Results 10,521-10,540 of 18,733 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question made a Family Reunification application in June 2005. The application was forwarded to the Refugee Applications Commissioner for investigation as required under Section 18 of the Refugee Act 1996. This investigation is completed and the Commissioner has forwarded a report to my Department. Applications of this type are dealt with in chronological order. This...

Written Answers — National Identity Card: National Identity Card (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1988 (Age Card) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 4 of 1999) provide for a voluntary national age card scheme. Section 4 of the Regulations provides that any person who has attained 18 years of age may apply for an age card at his/her local Garda Station in order to confirm that they have attained the legal age for the purchase of intoxicating liquor. Applicants who...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question applied for permission to remain in the State on the basis of being the parent of an Irish child, born prior to 1 January 2005, in accordance with the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005, commonly referred to as the IBC/05 scheme. It is a requirement under the revised arrangements that each applicant parent is residing with their Irish born child in...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (24 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 — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 231 together. A total of nine contracts have been put in place for the work on Thornton Hall site. Six of these are complete and three are ongoing. These are the landscape planting contract, the team of consultants appointed to oversee all of the planning of the preliminary works and the site security services. A total of €2,568,542.36 has been...

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Strong provisions are in place to combat anti-social behaviour and vandalism. The primary basis for the law regarding public order offences is the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994, which modernised the law in this regard. Furthermore, because of my concerns about the abuse of alcohol and its contribution to public order offending and broader social problems, I brought forward tough...

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the area referred to is regularly patrolled by uniform and plain clothes Gardaí from Santry Garda station with a view to ensuring a concentrated and visible Garda presence in the area. These patrols are backed up by Divisional Garda Units, including the Traffic Corps, Mountain Bike Unit, Drug Task Force and the District and Divisional Detective...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: No final decision has been made in relation to the future of the Mountjoy and Fitzgibbon Street Stations. The decision to dispose of the Mountjoy Prison complex and the need to address the accommodation issues at Fitzgibbon Street stations are factors being considered in this regard. I will be advised by the Garda Authorities on this matter taking into account the policing requirements of...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The application referred to by the Deputy was received in the Dublin Visa Office on 19th October, 2006 and is awaiting examination by a Visa Officer. A decision in respect of the application in question will be made in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Refugee Status: Refugee Status (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned, a Nigerian national, arrived in the State on 24 November, 2005 and applied for asylum. His 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 — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 to 239, inclusive, together. A proposal for funding the organisation referred to by the Deputy has been submitted to my Department and officials are currently examining the proposal. A response on this proposal will issue to the organisation in question in the near future. I am informed by the Garda authorities that they regularly liaise with other police...

Written Answers — Criminal Assets Bureau: Criminal Assets Bureau (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: It has not been possible within the timeframe involved to collate the information required by the deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly when the information is to hand.

Written Answers — State Property: State Property (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 242 together. The property referred to is, following a public tender competition, being disposed of for in excess of €20m. The Chief State Solicitor has been instructed to accept the highest tender received and to proceed with the sale. There are no special conditions attached to the sale. The property is vested in the Minister for Justice,...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I understand that the Land Registry has forwarded the information requested directly to the Deputy. I would like to refer the Deputy to my letter of 26 May, 2006 to members of the Oireachtas regarding a new service for TDs and Senators concerning the current status of Land Registry/Registry of Deeds applications. As outlined in my letter, the service was introduced, inter alia, to provide a...

Written Answers — Prisoner Transfers: Prisoner Transfers (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 to 246, inclusive, and 248 together. The current mechanism by which prisoners can be transferred from one state to another is the 1983 Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. The legislative basis for the operation of the Convention in Ireland is the Transfer of Sentence Persons Acts, 1995 and 1997. The Convention requires...

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The capacity and number of prisoners in prison custody on 23 October 2006, is set out in the table below:- Institution Normal Bed Capacity Number in Custody Mountjoy Prison 480 463 Dóchas Centre 85 91 St. Patrick's Institution 217 177 Cork Prison 259 270 Limerick Prison (Male) 271 278 Limerick Prison (Female) 20 16 Castlerea Prison 206 224 Cloverhill Prison 433 408 Wheatfield...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned was the subject of Oral Parliamentary Question No. 6 of 2 February, 2006 at which time the particular circumstances of her case were outlined. It was pointed out that the person concerned was illegally resident in the State and was required to leave the State. It was advised that she could reapply for the appropriate visa should she wish to return. However, the Visa...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that, as part of the routine Operational Orders put in place by Garda Management to prevent and detect breaches of criminal law during protests, marches and other events are routinely recorded on video by An Garda Síochána. I am further informed that the video-taping of events is intended to record the movement of all persons, including the...

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that section 185 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 came into effect on 1 August 2006, in accordance with the Criminal Justice Act 2006 (Commencement) Order 2006 (S.I. No. 390 of 2006). Section 185 amends section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 in order to extend the existing offences of assaulting or obstructing peace officers to other...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Reception & Integration Agency (RIA), has entered into a contractual arrangement for the accommodation of asylum seekers at a premises in Dublin 22 as per details supplied. The centre will have an overall capacity for 250 persons or approximately 60-65 families. The centre opened on 10th October and to date, a total of 21 families have been placed there.