Results 10,661-10,680 of 18,734 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I understand the Immigration Division of my Department has recently been in contact with the person concerned outlining the options open to her.

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I can confirm that there are electronic interfaces between the Garda and Courts Service information technology systems for the purposes of processing summons applications and court scheduling details for fixed charge offences. An Garda Síochána are supplied with an electronic copy of the National Driver File by the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government for the purpose of...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled, including where the applicant has had a period of one year's continuous residency in the State immediately before the date of the application and, during the eight...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: Arising from an EU tender in January 2001, Balseskin was developed by a private company as a reception centre for asylum seekers. The Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) has remunerated the company on a fixed rate basis since that time and the total value of the contract to date is €20,865,951. Balseskin Reception Centre currently operates as a reception centre providing reception...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: Under Section 6(b)(iv) of S.I. 496 (Building Control Regulations) 1997, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is exempted from the requirement to obtain a fire certificate. Notwithstanding this exemption, the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) includes in all contracts requirements that the contractor comply, at all times, with the provisions of the Fire Services Acts 1981...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: My Department has issued no instructions in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy. When the prospect arose of the centre in question being used by the HSE for step-down beds, my Department advised the Department of Health and Children that it would make available a senior staff member to facilitate the health authorities in exploring that particular option. This was done, but in the...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (1 Nov 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 — Making of Wills: Making of Wills (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: No data are available on the percentage of the adult population that has made a will. However, the 2005 Annual Report of the Courts Service indicates that of the 15,671 applications made to the Probate Office in the year under review 11,328 (72.3%) were in respect of wills having been made and 4,343 (27.7%) were in cases without a will having been made. The policy of the Succession Act 1965...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: Subject to the provisions of the Immigration Act 2004, an Immigration Officer may, on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, give a non-national a document, or place in his or her passport or other equivalent document an inscription, authorising the non-national to land or be in the State. In performing his or her functions with regard to the granting of a permission to...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (1 Nov 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 Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Dóchas Centre comprises seven houses as well as a dedicated healthcare unit. There is an average of twelve predominantly single occupancy bedrooms with en-suite facilities in each house. A television is provided in each room. Each house also contains domestic style cooking, laundry and recreational facilities. All sentenced and remand prisoners in the Dóchas Centre have access to a...

Written Answers — Garda Complaints Procedures: Garda Complaints Procedures (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have requested a Garda report in relation to this matter and I will contact the Deputy again when the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (1 Nov 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.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: By way of background, it should be noted that the effect of a deportation order when served on a person is that the person concerned is legally obliged to leave the State and to thereafter remain out of the State. Additionally, it should be borne in mind that while Section 3(2) of the Immigration Act, 1999 — the relevant legislation in this area — provides for a deportation order to be...

Written Answers — Sexual Offences: Sexual Offences (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Sex Offenders Act which commenced on 27 September 2001 sets out the obligations on persons convicted of a range of sexual offences against both children and adults. A convicted sex offender must notify his/her name(s), date of birth and current home address to the Garda Síochána within seven days of the conviction for the sexual offence concerned or, where the offender is sentenced to...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have requested a Garda report in relation to this matter and I will contact the Deputy again when the report is to hand.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The persons concerned and their children, Nigerian nationals, arrived in the State on 7 August, 2002 and 18 November, 2002 and applied for asylum on 1 April, 2004. They had previously applied for asylum in 2002 and had withdrawn this application on the basis of the birth of an Irish born child. Their application was refused by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner on 19 May,...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The application referred to by the Deputy was received in the Irish Embassy in Ankara on 19th October, 2006. A decision in respect of the application in question will be made in the near future.

Written Answers — Driving Licences: Driving Licences (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that any person who wishes to drive a Public Services Vehicle must have sufficient knowledge to operate as a PSV driver. Under the PSV Regulations there is a provision for a person to undergo an oral test. I am also informed that the person referred to should re-submit his application to renew his PSV Licence and the application will be dealt with in a...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (1 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The recently published provisional headline crime statistics for the third quarter of 2006 show a decrease of 1.6% for the quarter compared with the same quarter in 2005. Looking at long term crime trends, the level of headline crime in 2005 was lower than that in 2003 by 1.6% and that in 2002 by 4.4%. Furthermore, in 1995, when we had a population of almost 3.6 million, there were 29...