Results 1,881-1,900 of 18,726 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the number of prosecutions for defective headlights over the past three years is as set out in the following table. Year Number of Prosecutions taken 2002 266 2003 245 2004 212 The declining trend in prosecutions in indicative of a greater awareness of motorists in ensuring headlights are in proper working order. This has been brought...

Written Answers — Garda Education: Garda Education (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the number of members of the Garda Síochána who have received funding in order to pursue a degree in management or law over the past three years is as set out hereunder: Rank 2002/2003 2003/2004 2004/2005 Chief Superintendent 0 0 2 Superintendent 3 6 6 Inspector 9 11 6 Sergeants 15 16 19 Gardaí 48 43 42...

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: The position is that the Government legislation programme, which was published on 25 January last, makes provision for the publication of an Intoxicating Liquor Bill later this year. It will repeal the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2004 together with related licensing provisions in other statutes — about 100 statutes in total — and replace them with updated provisions geared to modern...

Written Answers — Probation and Welfare Service: Probation and Welfare Service (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I presume that, in referring to the town centre, the Deputy is referring to Blanchardstown shopping centre. I can inform the Deputy that the old AIB premises at Main Street, Blanchardstown, was acquired by the Office of Public Works on behalf of the Probation and Welfare Service on 15 April 2002. The intention was to renovate and extend these premises, using one portion as a local office and...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: A sentenced prisoner certified to be insane by two doctors may, pursuant to section 12 of the Central Criminal Lunatic Asylum (Ireland) Act 1845, be removed, on foot of a ministerial order, to the Central Mental Hospital. The person may then be held there for treatment until two doctors certify that the person concerned is no longer insane whereupon that person, on foot of a further...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy is aware this station is one of eight Garda stations in counties Limerick and Tipperary which was selected by the Office of Public Works, following consultation with my Department and the Garda authorities, for inclusion in the pilot equity exchange programme which was publicised by that office last year. In that regard, I understand from the Office of Public Works that the...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I understand that an application for capital grant assistance under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, EOCP, 2000-2006 was submitted by the group to my Department some time ago. The EOCP is a seven year development programme which aims to increase the availability and quality of child care to support parents in employment, education and training. The level of demand for capital...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I understand that an application for capital grant assistance under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme, EOCP, 2000-2006 was submitted by the group to my Department in August 2004. The EOCP is a seven year development programme which aims to increase the availability and quality of child care to support parents in employment, education and training. The level of demand for capital...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: On 14 January 2005, I announced details of revised arrangements for the processing of claims for permission to remain from the non-national parents of Irish born children who were born before 1 January 2005. All persons granted residency under this scheme will be permitted to seek employment immediately regardless of prior status and length of time spent in the State. The question of...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: The issuance of passports is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. An Irish passport can only be issued to an Irish citizen. On the basis of the information supplied by the Deputy, the person in question is an Irish citizen. It would appear that the purpose of the process now under way is to determine, on the basis of objectively verifiable information, whether the...

Written Answers — Drugs in Prisons: Drugs in Prisons (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: The statistical information requested by the Deputy is not available. To attempt to compile this material would entail examination of a large number of records going back over the past three years. Even then, it is probable that seizures of drugs, or suspected drugs, would be recorded under the generic description of "prohibited articles-substances" and not classified separately. The Deputy...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: There are plans to build a new Garda station in Wexford town. As a first and necessary step, the Office of Public Works was requested to secure a suitable site in the town. In this regard, I have been informed by that office that the necessary procedures to complete the purchase of a particular site are nearing completion. When the site has been secured, consideration will then be given to...

Written Answers — Court Actions: Court Actions (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I can only reply to the Deputy's question in so far as it relates to my Department. I draw his attention to the work of the State Claims Agency. Under the National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2000, the management of personal injury and property damage claims against the State and the underlying risks was delegated to the National Treasury Management Agency. I can further inform...

Written Answers — Passport Applications: Passport Applications (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: All matters pertaining to the issue of Irish passports are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. However, prior to obtaining an Irish passport, a non-national must first obtain Irish citizenship. On the basis of the information supplied, it appears that naturalisation is the appropriate route to Irish citizenship for the person in the question. Such...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: Between 18 July 2003 and 12 October 2004, 384 deportation orders were made in respect of parents of Irish born children, of whom 41 were deported. There are currently a total of 128 cases of judicial review before the courts challenging the making of deportation orders where the principal issue of contention is the right of the State to deport non-national parents of children born in the...

Written Answers — Prisons Building Programme: Prisons Building Programme (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: The names of the members of the committee which examined possible sites for a prison facility to replace the Mountjoy complex are set out below. CB Richard Ellis Gunne, CBRE, assisted and other professional advice in regard of particular sites was availed of as required. Name Position Mr. James Martin (Chairman) Assistant Secretary, Prisons and Probation and Welfare Policy Division,...

Written Answers — Prisons Building Programme: Prisons Building Programme (2 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: The information sought by the Deputy is available from the minutes of the committee which examined potential sites. Arrangements are being made for these to be posted on my Department's website, www.justice.ie, and they will be available tomorrow.

Written Answers — Violence against Women: Violence against Women (3 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that the National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women was established by Government in December 1997 as part of its response to the issue of violence against women. The establishment of the committee was a recommendation contained in the report of the task force on violence against women, which was published in April 1997. The national steering committee is...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (3 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 172 together. There is no change in this case since the previous detailed answer was given to Question No. 182 of 9 December 2004. The applicant has instituted judicial review proceedings challenging the deportation order made in respect of him on 28 June 2004 and there is an injunction in place preventing his deportation before 21 February 2005....

Written Answers — Northern Ireland Issues: Northern Ireland Issues (3 Feb 2005)

Michael McDowell: In its first and third reports, published in April 2004 and November 2004, respectively, the Independent Monitoring Commission set out its findings on the continuing activity of paramilitary groups, including the Provisional IRA, PIRA. In addition to these documentary sources, the public record also contains details of the criminal convictions handed down to certain persons in recent years. I...