Results 4,161-4,180 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (26 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 240 of Thursday, 25th May, 2006; 440 of Wednesday, 27th September, 2006; 93 of Thursday 9th November, 2006, and 200 of Wednesday, 22nd November, 2006, and the written replies to those Questions. The position is unchanged.

Commissions of Investigation: Motions (26 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I regret that the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, had to substitute for me earlier but I was delayed coming back from Templemore and the business of the House went a little faster than I anticipated.

Commissions of Investigation: Motions (26 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: No, it was because there were so many Garda recruits passing out that it took longer than we anticipated.

Commissions of Investigation: Motions (26 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I wish to reiterate the apology I have made to the family of Gary Douch for the way in which he met his death in Mountjoy Prison. It was an inexcusable set of circumstances. When all the facts emerge into public knowledge, it will be seen that serious mistakes were made in the sequence of events that led to his death. It was my intention to publish the report by Michael Mellett but the...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am 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 13,178 following the attestation of 273 new members on Wednesday 14 March, 2007. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) on 30 June, 1997 and represents an increase of...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: The advertisement placed in February 2004 seeking expressions of interest in relation to sites for a new prison development, sought submissions by February 23rd. The Prison Service received submissions concerning six sites subsequent to that date, as shown in the table below. Date Submitted Party who made submission 25 February 2004 William Harvey 27 February 2004 Alanis Limited 2 March...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: When the individual who acted in an advisory capacity to the Site Selection Committee became aware that the vendor of Thornton was a brother in law of a second cousin, he immediately advised the Office of Public Works and the Irish Prison Service of that relationship and the individuals concerned. The Site Selection Committee were advised fully of the matter at their next meeting on 18...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 109 together. The surveys undertaken prior to the acquisition of the site included physical inspection by staff of the Irish Prison Service and the adviser retained by OPW; aerial photographs; an engineering, planning and technical survey and a desktop check was made for listed sites and monuments. These preliminary examinations in relation to both...

Written Answers — Closed Circuit Television Systems: Closed Circuit Television Systems (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I launched the Community Based CCTV Scheme in June 2005 in response to the demonstrated demand from local communities across Ireland for the provision of CCTV systems. This Scheme is designed to provide financial assistance to qualifying local organisations towards meeting the capital costs associated with the establishment of local community CCTV systems. Pobal has been engaged to...

Written Answers — Domestic Violence Legislation: Domestic Violence Legislation (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 76 of 4 April 2007. The position is as set out therein.

Written Answers — Sentencing Policy: Sentencing Policy (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on individual cases. The Courts are, subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions and members of the Executive are precluded from intervening. The traditional approach to sentencing is for the Oireachtas to lay down the maximum penalty and for a court having considered all the...

Written Answers — Sexual Offences: Sexual Offences (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Sex Offenders Act, 2001 sets out the obligations on persons convicted of a range of sexual offences. 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 imprisonment, from the date of full release from prison....

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: Comprehensive information on making a visa application is available on my Department's website (www.justice.ie). The person in question is advised to submit the application to the Irish Passport & Visa Office in London, which is located at 106 Brompton Road, London SW3 1JJ.

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the incident referred to by the Deputy which in fact occurred in 2003 remains under active investigation and regular contact is maintained with the injured party.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I understand from the Immigration Division of my Department that a decision has been reached in relation to the application in question. The refugee will be informed of the decision shortly.

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: An application for residency in the State on the basis of marriage to an Irish national was received from the person in question in October 2006. Applications of this kind, in fairness to all other such applications, are dealt with in strict chronological order and currently take approximately ten to twelve months to process. It should be noted that marriage to an Irish national does not...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of asylum applications granted during the period 1992 to 2007 is outlined in Table 1. I would point out that I have been advised by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner that it compiles statistics based on individual applications and not on a family basis. Table 1 — Number of applicants granted refugee...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned was granted a C visit visa to enter the State for a period of three months. It now appears that he is seeking an extension of his permission to remain in the State. An examination of the papers in relation to the case indicates that the person concerned sought an extension of his C Visit Visa with the Immigration Division of my Department and was refused. A wrap-around...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (25 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: A preliminary estimate of the cost of supplying electricity to each short-listed site was provided to the site selection committee as part of the technical study carried out on each of these sites. The estimated costs involved in each case amounted to €1.5 million for a 10kV supply and €3 million for a 38kV supply. It should be noted that these estimates were prepared in 2004 and early...

Written Answers — Legal Profession: Legal Profession (24 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: Section 29 (as amended by substitution by section 44 of the Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1994) of the Solicitors Act 1954 provides that five years continuous practice as a solicitor is required before a solicitor may, with the written consent of the Law Society of Ireland, take on an apprentice. The Law Society has recently submitted a proposal to me to amend the legislation to reduce to four...