Results 7,901-7,920 of 18,755 for speaker:Michael McDowell

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...

Written Answers — Equality Issues: Equality Issues (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: My Department has considered the issue of access to employment opportunities for older people in the preparation of Employment Equality legislation, in equality proofing initiatives and in the context of social partnership agreements. The Employment Equality Acts are framed on the basis of a general principle that there ought to be no discrimination on the grounds of age, where the employee...

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

Michael McDowell: In August 2005, I received a submission from the Garda Commissioner on the resourcing requirements of An Garda Síochána. The submission was based on the Commissioner's analysis of the policing challenges facing An Garda Síochána in the medium and longer term, including the implications of demographic change, the need to continue to combat crime and terrorist threats, and the requirements...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The average cost of keeping an offender in custody is calculated by averaging out the current running costs of the prisons and places of detention against the average number of offenders in those institutions. These costs include certain items which are fixed no matter what the number of offenders in custody, e.g. utilities, staff salaries, etc. It also reallocates the cost of central...

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

Michael McDowell: I have been advised by the Garda authorities that the tables show the quantity, type and estimated street value of the major drugs seized for the years 2001 to 2005. More detail in relation to these statistics is provided in An Garda Síochána's Annual Reports. Year 2005 Type of Drug Quantity Estimated Street Value € Cannabis 150,401 grams 300,802 Cannabis Resin 6,259,750 grams...

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

Michael McDowell: Section 16 of the Criminal Evidence Act, 1992, as amended, makes provision for the video recording of any evidence given, in relation to a sexual offence or an act involving violence, by a person under 17 years of age through a live television link in proceedings relating to indictable offences. The relevant subsection — (1)(a) — was commenced in 1993. It will be noted that this...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship (Fees) Regulations, 1993, as amended in 1996, sets out the fees payable by various categories of persons who obtain Irish citizenship. The standard fee for naturalisation is €634.87. Exceptions are made in the case of a spouse of a naturalised Irish citizen; the non-national widow or widower of an Irish citizen; or a non-national minor child of an...

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

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 245 of 27 September, 2006 in which I indicated my intention to publish the report referred to by the Deputy in due course, with the exception of any parts which could be deemed prejudicial to potential criminal proceedings. I have not received this report as yet.

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

Michael McDowell: In the Garda Síochána Act, 2005, I made detailed provisions for the making of Disciplinary Regulations for the Garda Síochána. In its report earlier this year, the Garda Síochána Act Implementation Group, chaired by Senator Maurice Hayes, acknowledged the requirement for changes to the Garda disciplinary regulations to coincide with the coming into operation of the Garda Ombudsman...

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

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the table shows the number of murder offences recorded, detected, proceedings commenced and convictions, where a firearm was used, for the years 1998 to 2005 and in 2006 up to 2 November. All killings regardless of the circumstances involved are the subject of a rigorous investigation by the Garda authorities. The identification of the motive and...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Annual Report for 2005 of the Comptroller and Auditor General includes a chapter on the acquisition of a Site for Prison Development. The Department of Finance granted sanction for the acquisition of the site on the condition that procurement guidelines were followed. Contrary to the implications of the Deputy's question all the relevant procurement guidelines were followed by my...

Written Answers — Prison Education Service: Prison Education Service (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I do not accept the Deputy's assertion that training and education programmes in St. Patrick's Institution are almost non-existent. On the contrary, there are a number of workshops currently in operation — covering Woodwork and Joinery; Computer Training; Industrial Cleaning and Industrial Skills. A Metal Workshop is also due to open soon. Some young persons also work in the kitchen and...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: Tender documentation have been issued to the candidates short-listed to compete for the design, construction, finance and maintenance of the prison development at Thornton Hall. It is intended that work should commence in 2007 and is expected to be completed within 3 years. The precise date for completion of the project forms part of the tender process. In relation to the estimated cost of...

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

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 152 together. I understand that the Working Group on Domestic Partnership is finalising the Options Paper for submission to me in the coming weeks. Following its receipt, I intend to bring the Options Paper to Government with a view to early publication.

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

Michael McDowell: An Assistant Commissioner has been appointed to assess the impact of the Report's recommendations for An Garda Síochána, with a view to recommending remedial action where necessary. An analysis of the processes employed during the interviews of the person referred to is also being carried out. Following a review of the original investigation by an Assistant Commissioner, a number of...