Results 8,321-8,340 of 18,755 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (17 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 — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have considered this matter on foot of representations made by the Deputy on behalf of the person in question and I wish to advise him that I do not consider it appropriate to expedite the application. An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's question was received in the Citizenship section of my Department on 8 June 2006. Applications...

Written Answers — Equality Issues: Equality Issues (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Prior to the publication of the Disability Act 2005 my Department had commenced a process of training in-house staff to provide disability awareness training across the Department. However, having given the matter further consideration it has been decided to seek outside service providers who are specialists in this type of training and who have the capacity and capability to provide a...

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that the present position with respect to waiting times at the Legal Aid Board's law centres is that legal services are being provided to all eligible persons well within the target maximum period of four months. In fact, the waiting time is two months or less at more than two thirds of all law centres and is no more than three months in all other centres. The...

Written Answers — Industrial Relations: Industrial Relations (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I assume that the Deputy refers to civil servants employed in my Department since 1987. I am not aware of any instances of civil servants in my Department having been forced to obtain an Order from the Courts enforcing or associated with enforcing their contractual rights and entitlements during the period concerned. However, given that the question relates to a period of almost 20 years,...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned was granted a C Business visa to enter the State for a period of three months. Supporting documentation submitted with the visa application indicated that the purpose of his journey was to source equipment for a business. C Visas are granted for visits of less than 90 days. As a consequence it is not the general policy to extend permission to remain to persons who are...

Written Answers — Closed Circuit Television Systems: Closed Circuit Television Systems (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy is aware, Kilkenny is one 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, Clonmel, Drogheda, Dungarvan, Ennis, Kilkenny, Kinsale, Mullingar,...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's question was received in the Citizenship section of my Department on 4th April 2005. I understand that the processing of the application is almost complete and that the case file will be submitted to me for a decision in the near future. I will advise the Deputy and the person in question once I...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (17 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 — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the area referred to is patrolled by uniformed and plain-clothes Gardaí from Irishtown Garda Station, including the District Drug Unit, Detective Unit, Garda Mountain Bike Unit and the Community Policing Unit. I am further informed that in addition to regular mobile and foot patrols the area is patrolled by the Divisional Crime Task Force and...

Written Answers — Criminal Assets: Criminal Assets (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: With regard to individual members of PIRA or any other organisation who remain involved in criminality, the Government has made it perfectly clear that such individuals will be pursued with the full rigour of the law. The Deputy will understand that I am not in a position to go into detail about individuals who are being or may, in the future, be investigated by the Criminal Assets Bureau....

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: It is not the practice to comment in detail on individual asylum applications. As the Deputy will be aware, applications for refugee status in the State are determined by an independent process comprising the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal which make recommendations to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on whether such status...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (17 Oct 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 an independent, non-governmental organisation with charitable status. This funding was in addition to the ongoing funding that the organisation received for the provision of services to victims of crime. This funding...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Applications for certificates of naturalisation from the persons referred to in the Deputy's question was received in the Citizenship section of my Department on 11 July 2006. Applications received in the second half of 2004 are currently being processed and there are approximately 9,500 applications awaiting processing before those of the persons in question. It is likely that the...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Violence against Women is a multifaceted issue requiring a multifaceted response from a number of Government Departments and Agencies. In the first instance, violence against women is a crime and, as such, must be processed in accordance with the criminal justice system, the policy for which is a responsibility of my Department. My Department also funds awareness raising initiatives which...

Written Answers — Disability Support Services: Disability Support Services (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: My Department has funded People with Disabilities in Ireland Ltd. and its predecessor organisation since 1996; in 2005, this funding ran to €1,309,000. People with Disabilities in Ireland Ltd (PwDI) is an independent registered company, with responsibility for its own structure, premises, and organisation. While my Department has no direct role in relation to operational matters such as...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (17 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 — Courts Service: Courts Service (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I wish to inform the Deputy that the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 (Section 40(3)) Regulations 2005 (S.I. No. 337 of 2005) specify the classes of persons entitled to apply to attend family law proceedings for the purposes of drawing up and publishing reports. Three classes of persons are specified, namely mediators, researchers and persons engaged by the Courts Service to produce such...

Written Answers — Garda Communications: Garda Communications (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: It is a matter solely for the management authorities in An Garda Síochána to decide on policy for the provision of e-mail facilities within the organisation. As outlined in my response to Parliamentary Question No 227 of 10th October, I am advised by the Garda authorities that their approach to roll-out of Email services is based on operational requirements with facilities currently...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (17 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following table provides the number of proceedings commenced and convictions recorded for the offence of providing intoxicating liquor to a person under 18 years, contrary to section 32, Intoxicating Liquor Act 1988. The figures provided are broken down by Garda Division for the years 2001 to 2005. Proceedings Commenced and Convictions...