 25 April, 2006.

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities was established in November 1993, by the Minister for Equality and Law Reform, Mervyn Taylor, T.D., under the chairmanship of Mr Justice Fergus Flood. On completion of its examination of the situation of people with disabilities, its report, "A Strategy for Equality", was presented to the Minister in November 1996 and accepted by the...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together. The Community Alert programme is a community based crime prevention initiative in rural communities which was set up by Muintir na Tíre in association with the Garda Síochána in 1985. It is a national movement with its network comprising of approximately 1,249 local Community Alert groups of which there are 37 schemes in Co....

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, requires that an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation has had a period of one year's continuous residence in the State immediately before the date of application and, during the eight years immediately preceding that period, has had a total residence in the State amounting to four years. Applicants must also...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform may grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. One of these conditions is that the applicant has had a period of one year's continuous residency in the State immediately before the date of...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that in the first four weeks of the Weapons Amnesty, which commenced on the 1st September, 2006, 124 guns, 34 knives and 34 assorted offensive weapons were handed in to Garda Stations throughout the country. In addition, a quantity of ammunition has also been surrendered. The amnesty runs for a period of 2 months, from 1st September to 31st...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (10 Oct 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 An Garda Síochána increased to a record 12,762 on Friday, 8 September, 2006, following the attestation of 249 new members. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June, 1997 and represents an...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy should be aware that staff in my Department with a disability fall into four broad categories. They are those who joined the Department through special recruitment competitions run by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) for people with disabilities, the last of which I understand was held in 1999; those who more recently joined through the regular PAS competitions having...

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Competitions for entry to An Garda Síochána are administered by the Public Appointments Service. I am advised by the Public Appointments Service that on 19 September 2006 there had been 343 applications to become members of the Garda Reserve from people living in County Galway. It is the responsibility of the Public Appointments Service to advise applicants of the result of the interview...

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Regulation 5 of the An Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 1988 (as amended) provides that, in order to qualify for admission as a trainee with An Garda Síochána, prospective applicants must, inter alia, be at least 18 years and under 35 years of age on the first day of the month in which the relevant competition was advertised. The eligibility criteria including age...