Results 4,961-4,980 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: In 2006 my Department paid €1,300 in respect of travel and subsistence to officers engaged in training staff. To date in 2007 the Department has had no expenditure on travel and subsistence for officers engaged in training staff. In 2006 training courses were conducted on 142.5 days. To date in 2007 training courses have been conducted on 44 days. The move of the Civil Service Training &...

Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that I requested no additional equipment, such as satellite navigation, in my official transport.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: From January 2006 to date, nine people from my Department have attended pre-retirement courses organised by the Civil Service Training & Development Centre. Seven of these people attended the course at a Dublin location and as all of them were Dublin based there were no subsistence costs associated with the training. Two people attended the pre-retirement course in Tullamore and the average...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that, under the Decentralisation Programme, no staff have been obliged to move to another section following their transfer to my Department.

Written Answers — Prison Education Service: Prison Education Service (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Irish Prison Service publication entitled "The Prison Adult Literacy Survey — Results and Implications" published in September 2003 is the most recent information available to my Department. The major results of the survey showed that a significant number of prisoners have virtually no literacy skills — 52% of them were at Level 1 or Pre-Level 1 literacy levels. In other words, more...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: Following the submission to me in 2004 of a report and recommendations by an expert group on crime statistics, I decided that the compilation and publication of crime statistics should be taken over by the Central Statistics Office, as the national statistical agency, from the Garda Síochána. The Garda Síochána Act, 2005 consequently makes provision for this and the CSO has established a...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 222 together. The enforcement of the law relating to drugs and public order continues to be a key element in the Government's policing priorities as reflected in An Garda Síochána's Policing Plan for 2007. The Gardaí continue to achieve considerable successes in reaching the drug seizure targets set down in the Government's National Drugs Strategy...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I have asked to have the information compiled in the format sought by the Deputy and I will communicate with him in relation to this matter at the earliest opportunity.

Written Answers — Garda Communications: Garda Communications (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that a co-ordinating framework linking Garda District, Divisional and National Drug Policing Plans is in place within An Garda Síochána. Furthermore, the Garda Síochána Act 2005, makes provisions for Joint Policing Committees at local authority level and for the establishment of local policing fora in designated areas under the umbrella of...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda Síochána Policing Plan 2007 targets as a priority, action to target organised crime, including drug trafficking and the gun culture associated with it. This reflects the Government's policing priorities for 2007. I am further informed by the Garda authorities that in the development of the overall Policing Plan, each Garda District and...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that since the publication of the Government's National Drugs Strategy, Garda resources generally in the fight against illicit drugs have increased. This is particularly evident with the creation of additional Divisional Drug Units in areas of particular need. These Drugs Units operate in Divisions throughout the country with a primary focus on...

Written Answers — Criminal Assets Bureau: Criminal Assets Bureau (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am advised by the Garda authorities that for operational reasons it is not appropriate for proceedings being taken by the Criminal Assets Bureau to be linked to particular criminal groups or activities. However, I have been further informed by the Garda authorities that the majority of applications under the Proceeds of Crime legislation made by the Criminal Assets Bureau over the past five...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. I will be in contact with the Deputy when this information is to hand.

Written Answers — Closed Circuit Television Systems: Closed Circuit Television Systems (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to extend the use of CCTV and to also to grant aid communities to fund them. In tandem with the Garda based CCTV scheme, I launched the Community-based CCTV Scheme in June 2005, in response to a demonstrated demand from local communities across Ireland for the provision of CCTV systems. This Scheme is designed to provide financial...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 224 together. The Government remains resolutely committed to tackling the problem of drug misuse through our National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008. Under the Strategy, it is the Customs Service of the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Finance, Mr. Brian Cowen T.D., which has primary responsibility for...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (3 Apr 2007)

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 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...

Written Answers — Garda Communications: Garda Communications (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am advised by the Garda Authorities that Pulse, the primary IT system for An Garda Síochána, is operating very satisfactorily. Significant investment has been made to improve the availability and response times of the system and I am advised that as a result, over the course of the past year, there has been no unplanned downtime of the system. The total development cost of the PULSE...

Written Answers — Identification Cards: Identification Cards (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that while I remain to be convinced of the necessity of the introduction of an identity card scheme, any final judgement in this regard must include a full assessment of the implications of a UK ID card scheme. Developments in the rest of the EU, where ID cards are a much more normal part of everyday life and are often used, for example, to access public services,...

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: Under the Garda Síochána Act, the Commissioner became responsible for all civilians in An Garda Síochána in 2006. The Commissioner is now responsible for recruitment of all personnel to the force including civilians. I am informed by the Garda authorities that there is currently a campaign underway to recruit 300 civilian support staff into An Garda Síochána. This process is well...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (3 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Garda Commissioner is proceeding with the recruitment and training of 1,500 members of the Garda Reserve. The first group of 36 Garda Reserves completed their training and were formally attested as members of An Garda Síochána on 15 December 2006. A further 87 Reserve trainees are currently in training, some of whom will be attested next month. Recruitment and selection of trainees for...