Results 7,981-8,000 of 18,755 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Public Order Offences: Public Order Offences (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I share the concerns expressed about anti-social behaviour and its effects on communities. In many anti-social incidents, vulnerable people, often the elderly, are subjected to serious nuisance and forms of harassment which cause significant and persistent distress to the those concerned, and interfere fundamentally with their capacity to enjoy quiet and peaceful lives. Often such people...

Written Answers — Gangland Killings: Gangland Killings (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána is engaged on a daily basis in targeting criminals who are suspected of involvement in the use of firearms. These individuals are monitored and arrested where reasonable grounds exist that they are involved in criminal activity. In many cases firearms have been seized and persons charged. All killings, regardless of the...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (7 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 — Witness Intimidation: Witness Intimidation (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the table shows the number of proceedings commenced and convictions recorded for the offence of intimidation of a witness or juror, contrary to section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1999, for the years 2002 to 2005. Section 41 creates a specific offence of intimidation, in respect of persons assisting the Garda Síochána with a criminal...

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

Michael McDowell: An Garda Síochána are continuing to conduct an ongoing major crackdown on organised crime, including drug trafficking and other types of organised criminality and the Garda authorities now have a record level of resources available, both in financial and personnel terms, in order to enable An Garda Síochána carry out its functions. The Garda authorities advise that the personnel strength...

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

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that there are a number of groupings of persons who come within the ambit of organised crime gangs within the greater Dublin area, many of whom have been arrested and detained for questioning in the past twelve months with charges having been brought against a number of those arrested.

Written Answers — Court Procedures: Court Procedures (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 220 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the information sought by the Deputy is not readily available and is currently being researched. I will contact the Deputy again when the information is to hand.

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

Michael McDowell: The application referred to by the Deputy was received in the Dublin Visa Office on 9th October, 2006. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the application in question was approved on 2nd November, 2006.

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

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 to 225, inclusive, together. The CONNECT project was launched in 2000 as a part of the Prison Service Training and Development Programme under the National Development Plan 2000 to 2006. There is no separate budget for this programme and it was not funded by the European Union; all funding during the period 2000 to 2006 was provided annually by the...

Crime Levels. (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The trend in the headline crime statistics for the three quarters to date in 2006 has been positive. The provisional headline crime statistics for the third quarter — the most recent — 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 independently by the Central Statistics Office following my...

Crime Levels. (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I listened carefully to what the Deputy said. The first thing to bear in mind is that the number of crimes per thousand of the population has gone down significantly since 1995. With an increasingly urbanised population, the amount of criminality per 1,000 people has reduced significantly.

Crime Levels. (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The second point is that the Deputy will be aware, if he wants to deal with manifestos in the last election, that neither his party nor the Labour Party promised any increase in Garda resources.

Crime Levels. (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I ask you to ask the Deputy to allow me answer the questions he put. The third point is that it is no surprise they offered no increase in Garda strength because when last in office together they allowed the number of gardaí to fall, much to their perpetual disgrace.

Crime Levels. (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: When they had responsibility for strengthening the Garda Síochána, they allowed the strength of the force to fall. Regarding firearms, the Deputy is aware that we recently concluded the amnesty with regard to firearms. Over 500 firearms were handed in during the course of that amnesty. During the debate in this House, it was agreed that the firearms amnesty should not be an anonymous——

Crime Levels. (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I will answer the Deputy's question later; he should not worry. I am answering Deputy O'Keeffe now since he raised the question of firearms.

Crime Levels. (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: This is not a conversation. I am supposed to be answering questions. I am not engaging in conversation with the Deputy. Regarding the firearms amnesty, it was agreed during the passage of the legislation through this House that it would be wrong to organise an amnesty in which weapons could be handed up anonymously because murder weapons could be handed up in those circumstances which would...

Crime Levels. (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: ——where they accounted for them.

Crime Levels. (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I did not make an assault on anybody.

Drug Seizures. (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Central Statistics Office's recent publication for the first time of the provisional headline crime statistics for the third quarter of 2006 is welcome in providing further expertise and independence in the compilation of such statistics and in acting as an important aid in informing policy formulation. While being mindful of the need for caution in the interpretation of such statistics,...

Drug Seizures. (7 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I totally identify with the Deputy in regard to the incident in which a five-year-old child was shot. Nothing could be more depraved or more indicative of the total disregard a tiny minority of people in some of our cities have for human life. The people who earlier this year were shooting people on wasteland in Dublin or the people who are letting off weapons in pursuit of feuds in...