Results 5,461-5,480 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I accepted amendment No. 1 when it was proposed in the Dáil by the Labour Party. While it is not strictly necessary to the meaning, its inclusion means there can be no doubt the definition of "prison rules" refers to a rule in force at a particular time, even if the rule has been since repealed. Amendment No. 10 is a technical Government amendment and amendments Nos. 15 and 17 are also...

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Amendments Nos. 6 and 7 were made to Part 4 of the Bill, which relates to planning provisions. Amendment No. 6 replaces the words "consider only" with the words "take account only of" in section 23(2) of the Bill. This new wording better reflects the role of the rapporteur, which is to receive written submissions and observations and to prepare a report for submission to the Minister, based...

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I accepted amendment No. 8 when it was proposed by Deputy Ó Snodaigh in the other House. It clarifies the meaning of the word "record", as used in this section of the Bill. I was advised that the amendment was not entirely necessary, but I decided to accept it because it provides consistency by reflecting the wording of section 10(3) of the Bill, which relates to access to records,...

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: A person who, without the permission of the governor, possesses or uses a mobile telecommunications device, or a person who supplies such a device to a prisoner without such permission, is to be made guilty of an offence. He or she will be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €5,000, or a prison term not exceeding 12 months. He or she will be liable on conviction on...

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Prisoners who are not in close confinement are given access to telephones, which are monitored, to make domestic telephone calls on an agreed basis within prison. It is not a matter of people being unnecessarily held incommunicado in prison. I do not want to elaborate more at this stage other than to say I have every reason to believe that serious criminals have used mobile telephones...

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (20 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I thank Senators for the debate on this Bill and for the helpful amendments brought forward in this House. The Senators will realise that not only did I accept amendments in the House but I also indicated that I would accept amendments brought forward in the other House based on remarks made by Senators in this House. The Bill was published last November and it has been moved through both...

Written Answers — Passports for Investment Scheme: Passports for Investment Scheme (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The introduction of a scheme of investment based naturalisation had been advocated by Ministers for Industry and Commerce throughout the 1980s but opposed by successive Ministers for Justice on policy grounds. In April 1989, the then Minister for Justice decided to seek Government approval in relation to a particular proposal which involved a large number of individual citizenship...

Written Answers — Graffiti Offences: Graffiti Offences (8 Mar 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 Strength: Garda Strength (8 Mar 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 13,000 following the attestation of 299 new members on Thursday, 16 November, 2006. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June, 1997 and represents an...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Advanced Driving Course is of three weeks duration and can only be conducted on completion of the Standard Car Course which is two weeks in duration. Eighty-three hours of instruction are provided in the Advanced Driving Course.

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: A fundamental requirement of the IBC/05 Scheme was the submission by the applicant of a valid passport/national identity document. In the absence of the provision of such identification the person in question was granted permission to remain in the State for a period of one year. This was granted as an exceptional measure to afford the person the opportunity to obtain the appropriate...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I have asked the Garda Commissioner for a report on the matter referred to and will revert to the Deputy once the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: As outlined in Parliamentary Question put down for answer on the 31st January 2007 (PQ No. 418) persons who have been legally resident in the State for over five years on the basis of work permit/work authorisation/work visa conditions may apply to the Immigration Division of my Department for a five year residency extension. In that context they may also apply to be exempt from employment...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: All student visa applications (with the exception of those lodged in Beijing, Moscow and New Delhi) are determined by the Visa Office in Dublin. The turn around time for study visa decisions is currently between five and seven days and while there can be a delay in applications reaching Dublin I am satisfied that the service provided to the education sector has improved considerably and...

Written Answers — Refugee Status: Refugee Status (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy will be aware, applications for refugee status in the State are determined by an independent process comprising the Office of the Refugee Application Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal which make recommendations to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on whether such status should be granted. While it is not the practice to comment in detail on individual...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement: Name of Public Body Number of Appointments Censorship of Publications Appeal Board 1 Tribunal of Inquiry into Complaints Concerning some Gardaí of the Donegal Division * 1 The National Disability Authority 1 Judicial Appointments Advisory Board 3 Committee on Court Practice and Procedure 1 Refugee...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement: Name of Public Body Number of Appointments Property Registration Authority 1 Private Security Authority 1 Criminal Law Codification Advisory Committee 10 Refugee Appeals Tribunal 14 National Disability Authority 1 Castlerea Prison Visiting Committee 1 Cloverhill Prison Visiting Committee 6 Cork...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The first person in question arrived in the State on 8 November 1999 and claimed asylum. The second named person arrived in the State on 15 March 1999 and also claimed asylum. Both persons withdrew their application on 8 March 2001 and applied for permission to remain based solely on their parentage of an Irish born child. They were granted residency in the State on this basis on 25...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question Number 105 on Thursday 22 February 2007. The position remains as stated.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned became an Irish Citizen when he was granted a Certificate of Naturalisation on 15 February 2007. With regard to the Family Reunification I refer the Deputy to my previous answer to Question No. 357 of the 27th September 2006. I am informed by the Immigration Division of my Department that the Refugee Applications Commissioner has forwarded a report to my Department. This...