Results 7,841-7,860 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (8 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my response to Parliamentary Question No 251 on 27 September, 2006. 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 16 June 2005. I understand that the processing of both applications has commenced and that the case files will be forwarded to me for a...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (8 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 250 of Wednesday, 27th September, 2006 and the written reply to that Question. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (8 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy is aware, an additional 55 members were allocated to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation in November 2005 to augment the Organised Crime Unit. I am informed by the Garda Authorities that Operation "Steel" was put in place following the addition of these members to monitor and target those individuals and groups involved and associated with armed crime and to address...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (8 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: There have been two separate schemes where a non EEA national could claim residency in the State on the sole basis of being the parent of an Irish born child. The first scheme ceased on 19 February 2003 and the most recent scheme was the revised arrangements which were introduced on 12 January 2005 for parents of Irish children born before 1 January 2005 and is commonly referred to as the...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (8 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda Dog Unit consists of 26 Garda dogs and is staffed by 2 Sergeants and 14 Gardaí. There are currently two dogs being trained in Tactical Support and a further dog in blood detection. It is proposed to expand the Garda Dog Unit nationwide, on a Regional basis and to this end a pilot, in the Southern division (based in Cork and...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (8 Nov 2006)

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 12,762 on Friday, 8 September, 2006, following the attestation of 249 new members. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June, 1997 and represents an...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (8 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question Number 129 of 3rd October, 2006. In respect of non-nationals who had served terms of imprisonment, the table shows the position regarding deportations of those persons; 150 persons have been deported between 2001 and 17th May 2006. Year Total 2001 21 2002 21 2003 36 2004 23 2005 30 2006 (01/01/06-17/05/06) 19 Total 150...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (8 Nov 2006)

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 12,762 on Friday, 8 September, 2006, following the attestation of 249 new members. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June, 1997 and represents an...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (8 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that local Garda management is not aware of any specific complaint in respect of the premises referred to. I am further informed that management of the premises in question has a policy that no person under the age of 16 years of age can access the Internet there and the proprietor has advised gardaí that the policy is enforced by the manager of the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: When I published the report of the Auctioneering/Estate Agency Review Group in October 2005, I announced that the Government had accepted its recommendation for the establishment of the Property Services Regulatory Authority to control and regulate the provision of property services provided by auctioneers, estate agents and property management agents. The Government Legislation Programme...

Written Answers — Weapons Amnesty: Weapons Amnesty (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by An Garda Síochána that due to a delay in some Garda Stations making their returns to Garda Headquarters, a conclusive figure of weapons surrendered under the recent Amnesty will not be available until later this week. However, to date 627 weapons, and not 368 as referred by the Deputy which were surrendered under the Amnesty, have been returned to Garda...

Written Answers — Garda Disciplinary Proceedings: Garda Disciplinary Proceedings (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 137 together. As the Deputies will be aware, last month, the two Gardaí in question were found not guilty on all counts preferred against them, on direction of the trial judge. Both persons had also been subject to disciplinary proceedings pursuant to the Garda Síochána (Discipline) Regulations 1989. Regulation 38 of these Regulations provides that...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: In my reply to a Priority Question from the Deputy on 27 April 2006 I comprehensively set out the position in relation to the process of civilianisation in An Garda Síochána. While I will recap on progress to date, I would like at the outset to state that significant progress is being made on recruitment to a range of new civilian posts, including: 31 posts in the Garda Telecommunications...

Written Answers — Coroners Service: Coroners Service (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 148 together. In my reply to Question 109 of 2 November, 2006, I noted that the circumstances under which a death is reported to the relevant coroner falls within the jurisdiction of that coroner, being a quasi judicial authority charged with the independent investigation of death. A coroner has the entitlement, under section 18 of the 1962 Coroners...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: Following an open tender competition I have accepted the highest offer for the site of 6.33 acres at Shanganagh Castle.The proceeds from the sale of this site in addition to approximately 21 acres previously disposed of to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council will meet in full the cost of the site at Thornton Hall. This, contrary to what the Deputy is suggesting, represents excellent value...

Written Answers — Closed Circuit Television Systems: Closed Circuit Television Systems (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 123 together. As the Deputy is aware, Athlone and Mullingar are two of 17 areas set to receive a Garda CCTV system under the Garda CCTV Programme. The Garda authorities are currently finalising a detailed Request for Tender (RFT) for the outsourced service provision of 14 of these Garda CCTV systems in the following towns: Athlone, Carlow, Castlebar,...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that while there has been a slight increase in the quantity of freebase or crack cocaine seized in this jurisdiction over the past two years, this still represents a small proportion of the total number of cocaine seizures recorded annually. However, the Garda authorities also inform me that most of the recorded seizures of freebase cocaine, have to date...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: In order to carry out urgent environmental works, since September 2006, access for workers to a site at Bellanaboy, Co. Mayo, has been required to be facilitated by the Garda Síochána, in the face of protest action by some local campaigners, supported by groups and individuals from outside the area. These groups have at times sought to prevent the workers from travelling to the site in...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: Following the establishment of the Commission of Investigation set up to look into the Dean Lyons case, I established an Expert Group to report to me on the adequacy of Garda training, protocols, regulations and procedures, in assessing the fitness of persons to be interviewed and on the recording of any bona fide reservations of an individual member of a Garda investigation team as to the...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that on 25 October, 2006 members of An Garda Síochána, with the assistance of a wide range of government and non-government agencies, dealt effectively with a major incident involving a serious threat to life and property, which resulted in a group of people being left homeless in the early hours of the morning. I understand that an offer was accepted...