Results 8,201-8,220 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I wish to inform the Deputy that appointment to civil service positions is generally by way of open competition conducted by the Public Appointments Service. Persons with disabilities are entitled to apply for all competitions subject to their meeting the eligibility requirements of the competition in question. The same applies to any competition that my own Department might run from time...

Written Answers — Anti-Fraud Measures: Anti-Fraud Measures (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that identity theft is an umbrella term used for crime committed, whereby crimes are effected against an injured party by assuming the injured party's identity. The most common type of crime relates to so called phishing — debit and credit card fraud. The act of phishing constitutes a number of offences contained in the Criminal Justice (Theft and...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: It has not been possible, within the timeframe available, to collate the information required by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy directly when the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (24 Oct 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 — Drug Courts: Drug Courts (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Earlier this year, the Pilot Drug Treatment Court, currently operating in the North inner city, was placed on a permanent footing. It will be extended on a phased basis to the wider Dublin area in consultation with the other agencies involved in supporting the Court. The President of the District Court has assigned a Judge of the Dublin Metropolitan District Court to the Drug Treatment...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (24 Oct 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 Deployment: Garda Deployment (24 Oct 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 — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (24 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, 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, the National Juvenile Office has a staff of 1 Superintendent, (the Director of Diversion Programme), 1 Inspector and...

Written Answers — Closed Circuit Television Systems: Closed Circuit Television Systems (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy is aware, Clondalkin is one of 17 areas set to receive a Garda CCTV system under the Garda CCTV Programme. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, on 13 October 2006, the Garda authorities published a request for tender document (RFT) for the installation of three Garda CCTV Systems in Ballyfermot, Clondalkin and Tullamore on the Government's procurement website...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: My Department has no record of a current visa application in respect of the person in question.

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The figures for headline offences recorded and detected for each Garda Division are available in the relevant Garda Annual Reports, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas library. I was pleased to note that the Garda annual report for 2005 shows that the total number of headline offences recorded in the Dublin Metropolitan Region decreased from 45.01 per 1,000 of population in 2003...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The tabular statement outlines the statistical information requested by the Deputy regarding requests received under the Freedom of Information Acts by my Department. The information set out in the following table in relation to fees charged is based on the best information available and may be subject to review. 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 (to 19/10/06) No. of Requests Received 660 636...

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Under the terms of the Civil Legal Aid Act, 1995, the Legal Aid Board has sole responsibility for deciding if an applicant is eligible for its services and I can have no involvement in individual cases. As such I have no function in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that there are plans to build a new Garda station in Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork. A Brief of Requirements is being prepared which will be forwarded to the Office of Public Works when it is completed. While it is not possible for me to indicate a commencement date for the construction of the proposed new station at this point in time, I can,...

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Director General of the Irish Prison Service made the decision, in the immediate aftermath of the incident, that for operational reasons, the holding cells would be closed with immediate effect and that they would no longer accommodate prisoners. It is his professional view that leaving the holding cells in use following such an incident would have been entirely inappropriate. I can...

Written Answers — : (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Director General of the Irish Prison Service is authorised under the Public Service Management Act 1997 to lead, manage and direct the prison service on a day-to-day basis. He gave an instruction, which was within his remit, in the immediate aftermath of the incident that, for operational reasons, the holding cells in Mountjoy Prison would be closed with immediate effect and that they...

Written Answers — : (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: A total of seven padded cells in Mountjoy prison were converted for use as special observation and close observation cells. In addition two 'chill out' rooms were provided in the B base. The work was completed earlier this year. In the B base, conversion of 2 holdings cells is currently underway. One is being converted to a shower area and the other to a waiting area and single cell. In...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel that there are no riot squad Gardaí (Public Order Units) on duty at Ballinaboy.

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that there are currently ten Gardaí (all ranks) who have been temporarily transferred to Belmullet Garda Station from stations within the Mayo Division since 2 October 2006.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (19 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my previous reply to Parliamentary Question No. 1123 of 25 January 2006 regarding to the person in question. Judicial Review proceedings, which were instituted on 29 September 2005, are still ongoing. Accordingly, as the matter is sub judice, I do not propose to comment further on the matter.