Results 1,681-1,700 of 18,726 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (17 Dec 2004)

Michael McDowell: Section 91 is one of the most important provisions relating to the ombudsman. It concerns the power of the designated investigating staff of the ombudsman commission to carry out searches of Garda stations. Considerable care and attention has been devoted to the provision. Due to the necessity for the ombudsman staff to carry out thorough and searching investigations, it must be balanced with...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (17 Dec 2004)

Michael McDowell: I accept that someone, in bad faith, could raise an objection to introduce me as arbiter and to avail of that time to conceal or destroy information. That possibility has to be balanced against the other possibility that if immediate access is granted as of right to avoid that risk, the State's secrets will be available, in effect, to all inspectors operating under the mandate of the...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (17 Dec 2004)

Michael McDowell: If one takes all those things into account, the legislation is probably as strong as we can make it.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (17 Dec 2004)

Michael McDowell: I mentioned on Committee Stage that I was sympathetic to amendment No. 124, which had been tabled by the Labour Party. The amendment was similar to the amendment I have just moved, which has been agreed by the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel. The net effect of amendment No. 31 will be the same as the net effect of the original Labour Party amendment would have been if it had been...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (17 Dec 2004)

Michael McDowell: This is a drafting amendment to change the reference to "section 109(4)" in that section to "section 109(5)".

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (17 Dec 2004)

Michael McDowell: This is a drafting amendment to change the reference to "section 109(3)" in section 112(1) to "section 109(4)".

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (17 Dec 2004)

Michael McDowell: This is a drafting amendment to change the reference to "section 114(5)(b)(iii) or (iv)" in section 116(5) to "section 114(4)(b)(iii) or (iv)".

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (17 Dec 2004)

Michael McDowell: It is fairly obvious.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (17 Dec 2004)

Michael McDowell: I am very grateful to the Members for their kind remarks and I am sure my officials share my sense of gratitude. This process started shortly after my appointment as Minister and has obviously not yet concluded. The scope of this legislation only became apparent to us months into the process. Two teams were working on different aspects of it and these were eventually united under one set of...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (26 Jan 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that this is an application for first registration which was lodged on 30 October 2003 dealing No. D2003CR009352H refers. I understand that due to the complicated nature of these type of cases, which require examination of an applicant's entitlement to the property concerned, it is not possible to estimate a date of completion at this time. Queries...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (26 Jan 2005)

Michael McDowell: On 10 December 2004, I approved capital grant assistance of €1.3 million in respect of an application from the group in question, subject to the group's being able to comply with a number of conditions in relation to the completion of the project. I understand that my Department's child care directorate advised the group of my decision in early December. Area Development Management Limited...

Written Answers — Refugee Status: Refugee Status (26 Jan 2005)

Michael McDowell: This person, a Nigerian national, arrived in the State on 14 June 2004 and applied for asylum. Her application was refused following consideration of her case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. This person is the parent of an Irish born child. Subsequently, in accordance with the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, she was...

Written Answers — Refugee Status: Refugee Status (26 Jan 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person in question entered the State with her daughter on 25 November 2002 and applied for asylum on the same day. She withdrew her asylum application on 4 January 2003 and applied for residency on the basis of parentage to an Irish born child. She was informed by letter dated 11 February 2004 that the Minister proposed to make a deportation order in respect of her and her child. She was...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (26 Jan 2005)

Michael McDowell: The application in question was received in my Department in October 2004. The visa officer, having considered the application, was not satisfied on the basis of the documentation supplied that the applicant would observe the conditions of a study visa and refused the application. Credibility is central to the visa determination process. Not surprisingly, inconsistencies or omissions on the...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (26 Jan 2005)

Michael McDowell: Overall, overtime expenditure for the Irish Prison Service was reduced from €58.9 million in 2003 to approximately €45.5 million in 2004. This saving can be attributed to a rigorous control of overtime in each institution. The overtime savings arising from the closure of Fort Mitchel and the Curragh places of detention, are also included in this figure. It is difficult to quantify the...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (26 Jan 2005)

Michael McDowell: The latest approved figures relating to the average number of prisoners in each of the State prisons and institutions are contained in the annual report for 2003 which was published recently. For ease of reference, these are set out in the following table:

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (26 Jan 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy will be aware that following extensive negotiations between the Irish Prison Service and the Prison Officers Association, a limited number of financial issues were the subject of a referral to arbitration, the hearings of which took place on 22 October and 1 November 2004. The arbitrator released his findings on Monday, 24 January 2005 and officials of the Irish Prison Service were...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (26 Jan 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation must have had a year's continuous residence in the State immediately before the date of application and, during the eight years immediately preceding that period, had a total residence in the State amounting to four years. In determining whether an applicant satisfies...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (26 Jan 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person referred to by the Deputy made an asylum claim in Ireland on 19 January 2004. Following investigation, it was determined by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, and later upheld on appeal by the Office of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal by letter of 20 May 2004, that the UK was the appropriate country pursuant to the provisions of the Dublin II Regulation (EC) No....

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (26 Jan 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am considering a review of the law in relation to this matter. Any proposals for changes to the legislation which might result from such a review would be brought before the Government and announced in the usual manner.