Results 8,401-8,420 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy. (10 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Deputy Kenny has described Mr. Tom Fitzpatrick as one of nature's gentlemen and, from my first meetings with him when I was in Fine Gael and on every occasion since, I regarded him as belonging to that category. In his oratorical skills from the backs of lorries in places such as Bailieborough, there was a fierce and combative side to him, but in this House, where I first encountered him, I...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 411 of Wednesday, 27 September, 2006.

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (5 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 (5 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 (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my previous reply to Parliamentary Question No. 445 of 27 September, 2006 regarding the opening hours of Ardee Garda Station. Garda personnel assigned to Ardee Garda Station, together with overall policing arrangements and operational strategy, are the responsibility of Garda management and are continually monitored and reviewed. I am informed that such monitoring...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: An application from the person referred to in the Deputy's question was received on 15 March 2004. I understand that the processing of the application has recently been completed and that the case file is en route to me for a decision. I will advise the Deputy and the person in question as soon as I have reached that decision.

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The issue of the acquisition of a prison site at Thornton was included in the 2005 report of the Comptroller and Auditor General at the request of the Public Accounts Committee and will be examined by them in October. The relevant officials from my Department will be present to account in detail to the Public Accounts Committee on all the issues raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General....

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The two persons referred to are a married couple, both Romanian nationals, who previously applied for asylum in the State. The first person concerned arrived in the State on 10 March, 1995 and applied for asylum. Initially he was refused status as a refugee but subsequently was granted temporary leave to remain in the State, on 26 August, 1999. The leave to remain was further extended until...

Written Answers — Disability Awareness Programmes: Disability Awareness Programmes (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: One of my Department's functions is the promotion of social inclusion for people with disabilities through raising awareness of disability equality and access issues. My Department has set in motion a number of initiatives aimed at achieving this goal which have proved successful over the past number of years. The following are the main activities currently undertaken by my Department in...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that there were four horses seized in 2003, seven in 2004 and four in 2005. No horses have been seized to date in 2006. The following legislation provides for the seizure of horses: the Control of Horses Act 1996; the Protection of Animals Acts 1911 and 1965; and the Summary Jurisdiction (Ireland) Act 1851 as amended by the Animal Act 1985.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned, a Nigerian national, arrived in the State on 24 November, 2004 and applied for asylum. Her 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 person concerned was informed...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (5 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question made an application for permission to remain in the State under the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005 for parents of Irish children born before 1 January 2005, and commonly referred to as the IBC/05 scheme. It is a requirement of the IBC/05 scheme that each applicant be of good character and give honest and complete details in the application form...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (4 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by officials in my Department that there is no record of the person in question having made an application for asylum. However, an application for Family Reunification on behalf of the person in question was made, by his sister, in April 2004 and this was refused in November 2004. This decision was then reviewed and upheld in December 2004. The sister of the person in...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (4 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: As part of my commitment to strengthening the Garda Youth Diversion Projects, I secured an increase of 21% in the overall budgetary allocation for the projects in 2006, bringing funding for the projects for the year to €6.6 million. Resulting from this additional funding I was pleased to be able to announce the establishment of ten new Garda Youth Diversion Projects including the project...

Written Answers — Anti-Social Behaviour: Anti-Social Behaviour (4 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Dublin Bus Community Forum is in place to address anti-social behaviour on buses in the area mentioned and meets regularly. Local Garda management and community leaders from the area concerned participate in the Forum along with Dublin Bus management and union representatives. I am informed by the Garda authorities that local Garda management in conjunction with Dublin Bus has put...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (4 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am assembling the information requested by the Deputy and I will communicate with him within a week.

Written Answers — Criminal Records: Criminal Records (4 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that An Garda Síochána has no direct access to criminal records from any other country. However, where a rogatory letter is not required under the mutual legal assistance regime, arrangements are in place whereby a request for a record of a person's criminal convictions, together with a set of the person's fingerprints, is forwarded to the country...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (4 Oct 2006)

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

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (4 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question applied for permission to remain in the State on the basis of being a parent of an Irish citizen child, born before 1 January 2005, in accordance with the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005, commonly referred to as the IBC/05 scheme. The person in question did not satisfy the criteria under the revised arrangements and was notified of this decision...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (4 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242 and 243 together. Section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 2006 provides the legal basis for mandatory alcohol testing (MAT). It confers a statutory power to administer a roadside breath test to a motorist stopped at a checkpoint without a member of An Garda Síochána being required to form an opinion that the motorist has consumed alcohol, been involved in a...