Results 10,961-10,980 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (4 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: A traffic corps, headed by an assistant commissioner, was established within the Garda Síochána in November 2004. The number of gardaí assigned exclusively to traffic duties is increasing dramatically — from approximately 530 members of the traffic corps in 2004 to 803 in 2006, 1030 in 2007 and 1,200 in 2008. Some 240 additional gardaí will join the corps in the course of 2006. I am...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (4 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: An application for permission to remain in the State based on marriage to an Irish national was received from the person concerned in October 2005. Applications of this type, in fairness to all other such applicants, are dealt with in strict chronological order and currently take approximately 16 months to process. It should be noted that marriage to an Irish national does not confer an...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (4 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: The applications referred to by the Deputy were received in the visa office on 11 August 2005. The decision of the visa officer to refuse these applications was made on 18 August 2005. The applications were refused because the visa officer was not satisfied that the applicant had sufficient financial resources to support his family. The visa officer was not satisfied that there would be no...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (4 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: It is the responsibility of the Garda Síochána to put in place appropriate and proportionate operational policing plans for rallies, parades and similar events in the public arena. A comprehensive policing plan was prepared and put in place ahead of the so-called Love Ulster demonstration which took place in Dublin on 25 February 2006, based on all information then available to the Garda...

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (4 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: E-mail facilities are currently available to all gardaí from superintendent rank and above and this allows for e-mail correspondence with members of the public where appropriate. Access to e-mail is also provided to other individual members of the Garda Síochána where required, based on operational needs. I am advised by the Garda authorities that the Garda Síochána information and...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (4 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I wish to inform the Deputy that I have requested the Land Registry to contact him directly concerning the current position of the application in question. I understand that in circumstances where the completion of an application in a particular case is urgent, the Land Registry will make every reasonable effort to facilitate such requests on receipt of a written explanation as to the reason...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (4 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I informed the Deputy in response to Parliamentary Question No. 552 on 21 February 2006 that it was likely that the application of the person concerned would be finalised in or around the end of 2007. That is still the position.

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

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 454 and 455 together. The witness security programme was established in 1997 in response to the activities of organised criminal gangs to facilitate those persons who are prepared to give evidence against alleged offenders. The programme continues to operate under the direct control and administration of the Garda Commissioner. It is not the practice and it...

Written Answers — Law on Perjury: Law on Perjury (4 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: Perjury, that is, the giving of false evidence on oath or affirmation, is an offence at common law, although a number of statutes also address matters incidental to the offence. The offence is committed by any person lawfully sworn as a witness or as an interpreter in a judicial proceeding who wilfully makes a statement, material in that proceeding, which he or she knows to be false or does...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (4 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: While there are general claims of under reporting of crime, there is no evidence that the level of under reporting now is any greater than in the past, or that the proportion of unreported crime in Ireland is any greater than in other jurisdictions. The problems of unreported and unrecorded crime are well documented in the international criminological literature, and are in no way unique to...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (4 Apr 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that gender is recorded as male or female and there are currently no plans in place to capture additional information on gender status. I am further informed that a number of gardaí have received special familiarisation training and were appointed as liaison officers to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, GLBT. The Garda authorities...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (30 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that there are no plans for the construction of a new Garda station in the Knocklyon area of County Dublin. As part of the ongoing Garda building programme the position with regard to Garda stations in south County Dublin is as follows: at Dundrum, the Office of Public Works is seeking a site to construct a new Garda station; at Kill O' the...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (30 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength (all ranks) of the Garda Síochána as at 31 December 1997 and 20 March 2006 was 10,702 and 12,445, respectively. This represents an increase of 1,743 or 16.3% in the personnel strength of the Garda Síochána during that period. I...

Written Answers — Vehicle Sales: Vehicle Sales (30 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 206 together. As a general principle, the law of arbitration is concerned with procedures for deciding disputes outside the ordinary courts system. It is an essential characteristic of the arbitration process, in this jurisdiction as in others, that the decision of the arbitrator is intended to be final and binding upon the parties. This does not,...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (30 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength, all ranks, of the Garda Síochána as at 31 December 1997 and 20 March 2006 was 10,702 and 12,445, respectively. This represents an increase of 1,743, or 16.3%, in the personnel strength of the Garda Síochána during that period. I...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (30 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I presume that the Deputy is referring to the Tralee, Listowel and Castleisland Garda districts which form part of the Kerry division. I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength, all ranks, of the Garda Síochána as at 31 December 1997 and 20 March 2006 was 10,702 and 12,445,...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (30 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength, all ranks, of the Garda Síochána as at 31 December 1997 and 20 March 2006 was 10,702 and 12,445, respectively. This represents an increase of 1,743, or 16.3%, in the personnel strength of the Garda Síochána during that period. I...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (30 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: My information from the Minister of State is that he made no such commitment to this group. As indicated in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 160 of 9 March 2006, there are no moneys available in my Department out of which funding can be made available to the group.

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (30 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that gardaí in Finglas are aware of the problems caused by quad and motor bikes being driven in enclosed parks in that area. A number of initiatives have commenced in the division which utilise the services of the Garda air support unit, the divisional task force, traffic units and district community policing personnel. These initiatives target the...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (30 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The requirements for issue of a study visa can be found on my Department's website at www.justice.ie. The guidelines are intended to assist frequent and high volume users of the student visa scheme. The principal criteria applied are that the prospective student should have enrolled in a full-time course of study which requires physical daytime attendance of at least 15 hours a week, should...