Results 9,861-9,880 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: On 23 May 2006, the Supreme Court in the case between C.C. and Ireland, the Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions declared that section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1935 was inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution in that it did not provide a person charged with an offence under that provision with a defence of honest mistake as to age. Section 1(1)...

Written Answers — Child Protection: Child Protection (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: Since my appointment as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in 2002, neither the Department nor I have received any representations or submissions from any group to include the defence of reasonable mistake in the 1935 Act. The only representations or submissions which it has been possible to find in my Department which argued for the introduction of a defence of reasonable mistake...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question arrived in the State on 6 November 1999. He made an application for asylum on 9 November 1999 which was refused on 7 November 2001. A subsequent Appeal to the Refugee Appeals Tribunal was refused on 28 March 2002. A notification of proposal to deport from the State under Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, together with the refusal to grant a declaration of refugee...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: An application for permission to remain in the State on the basis of marriage to an Irish national was received from the person in question in September 2005. An acknowledgement of receipt of the application was issued on 4 October 2005. Applications of this type, in fairness to all other such applicants, are dealt with in strict chronological order and currently take approximately fourteen...

Written Answers — Immigration Policy: Immigration Policy (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not conducted any studies regarding the impact of immigration on the role of the Gardaí and the legal system nor are there plans to undertake such studies in the near future. The Deputy will be aware of the amendments made to the Garda Síochána (Admissions and Appointments) Regulations 1988-2004 to facilitate the recruitment to An Garda...

Written Answers — Ministerial Correspondence: Ministerial Correspondence (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: As the Tánaiste has told this house, on 29 November 2002 my Department was informed in writing by the Chief State Solicitor's Office of an application seeking judicial review to challenge certain provisions of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1935 — the "C.C." proceedings. An official promptly phoned the Chief State Solicitor's Office to ascertain whether they needed any response from the...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The application in question was received in Bangkok on 18th May, 2006 and referred to the Embassy of Ireland, Kuala Lumpur for consideration. A decision in respect of this application will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The reference number supplied by the Deputy in the details accompanying his Question refers to an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to. The application in question was received in the Citizenship Section of my Department in May 2004. Officials in Citizenship Section are currently processing applications received in the first half of 2004 and it is likely...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The application referred to by the Deputy was received in my Department on 15th April, 2005. The decision of the Visa Officer to refuse this application was taken on 12th July, 2005. An appeal against the initial refusal decision was received on 18th August, 2005. Following a re-examination of the case, the decision to refuse was upheld on 20th September, 2005. As each applicant is entitled...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The persons concerned arrived in the State on 4 May, 2004 and applied for asylum. Their applications were refused following consideration of their cases 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 first named person was informed by letter dated 30...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 2 January, 2000 and applied for asylum. His application was refused following consideration of his 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, he was informed by letter dated 18 May, 2005, that the...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my response to Parliamentary Question No. 206 of 18 May, 2006.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I want to assure the Deputy that an impeccable "due process" approach was taken to filling this position. Following the enactment of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 in July 2005, the Secretary General of my Department requested the Public Appointments Service (PAS) to advise on the most appropriate recruitment process to source the best possible candidates for the Garda Síochána Inspectorate....

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The procedures for the appointment of members of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission are set out in section 65 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which provides that they are to be appointed by the President on the nomination of the Government and the passage of resolutions by both Houses of the Oireachtas. On 12 December 2005, I made an order under the provisions of the Garda Síochána...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service currently employs 18 General Practitioners — 3 full-time and 15 part-time — as Prison Doctors in its 14 institutions nationwide. The current remuneration based on a 39 hour week is €119,646 per annum at 1 December, 2004. In addition an on call allowance of €5,202 per annum is paid. While the figures for 1997 are not readily...

Order of Business. (7 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: They are on to Deputy Durkan.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: It has been suggested that we should have some very light penalty, in the form of a fine only, for teenagers who engage in consensual sex. I will not go down that road for two reasons. First, it would stigmatise unmarried mothers for the first time and, second, even though it would be gender neutral, it would be ineffectual because to fine teenagers €500 , €1,000 or whatever else for...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: Deputy Jim O'Keeffe should let me finish. Where are working class children to find the money to pay fines if we have a special provision to fine teenagers for having consensual sex, and what will happen to them if they do not come up with the money?

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputies should hold on. They do not have to shout all the time.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am not.