Results 10,501-10,520 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

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

Michael McDowell: The person in question is over sixteen years of age and is obliged to register her presence in the State under the provisions of Section 9 of the Immigration Act 2004. However before this process is completed the person concerned must make a written application to the Immigration Division of my Department for permission to remain in the State providing details as to her circumstances, address...

School Closures. (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline to the House, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, the position of her Department on the recently announced closure of St. Michael's national school in Inchicore. The Minister has asked me to apologise on her behalf for being unable to attend to deal with this matter. She is...

Written Answers — Garda Ombudsman Commission: Garda Ombudsman Commission (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: On 12 December 2005, I made an order under the provisions of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 establishing the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. On 13 December 2005 the Government decided to nominate the following persons for appointment by the President to be members of the Ombudsman Commission: Mr. Justice Kevin Haugh to be chairperson; Ms Carmel Foley and Mr. Conor Brady. Subsequently,...

Written Answers — Refugee Appeals Tribunal: Refugee Appeals Tribunal (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy will be aware, the Refugee Appeals Tribunal is a statutory independent body established under the Refugee Act 1996 in order to deal with appeals arising from negative recommendations in respect of applications for refugee status issued by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, ORAC. The tribunal has been in operation since November 2000 and is comprised, at the...

Written Answers — Juvenile Offenders: Juvenile Offenders (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: It is not correct to say that the age of criminal responsibility is being reduced from 12 years to ten years of age. The Children Act 2001 proposed to raise the age of criminal responsibility from seven years to 12 years but, as the relevant section was never commenced, the age at present is still seven years. Two problems were encountered in raising the age as envisaged in the 2001 Act....

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: As regards future legislation, the position is that the Government legislative programme provides for publication of the Sale of Alcohol Bill later this year. This Bill will repeal the Licensing Acts 1833 to 2004, as well as the Registration of Clubs Acts 1904 to 2004, and replace them with provisions more suited to modern conditions. While I have no current proposals to prohibit the sale of...

Written Answers — Security Industry: Security Industry (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Private Security Authority was established under the Private Security Services Act 2004 to regulate the private security industry. One of its principal functions under the Act is to licence companies and persons providing a whole range of security services. The authority has already commenced licensing contractors providing private security services in the door supervisor and security...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the murder of Donna Cleary is under investigation by the gardaí at Coolock Garda station. A number of persons have been arrested and questioned in relation to the murder. To date, no person has been charged. An investigation file is currently being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecution. As the Garda investigation is ongoing, it...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 22 together. I refer the Deputies to my reply to Priority Question No. 4, in which I have comprehensively set out the position in relation to the Garda civilianisation issue.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: As indicated in the Government legislative programme, announced by the Chief Whip on 24 April 2006, the Privacy Bill is in the course of being drafted by Parliamentary Counsel with a view to being published early in this session. The Bill will give effect to the recommendations of the working group on privacy chaired by Mr. Brian Murray S.C. The group was established to consider and prepare...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that at present there are 94 juvenile liaison officers, JLOs — 86 gardaí and eight sergeants — working in the various divisions throughout the country. JLOs are responsible for implementing the Garda juvenile diversion programme, which provides an...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: In my response to the Deputy in Question No. 412 on 4 April 2006, I set out a synopsis of the process involved in considering applications for naturalisation. In this regard, it is important to note that naturalisation is not an entitlement so there is no question of rubber stamping the approval of applications. Naturalisation is a privilege granted at my absolute discretion and I must,...

Written Answers — Equality Issues: Equality Issues (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed that in the reply to Question No. 11 of 9 March 2006 the discussion referred to, between an official of my Department and the Equality Authority, centred on background to production of the authority's report Equivalence in Promotion of Equality. The response of the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, to Question No. 3 of 2 February 2006 concerning the report was also brought...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I presume the Deputy's question relates to a recent article on the remuneration of State solicitors. I wish to inform the Deputy that I have no function in relation to remuneration of State solicitors. The Chief State Solicitor's office is a constituent element of the Office of the Attorney General.

Written Answers — Garda Remuneration: Garda Remuneration (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have no plans at all to reduce the overall level of overtime worked by members of the Garda Síochána. My priority is to enhance the level of front-line policing services to the public, and overtime plays a key role in this. The nature of Garda work, and the requirement that the Garda authorities respond at short notice to immediate policing demands, mean that overtime expenditure is...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: Data provided by the Garda authorities concerning the number, volume and value of cocaine seizures for the period 2000 to 2005, inclusive, are summarised in the following table. Year Quantity No. of Cases Estimated Street Value kg € 2000 18 206 1,260,000 2001 5.3 300 371,000 2002 31.7 429 2,219,000 2003 107.4 566 7,518,000 2004 167.3 753 11,711,000...

Written Answers — Security Industry: Security Industry (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the robbery of cash or goods in transit for the years 2002 to 2006, to date, is as outlined in the following table. Robbery of cash/goods in transit Year Recorded Detected Proceedings Commenced Amount taken € 2006* 8 2 1 1,514,301.00 2005* 44 10 4 6,235,992.46 2004 60 12 6 2,456,133.18 2003 53 10 2 1,855,383.46...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that in July 2005, as part of a submission on the future resource requirements of the Garda Síochána, the Garda Commissioner proposed that, on achieving the current target strength of 14,000 members, we should proceed to expand the force to 15,000 members. Other issues in the Commissioner's submission included proposals for additional civilian staff, the...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I should first point out that charter flights are not the only means by which persons who are illegally resident here are removed from the State. For example, in 2005, a total of 396 persons were deported from the State, of whom 247 were removed on chartered aircraft and the remaining 149 on scheduled commercial aircraft. A further 209 persons who had first claimed asylum in another EU state...

Written Answers — Detention Centres: Detention Centres (27 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Children Act 2001 provides for the detention of children aged up to 16 years in children detention schools and children aged 16 and 17 years in children detention centres, separate from adult institutions. These provisions have not been commenced as separate facilities for 16 and 17 year olds are not yet available. In December of last year Government agreed a series of reforms of the...