Results 11,341-11,360 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

North-South Co-operation. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I welcome this important document because it represents a positive contribution to the agenda of North-South co-operation. The Government is focused on developing North-South co-operation across a full spectrum of areas. In terms of the specific areas referred to by the Deputy, a wide range of co-operation is already in place. An intergovernmental agreement on police co-operation was signed...

North-South Co-operation. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have great sympathy for the Deputy's point that a single agency should combine the functions of CAB and ARA on an all-island basis. There is significant scope for cross-Border agencies of this kind and the changes made to the Constitution in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement make provision for their establishment. As a footnote, on a recent perusal of archival material in my...

North-South Co-operation. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy wants to find one point of disagreement.

North-South Co-operation. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The document will be closely studied and the Deputy can rest assured the Government has a substantial appetite for North-South co-operation in criminal justice matters.

Criminal Prosecutions. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: As I have informed the House on previous occasions, this matter has been the subject of a considerable amount of correspondence over the years. The Garda authorities inform me that the case concerns an offence in which the person referred to by the Deputy was fired at and assaulted. The case was the subject of a thorough Garda investigation and a file was submitted to the Director of Public...

Departmental Funding. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am satisfied there is adequate provision in the 2006 allocations to implement the major provisions of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. The Garda budget for 2006 is €1.29 billion, an all-time high, and represents an increase of 13% on the allocation for 2005, which was itself a record allocation. The Act provides for the establishment of a number of new organisations, in particular the Garda...

Departmental Funding. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: With regard to local policing committees, these will not be provided with new buildings or furniture. The committees will function in existing premises. Most of the associated costs are administrative, and most of the support for the committees themselves will be supplied by administrative staff from existing bodies. There are funding programmes which already aid bodies such as community...

Departmental Funding. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: Under the Garda Síochána Act, the Minister gives overall policing priorities for the year to the Garda Commissioner. The Commissioner's function is to come up with proposals of his own with regard to individual areas of policing operations and give them to the Minister. If the Deputy is asking me if I order the Commissioner to buy an extra set of trousers for every garda——

Departmental Funding. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: ——and cut back on batons or overtime, I do not.

Departmental Funding. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The water cannon is a very simple issue, and perhaps the Deputy will hear my answer. I asked the Commissioner, in light of recent events, whether it was satisfactory that the six water cannons in Northern Ireland, costing approximately £800,000 sterling, or over €1 million each, are the sole source of water cannons on this island.

Departmental Funding. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: It was the Commissioner's view that if one water cannon was bought, another would have to be purchased as they are complex instruments and if one breaks down there would have to be a back-up. In his view, he would get much better value for €2 million relying on the mutual assistance arrangements between the PSNI and the Garda, rather than having water cannons lying in a depot. I can imagine...

Departmental Funding. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: If somebody were to analyse today's Question Time and compare it with the Second Stage speeches earlier——

Crime Prevention. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: A number of initiatives have been undertaken by the community relations section of the Garda Síochána during the last ten years in response to crime directed against tourists. Crime prevention cards and booklets are made available to tourists through airports, car hire firms, tourist accommodation and at tourist attractions. These provide information on personal security and give advice on...

Crime Prevention. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: To be a victim of crime while visiting any country is appalling and it wrecks a tourist's whole experience. There is in all European countries a tendency in criminal quarters to target tourists and I do not believe we are any different. However, 500 out of the total who visit Ireland is a very small minority. We have set up the Irish Tourist Assistance Service which had 293 referrals in 2005,...

Crime Prevention. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: I agree but, comparatively speaking, foreign tourists in Ireland are safer than in many, if not most, places in Europe.

Explosive Devices. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy will be aware that there have been three recorded incidents involving the use of so-called pipe bombs recently in Dublin, all of which required the services of an Army explosives ordnance disposal, EOD, team. In the first incident, which occurred at approximately 4.25 p.m. on 8 February 2006 outside a residence in Coolock, a small, flask-like object fell from the boot of a car on...

Explosive Devices. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: It is a slightly different question but since the Deputy asked——

Explosive Devices. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: There is a significant difference between firearms and pipe bombs and the firearms issue is far more serious.

Explosive Devices. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: What am I talking about?

Explosive Devices. (9 Mar 2006)

Michael McDowell: Is a hoax pipe bomb a firearm?