Results 8,541-8,560 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: —— which is an entirely different matter as the Deputy well knows. The Deputy asked for the number of non-EEA people who were prisoners at the relevant time. Some 662 people were convicted of offences of whom 150 have been deported, a further 127 have not been deported and are legally resident in the State, the situation of a further 108 is under consideration as to whether they will be...

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy should listen to the point; his obfuscation is pathetic. She might have a conviction in those circumstances.

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: Why does the Deputy keep shouting? He does not want to hear the truth.

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I will try to answer it if the Deputy will stop shouting. The non-EEA national mother of a family with a conviction would be eligible for deportation and would fit into the figures I have supplied. However, it would be plainly wrong to deport or even consider deporting a person in those circumstances if her husband and children were law-abiding people legally resident in the State. Instead...

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy should finally sit down and let me answer his question. I have given the Deputy the figures and as he well knows, 662 people would have been eligible for deportation under the relevant section, 150 were deported, 127 were not deported and are legally resident in the State and 108 are under consideration. Therefore, 258 out of 662 have been considered or are being considered for...

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy's party's focus groups may find some evidence for the proposition that being hard on migration makes good politics. However, I must make reasonable decisions about real-life situations.

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I must deal with the shoplifting mother who would be eligible for deportation under this provision.

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I make fair decisions.

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: If the Deputy would keep his eye on me and not on the Press Gallery——

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: ——and if he would stop grandstanding on this issue——

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: ——he would understand that the law is effectively operated.

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: In addition liaison takes place between the Irish Prison Service, the GNIB and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform——

Deportation Orders. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: ——which considers all of these cases.

Irish Prison Service. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I presume the Deputy is referring to the fourth annual report of the Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention and the report of the inspection of Cloverhill Prison, which were published by me in August 2006.

Irish Prison Service. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: They are the most recent reports.

Irish Prison Service. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The inspector's reports coincided with a period of profound change in the Prison Service, during which the decades long problem of dependency on excessive prison overtime was finally confronted and overcome. As the Deputy will be aware, a situation had developed in the Prison Service whereby the capital budget and every other budget within the system were being cannibalised to fund overtime...

Irish Prison Service. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: I thank Deputy Howlin for his kind words of congratulation. The remainder of my answer to his question, which I was unable to read on the floor of the House, addressed the issues raised by the Deputy. However, as the answer has been put on the record, I will give the Deputy only a summary of its contents. I agree that the death of Gary Douch was an appalling event and the circumstances in...

Irish Prison Service. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: With regard to mentally ill people, when I was appointed Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform there was a system of using padded cells. These cells were so appalling to even the most casual and inexperienced visitor as to require their immediate replacement. I have got rid of the padded cells and have replaced them with modern state-of-the-art observation cells, where people are...

Irish Prison Service. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy asked what has happened since the death of Gary Douch. Mr. Mellet reported to me on an interim basis within days of his appointment that no prisoner who sought protection should be put in those circumstances. The practice was immediately prohibited within the Prison Service by way of an interim recommendation from Mr. Mellet. With regard to psychiatrically ill prisoners, what is...

Irish Prison Service. (3 Oct 2006)

Michael McDowell: It has happened in the relatively recent past. That is not acceptable. If somebody is a danger to himself or others, the Central Mental Hospital must be organised on the basis that it can adequately deal with such a person. It must have sufficient rooms to accommodate all the people who are properly committed by prison doctors to that hospital for treatment, where they can be humanely and...