Results 5,381-5,400 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy may be aware, on 1 March 2007, responsibility for the centre, which is one of four children detention schools, was transferred to the Irish Youth Justice Service in my Department from the Department of Education and Science. There are no plans to dispose or change the use of the land associated with the centre at this time. I understand that the area of land referred to in the...

Written Answers — Employment Rights: Employment Rights (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Public sector employers provide 3 days paid paternity leave for civil servants, teachers, health service workers, Gardaí, prison officers and the Defence Forces, while some private sector employers and semi-state bodies provide a short period of paid paternity leave. There is currently no statutory entitlement to paternity leave. The question of paid paternity leave was considered by the...

Written Answers — Property Law: Property Law (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The position is that section 2 of the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) (No. 2) Act 1978, which prevents the creation of new leases reserving ground rents on dwellings, does not apply to separate and self-contained dwelling units in developments containing two or more such units. As regards the legal framework applicable to such developments, the position is that the Law Reform Commission...

Written Answers — Gaming and Lotteries Acts: Gaming and Lotteries Acts (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: In Ireland, the Gaming and Lotteries Acts, 1956-86 cover gaming and lotteries other than the National Lottery, which is covered by the National Lottery Act 1986, with the Betting Act, 1931 governing all matters relating to betting. In general, all forms of gaming are illegal in this jurisdiction except where specifically permitted. Sections 21, 26 and 34 of the 1956 Gaming and Lotteries Act...

Written Answers — Court Procedures: Court Procedures (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I understand that the Programme Manager of the Department of the Taoiseach met recently with the widow of the person in question in relation to her late husband and matters associated with the Arms Trial. I further understand that notwithstanding a continuing reflection on the person's representations in the case, no official initiative in this case is anticipated. In this respect, the...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 to 194, inclusive, together. Protection of children from the inappropriate use of multimedia activities is a very broad and encompassing term, but I take it that the Deputy is referring particularly to the internet, video games and mobile phones. I have no function in the regulation of broadcast media or phones but I can inform him as to the child...

Written Answers — Public Order Offences: Public Order Offences (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the area referred to is regularly patrolled by uniform and plain clothes Gardaí from the Donnybrook and Terenure Garda Districts with a view to ensuring a concentrated and visible Garda presence in the area. These patrols are backed up by District Detective and Drug Units, Community Policing personnel, the District Mountain Bike Units as well as...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I have honoured my commitment to abolish the use of old style padded cells with the introduction of newly designed and improved cells. Information relating to the instances of placement of prisoners in close supervision and special observation cells are set out in the following table. These figures are composite in nature and include placement in both types of cells. On occasion, it is a...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Applications for certificates of naturalisation from the persons referred to in the Deputy's question were received in the Citizenship Section of my Department on 29 June 2006. Applications received in the second half of 2004 are currently being processed and there are approximately 8,500 applications awaiting processing before those of the persons in question. It is likely that the...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: An Garda Síochána invokes a number of broad strategic responses in combating the drugs trade. These include the following: identifying, targeting and dismantling national and international drug trafficking networks which supply and distribute illegal drugs within this state; conducting intelligence driven operations focusing on all aspects of the illicit drugs trade including commodity,...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's question was received in the Citizenship Section of my Department on 31 October 2006. Applications received in the second half of 2004 are currently being processed and there are approximately 11,400 applications awaiting processing before that of the person in question. Applications for...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I understand the Immigration Division has recently been in contact with the person concerned regarding his request for a review of his Family Reunification Application in respect of his wife. The person concerned has been advised to make a new application at his nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned, a Nigerian national, arrived in the State on 28 April, 2003 and applied for asylum. Her application was refused following consideration of the case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner on 12 February, 2004 and on appeal by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal on 22 April, 2004. Subsequently, in accordance with section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, as...

Written Answers — Public Order Offences: Public Order Offences (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Section 184 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2006 provides for fixed charge offences in respect of section 4 (intoxication in a public place) and section 5 (disorderly conduct in a public place) of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act, 1994. Work by An Garda Síochána is ongoing to facilitate the implementation of the section. I intend to commence the section in the near future.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the Citizenship section of my Department on 22 November 2005. The application was examined and it was determined that the person in question did not have the five years reckonable residency required and consequently was not eligible to apply for a certificate of naturalisation at that...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Work is well advanced on the procurement process for the provision and operation of safety cameras by a private service provider. Following a call for expressions of interest, a number of candidates have been awarded pre-qualification status. The next stage is the issue of a Request for Tender to the shortlisted candidates which will take place shortly. The tenders received will be...

Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned, although a vital witness at the Morris Tribunal, has a civil action against the State arising from events which did not come within the terms of reference of that Tribunal and thus were not determined upon by that Tribunal. I am therefore constrained in any comment I might wish to make. What I can say however is that in civil action cases arising from the events in...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Reception and Integration Agency is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers through the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal. Through direct provision, asylum seekers are provided with full board accommodation and ancillary services. The accommodation centre at Kinsale Road also facilitates Community Welfare Services, medical supports and VEC training on-site...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The person in question made an application for Family Reunification under Section 18 of the Refugee Act 1996 on behalf of her husband in October 2006. The application has recently been approved and the person in question has been informed of same.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: An application for naturalisation from the individual in question was received in the Citizenship Section of my Department on 20 February 2006. Applications for naturalisation, including those from persons married to Irish citizens, are generally dealt with in chronological order as this method is deemed to be fairest to all applicants. Applications received in the second half of 2004 are...