Results 10,481-10,500 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The detailed information required by the Deputy is not readily available and would require an inordinate amount of time to obtain and an inappropriate expenditure of limited resources. I can, however, inform the Deputy that there are currently 226 non-Irish national prisoners serving sentences for a range of offences coming from 44 different countries. This figure includes 109 non-EU...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: Prior to 1 January 2005, Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956 provided that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform could grant a certificate of naturalisation if he was satisfied that the applicant fulfilled certain statutory conditions, including being of full age. With effect from 1 January 2005, the full age requirement has been amended to allow children...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: Section 18 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (to which I will refer as to "the 2005 Act") provides for the establishment of associations to represent the interests of members of the Garda Síochána in accordance with Regulations. Section 18(6) of the 2005 Act makes it legally possible for the association which represents members at the rank of Garda, i.e. the Garda Representative Association...

Written Answers — Environmental Assessments: Environmental Assessments (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that my Department and related State agencies have no plans or programmes requiring strategic environmental assessments under the European Communities (Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and Programmes) Regulations 2004.

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the applications in question were approved on appeal on 25th April, 2006 and I expect the visas to be issued in the coming days.

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

Michael McDowell: The position regarding the new prison facility at Thornton Hall is that work is well advanced on a number of fronts including site investigations, surveys and studies including archaeology and flora and fauna. It is intended to complete this aspect in the near future. In addition, detailed discussions have been held with Fingal County Council and other relevant bodies in relation to the...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the background to the introduction of the adult cautioning scheme was the report of the Public Prosecution System Study Group published in 1999. In order to reduce the volume of cases being brought before the courts the report recommended that a system whereby offenders would be issued with warnings by the Gardaí instead of being prosecuted be...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, as amended, provides that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform may, in his absolute discretion, grant an application for a certificate of naturalisation provided certain statutory conditions are fulfilled. Those conditions are that the applicant must: be of full age, or by way of exception, be a minor born in the State; be of good...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the Citizenship section of my Department on 23 February 2006. The first stage in the naturalisation process is to determine if the applicant satisfies the statutory residency criteria. In this regard, it has been necessary to seek clarification of some matters from the person concerned...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 457 to 459, inclusive, together. In regard to applications for naturalisation the Gardaí are asked to respond positively or negatively in respect of the following three questions: (i) Has the person come to the adverse attention of the Gardaí since arriving in the State? (ii) Has the person got a criminal record in the State? (iii) Are there any legal...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 30 July, 2004 and applied for asylum. Her application was refused following consideration of her 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, she was informed by letter dated 29 December, 2005, that...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (3 May 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 as at 31 March 2006 was 12,439. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June 1997 and represents an increase of 1,737 (or 16.2%) in the personnel strength of the Force during...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (3 May 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 as at 31 March 2006 was 12,439. This compares with a total strength of 10,702 (all ranks) as at 30 June 1997 and represents an increase of 1,737 (or 16.2%) in the personnel strength of the Force during...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that they are aware of a number of incidents involving the persons in question and a number of complaints are currently under investigation. I am assured by the Garda authorities that they will continue to afford every assistance to the person referred to and any complaints will be fully investigated. In relation to the entitlement of one of the persons...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that the Department has a limited institutional membership arrangement with the Irish Times on-line edition restricted to five simultaneous users. Irish daily newspapers are also made available to certain staff, generally speaking to at Assistant Principal and more senior grades, in light of business requirements. During 2005, on a typical daily basis, 84 of the more...

Written Answers — Prison Drug Treatment Services: Prison Drug Treatment Services (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned is accommodated in Wheatfield Prison which operates a drug free unit. Any prisoner wishing to enter this facility must submit a written application and perform satisfactorily at an interview with staff of the unit. The applicant must agree to submit to a series of drugs testing procedures from which negative results must be obtained. Subject to successful completion of...

Written Answers — Compensation Claims: Compensation Claims (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The member's legal representatives in this case were informed that it was proposed to refuse his application under the Garda Síochana (Compensations) Acts 1941 and 1945 on the basis that his injuries were of a minor character and were sustained in the course of the performance of a duty not involving special risk. In addition, the member was afforded the opportunity to forward further...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: There is currently no provision in Irish immigration legislation for granting permanent residency in respect of persons who are the holders of work permits/work visa/work authorisation. However, in relation to granting long term residency which was introduced by way of administrative procedures in May 2004, the position is as follows: Persons who have been legally resident in the State for...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Irish Prison Service is bound by the guidelines for the award of added years for pension purposes as provided by the Department of Finance. I have been informed by the Irish Prison Service that information is required from the Public Appointments Service in relation to the terms of recruitment of the officer concerned in order to ascertain whether he is eligible to be credited with...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (3 May 2006)

Michael McDowell: There are currently 226 non-Irish national prisoners serving sentences for a range of offences coming from 44 different countries. This figure includes 109 non-EU nationals. There is no provision in Irish law for the automatic deportation of a non-national who has committed a criminal offence. It has long been the practice of Ministers for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to give...