Results 8,441-8,460 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

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...

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

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that Garda management at Blanchardstown, which covers the area referred to, is aware of the concerns of people in this area regarding speeding motorists. I am further informed that road traffic checkpoints are regularly established in the area by members of the Divisional Traffic Corps Units and persons found to be speeding are issued with fixed charge...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (4 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...

Seanad: Europol (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (4 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The purpose of this Bill is to give effect to three additional protocols to the Europol Convention, Protocols 2000, 2002 and 2003, which have been negotiated since the Europol Convention, and two earlier protocols in 1996 and 1997 which were given force of law in this jurisdiction by the Europol Act 1997. The protocols in question will be, on the passing of this Bill into law, Schedules to...

Seanad: Europol (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (4 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am grateful to Members for their contributions and agree with Senator Quinn that the inordinate delay in bringing forward this Bill cannot be defended. The Irish Parliament should perhaps simplify this process although the law officers advise that primary legislation is responsible for every change in the protocols to the Europol Convention. Perhaps we could deal with future changes by a...

Written Answers — Prison Building Programme: Prison Building Programme (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The planning process for the proposed prison development at Spike Island has not yet commenced. I am advised by the Prison Service that it expects to be in a position to lodge the relevant planning documents in early 2007. Full details of the proposed prison development will be made known at that time in accordance with the statutory planning procedure. At that stage, all of the relevant...

Written Answers — Weapons Amnesty: Weapons Amnesty (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by An Garda Síochána that in the first three weeks of the Weapons Amnesty, which commenced on the 1st September, 2006, 101 guns, 26 knives and 14 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 October,...

Written Answers — Gender Discrimination: Gender Discrimination (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The National Women's Strategy, which is nearing completion, is a wide ranging document setting out the Government's Strategy to foster socio-economic opportunity; well-being; and active participation in decision making for the women of Ireland over a ten year period. The Strategy is set in a context where we have a strong corpus of equality legislation in place but where women still...

Written Answers — Criminal Evidence: Criminal Evidence (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Section 16 of the Criminal Evidence Act, 1992, as amended, makes provision for the video recording of any evidence given, in relation to a sexual offence or an act involving violence, by a person under 17 years of age through a live television link in proceedings relating to indictable offences. The relevant subsection — (1)(a) — was commenced in 1993. It will be noted that this...