Results 8,361-8,380 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (11 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table. Table 1. Name of Tribunal of Inquiry/ Commission of Inquiry/ Investigation Terms of Reference Cost/Cost to date Date of Commencement Date of completion/Projected date of completion Enquiry by Mr. Justice Francis D. Murphy under the provisions of section 21 of the Courts of Justice (District Court) Act, 1946 Enquiry regarding...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Report of the Auctioneering/Estate Agency Review Group has recommended the establishment of a Regulatory Authority with responsibility for the licensing and regulation of property service providers, including auctioneers, estate agents and property management services. The Government has accepted the Review Group's recommendation and legislation is currently being prepared to give effect...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 676 of 25 April, 2006.

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities was established in November 1993, by the Minister for Equality and Law Reform, Mervyn Taylor, T.D., under the chairmanship of Mr Justice Fergus Flood. On completion of its examination of the situation of people with disabilities, its report, "A Strategy for Equality", was presented to the Minister in November 1996 and accepted by the...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together. The Community Alert programme is a community based crime prevention initiative in rural communities which was set up by Muintir na Tíre in association with the Garda Síochána in 1985. It is a national movement with its network comprising of approximately 1,249 local Community Alert groups of which there are 37 schemes in Co....

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, requires that an applicant for a certificate of naturalisation has had a period of one year's continuous residence in the State immediately before the date of application and, during the eight years immediately preceding that period, has had a total residence in the State amounting to four years. Applicants must also...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform may grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. One of these conditions is that the applicant has had a period of one year's continuous residency in the State immediately before the date of...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that in the first four weeks of the Weapons Amnesty, which commenced on the 1st September, 2006, 124 guns, 34 knives and 34 assorted offensive weapons were handed in to Garda Stations throughout the country. In addition, a quantity of ammunition has also been surrendered. The amnesty runs for a period of 2 months, from 1st September to 31st...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (10 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 — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy should be aware that staff in my Department with a disability fall into four broad categories. They are those who joined the Department through special recruitment competitions run by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) for people with disabilities, the last of which I understand was held in 1999; those who more recently joined through the regular PAS competitions having...

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Competitions for entry to An Garda Síochána are administered by the Public Appointments Service. I am advised by the Public Appointments Service that on 19 September 2006 there had been 343 applications to become members of the Garda Reserve from people living in County Galway. It is the responsibility of the Public Appointments Service to advise applicants of the result of the interview...

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Regulation 5 of the An Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 1988 (as amended) provides that, in order to qualify for admission as a trainee with An Garda Síochána, prospective applicants must, inter alia, be at least 18 years and under 35 years of age on the first day of the month in which the relevant competition was advertised. The eligibility criteria including age...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: There is no provision for the granting of permanent residency in Irish Immigration legislation. However, the proposed Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill will, for the first time, make statutory provision for a status of long term resident. An application for long term residency from the person referred to by the Deputy was received on the 16th June 2006. The position in relation to...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The number of applications for long term residency and an exemption from work permit requirements on hand at the 30th September 2006 is 2,435. I understand that the Immigration Division of my Department are currently dealing with applications received in April 2006.

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that arising from the seizure of drugs in Belgium on the 26th September 2006 which are believed to have been destined for Weston Aerodrome, they are carrying out an investigation into this incident, part of which will include establishing whether or not this particular route has been used previously and if there is any link with other drug...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: There is no provision for the granting of permanent residency in Irish Immigration legislation. However, the proposed Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill will, for the first time, make statutory provision for a status of long term resident. The most recent application for long term residency from the person referred to by the Deputy was received on the 14th September 2006. The...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy is aware over the years numerous organisations have requested and have been given the assistance of Gardaí on a non-public duty basis. Traditionally, Gardaí have been made available for the performance of such duties and the State has charged for their services. This work is done by members of the Force who would otherwise be off duty. At present organisers of events pay...

Written Answers — Refugee Status: Refugee Status (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned, a Nigerian national, arrived in the State on 1 April 2003 and applied for asylum on 25 September of the same year. His application was refused following consideration of the case by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and on appeal by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Subsequently, in accordance with Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, the...

Written Answers — Court Procedures: Court Procedures (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the matter referred to relates to the Control of Dogs Act. Summonses were initiated by Tipperary North Riding County Council and the case was heard at Thurles District Court on 25 May, 2004. The person referred to was fined €150 and had expenses of €161 awarded against them. The payment that the person referred to made was in respect of boarding...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am advised by the Garda Authorities that the Garda Síochána Information and Communications Technology Strategy has identified the requirement for enterprise-wide email within An Garda Síochána. The approach to roll-out, which is currently ongoing, is based on operational requirements with facilities currently available to all Gardaí of Superintendent rank and above and access is also...