Results 13,601-13,620 of 18,736 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: If such a change can be agreed, I will be happy to facilitate it in any way possible.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I do not agree with the second proposition anyway. The matter is listed for Report Stage debate in this House. I do not believe that the failure to enact the Bill has held anything up.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The pace at which the legislation is being brought through the Oireachtas has nothing to do with the situation in Galway.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: It is due to be introduced in this session. I hope to bring it before my Cabinet colleagues at the next opportunity.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Garda Síochána has better things to do.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: On a point of order, this is a lengthy debate but Deputy Ó Snodaigh's contribution is a dressed up Second Stage speech.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: It is addressing amendments that were ruled out of order. Deputy Howlin's amendment is a simple proposal and we can debate that. If we allow, however, the debate to ramble all over the place, we will never get anywhere.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: We are dealing with an amendment from Deputy Howlin.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Deputy Howlin is proposing there should be a precondition for the commencement of section 11, that is an independent assessment of the viability by the Minister of the electronic monitoring system. Deputy Howlin's amendment is not necessary because the provisions in sections 13 and 16 mean that electronic monitoring will not come into operation until an arrangement is made between the...

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: That was for GPS.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I will reply. I have said virtually everything I want to say about this.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I have forgotten them, as it is a long time since the Deputy spoke in favour of his amendment. I am of the view, like Deputy Jim O'Keeffe, that this system can make a useful contribution, particularly in regard to the bail-no bail issue. It might well occur to a judge dealing with the question of whether a person is likely to commit a serious gangland crime that the fact that he or she could...

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: My recollection is that the cost per prisoner per month is Stg£1,200. I believe that is the figure I was told.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: That is true but it would also depend on the volume of people being monitored. If somebody is required to sit at a monitoring station——

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: ——for one person, the price would be dramatically higher than for a large number of people. I am not in a position to give the Deputy an accurate estimate of that cost. It would depend on the technology and on the contract.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: My understanding is that it is for the fixed point system but I am not 100% sure about that.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I will communicate with the Deputies on this. Officials in my Department met with Home Office officials on this issue. I remember that happening at the time of the previous Criminal Justice Bill but I am not in a position to say where consideration of it has got to since then, but the system involved cost implications, putting out a contract and having a statutory basis for it. The idea of...

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Officials in my Department have been studying this issue and have consulted Home Office officials about it. I have drawn to the attention of the House that the reaction to it is mixed.

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The two provisions being dealt with here only refer to failures and they do not deal with refusals. I appreciate the Deputy is being consistent with proposals he intends making to Part 4 of the Bill but that would be with regard to new law. I can shorten this matter by saying that as far as we are concerned, every failure includes a refusal. If a person is asked to do X or to account for X...

Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee Stage (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Deputy Ó Snodaigh knows the Government is given the monopoly of proposing legislation which involves a charge on the Exchequer——