Results 7,861-7,880 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

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...

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

Michael McDowell: I understand that the Deputy is referring to an interview given by Mr. Gerry Adams recently in which, according to the transcript available to me, he said '. . . for example lots of concerns raised yesterday about the role of MI5 in the north . . . I have similar concerns about the role of MI6 in the south . . .' In response to Parliamentary Question No. 168 of 25 October, 2006, I indicated...

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

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that a total costing of the event will not be available until all expenditure claims have been processed and paid. Due to the large number of claims involved, it will be a number of weeks before this information is to hand. I have also been informed by the Garda authorities that following negotiations between the Ryder Cup organisation and An...

Written Answers — Fireworks Offences: Fireworks Offences (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: A total of 45 licences were issued during the month of October, 2006 for the importation of fireworks under the Explosives Act, 1875. The 1875 Act was amended by the Criminal Justice Act, 2006 and, on 1st August, I signed an order bringing all sections of the Act relating to fireworks into immediate effect. These amendments provide for new offences governing the possession of illegal...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: Funding of €110,000 in respect of a National Missing Persons Helpline made available by my Department in 2002 and 2003 was channelled through the Victim Support organisation, and was in addition to the ongoing funding that organisation received for the provision of services to victims of crime. This funding of €110,000 was provided subject to the conditions that no funding beyond the...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The provisional headline crime statistics for the third quarter of 2006 show a decrease of 1.6% for the quarter compared with the same quarter in 2005. These statistics are the first crime statistics to be published by the Central Statistics Office following my decision that new arrangements should be put in place. As I have consistently done since I directed the quarterly publication of the...

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

Michael McDowell: The moneys allocated to date for the Courts Service are as shown in the table. Year €'000 1999 60,624 2000 75,190 2001 84,779 2002 91,056 2003 93,530 2004 98,908 2005 104,416 2006 111,841 The Estimates for 2006 include €19.6m to enable the Service to continue its ambitious nationwide programme of courthouse renovation and refurbishment. Negotiations are currently underway...

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

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 162 of Tuesday 3 October, 2006 which sets out the current position regarding stations equipped with audio/video equipment for recording of suspect interviews. The Garda Authorities have recently submitted proposals to my Department for the provision of additional systems and fit-out of further interview rooms.

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: As the deputy will be aware, the main purpose of this Bill is to provide specific arrangements for voting by prisoners by way of postal voting. In Ireland, there is no legal prohibition on voting by prisoners, once they meet the standard qualifying criteria under electoral law which apply on a general basis. But, while a person in legal custody may be registered as an elector, under section...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 184 together. I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that at present, there are 87 Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers and 8 Juvenile Liaison Officer Sergeants working in various Divisions throughout the country. In addition to this, the National Juvenile Office has...

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

Michael McDowell: In order to further the proposals I made in my recent speech in Limerick concerning the issue of rebalancing criminal justice I have appointed an expert review group to examine and review certain aspects of the criminal law. The terms of reference of the Balance in the Criminal Law Review Group are to examine issues affecting: the right to silence; allowing character evidence of an accused;...

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

Michael McDowell: The Privacy Bill which was published on 4 July 2006 creates an offence to be known as the tort of invasion of privacy, for a person wilfully and without lawful authority to violate the privacy of another individual. Where material obtained from closed circuit television or other monitoring equipment may be used in an inappropriate manner then the aggrieved person will have an accessible...

Written Answers — Garda Complaints Procedures: Garda Complaints Procedures (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commissioners were appointed by the President on the 10th February 2006, following nomination by the Government and recommendations by both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Commission is in a preparatory stage at present. I understand that the initial work of the Commission has involved study visits to their counterparts in Northern Ireland and the UK and initial...

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 522 firearms and 82 knives, which were surrendered under the Amnesty, have been returned to Garda Headquarters. A successful national...

Written Answers — Inspector of Prisons: Inspector of Prisons (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: Mr Justice Dermot Kinlen was appointed on a non statutory basis as Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention for a five year term with effect from his retirement from the High Court Bench in April, 2002 on reaching the statutory age limit for service in that Court. His existing term of office will, therefore, expire in April, 2007. I have received Government approval to establish an...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Criminal Justice Act, 2006 contains provisions to deal with anti-social behaviour. The Act empowers a senior member of the Garda Síochána to apply to the District Court by way of a civil procedure for an order which will prohibit an adult from behaving in an anti-social manner. In relation to children aged 12 to 18 years, specially tailored provisions, fully integrated into the Children...

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

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 216 together. Operation Anvil commenced in the Garda Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) on 17 May, 2005. It is an intelligence led policing initiative, the focus of which is the targeting of active criminals and their associates involved in serious crime by preventing and disrupting their criminal activity through extensive additional overt patrolling...

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

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that the position remains as set out in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 185 of 3 October, 2006.

Written Answers — Probation and Welfare Service: Probation and Welfare Service (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Probation Service has been re-vitalised over the last twelve months and the process of change is continuing apace. I can advise the Deputy that following an open competition a new Director was appointed to the Probation Service in September, 2005. To support the Director and strengthen the management of the Service a new senior management structure for the Service has now been put in...

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

Michael McDowell: I am informed that the Garda Commissioner has appointed a Chief Superintendent from outside the Division in question to investigate all the circumstances surrounding the incident in Gort, Co. Galway, on 9 October, 2006, including the deployment of 'less lethal' weapons. I am further informed by the Garda authorities that this investigation is ongoing and, accordingly, it would not be...