Results 5,761-5,780 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The primary purpose of this short Bill is to remedy an error in the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006. The particular point with which we are dealing was brought to my attention last week by Deputy Rabbitte, for which I thank him. It was a drafting error for which I am politically accountable and regretful. While the error is not as...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: No parent or politician has a differential approach to this matter based on other party political beliefs or philosophies. As all Members of the House share a common desire to protect children from crime of this nature, I have approached this issue by accepting the spirit of the Labour Party Bill and most of the substance of the Fine Gael Bill and introducing additional material which I...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (6 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: It is more or less correct, but the Deputy oversimplifies the matter.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Minor children under the age of sixteen who are in the care of non EU national parents who have been granted permission to remain under the IBC/05 scheme, avail of the same permission to remain in the State granted to their parents. When such minor children reach sixteen years of age they are obliged to register with the Garda National Immigration Bureau in their own right.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: It is not the practice to comment in detail on individual asylum applications. 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 Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal which make recommendations to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on whether such status...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (1 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 — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The person in question was granted permission to remain in the State on 21 February 2006 under the revised arrangements for parents of Irish children born prior to 1 January 2005, commonly referred to as the IBC/05 scheme. An application for the renewal of this permission to remain in the State was received in my Department on 13 February 2007. My Department acknowledged receipt of this...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The person in question applied for permission to remain in the State under the revised arrangements for non national parents of Irish children born prior to 1st January 2005, commonly referred to as the IBC/05 scheme. A letter granting permission to remain in the State for two years issued on 01 December 2005. Advertisements inviting applications for renewal of permission to remain granted...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am advised by the Garda authorities that the personnel strength of the Dublin Metropolitan North Region (DMNR) Division, as at 1 March 2007 was 634 (all ranks). At present, Community Gardaí assigned to the areas referred to by the Deputy, attend monthly neighbourhood watch meetings where various issues affecting the communities such as public order, graffiti and loitering by youths are...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Immigration Division of my Department that the application is at the final stages of processing and as soon as a decision is reached, the Immigration Division will be in contact in writing with the person concerned.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 51 of Thursday, 15th February, 2007, 377 of Wednesday, 31st January, 2007, No. 54 of Thursday 30th November, 2006, No. 83 of Thursday 26th October, 2006, and No. 187 of Thursday 1st June, 2006 and the written replies to those Questions. To clarify the matter for the Deputy, the situation is as follows:- The person concerned arrived in the...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I understand from the Immigration Division of my Department that no decision has been issued on this application to date. As outlined in my previous answer to Question 7049/07, further documentation has been requested. On receipt of a response the application will then be processed further.

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Dáil Question No. 48 of 15 February, 2007, in relation to the person concerned. As previously advised, the person concerned evaded his transfer to France on 30 August, 2006. The person concerned continues to evade his transfer and continues to remain illegally in the State. I would therefore again urge the person concerned to present to the Garda...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (1 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 22 August 2006. The average processing time for applications for naturalisation for adults is approximately 30 months at the present time. However, I understand that the person concerned is a refugee. In accordance with the...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 623 of Thursday, 6th July, 2006 and the written reply to that Question. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The person in question was originally granted permission to remain in the State based on parentage of an Irish born child on 9 January 2002. The permission was granted on the basis that the person concerned was living in the same household as the Irish born child and discharging the role of parent to that child. However the person referred to changed circumstances in 2004 and a review of his...

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy will be aware, separate arrangements exist in respect of Criminal and Civil Legal Aid. The Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962 provides that free legal aid may be granted, in certain circumstances, for the defence of persons of insufficient means in criminal proceedings. The sum of €43.503m has been allocated for this purpose in 2007. An accused person is entitled to be...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 107 of Thursday, 22nd February, 2007, 329 of Wednesday, 27th September, 2006, and 702 of Tuesday, 25th April, 2006 and the written replies to these Questions. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 378 of Wednesday, 31st January, 2007, 140 of Thursday, 19th October, 2006, and 358 of Wednesday, 27th September, 2006 and the written replies to these Questions. The position is unchanged. There are no other grounds, other than those referred to in the questions above, under which this person's case file can be reviewed.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (1 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Questions No. 75 of Thursday 26th October 2006, 179 of Thursday 22nd of June 2006 and 77 of Thursday 15th of June 2006 and the written replies to these Questions. The position is unchanged.