Results 11,881-11,900 of 18,729 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Land Registry: Land Registry (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table: Staffing in the Land Registry and Registry of Deeds since 2000 No. of staff serving at 31 December* Year 582 2000 601 2001 662.8 2002 657.45 2003 651.65 2004 634.15 2005 *The numbers above are expressed as whole-time equivalents

Written Answers — Land Registry: Land Registry (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that the total number of dealings on hands in the Land Registry at 31 December 2005 was 152,775, of which 37,282 were the subject of queries and cannot be proceeded with until a satisfactory reply is received.

Written Answers — Land Registry: Land Registry (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am pleased to be able to inform the Deputy that the Land Registry has achieved significant productivity improvements in recent years, reflecting its business modernisation programme as well as considerable investment by the Government in the provision of new technology for this service. As a consequence, output in 2005 was up 49% on 2002 and the Land Registry was able to respond to the...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the total number of firearms cards issued for year ending the 31 December 2005 was 3,631. In December 2004, in response to a question from Deputy Howlin, I indicated that the Commissioner appointed a working group within the Garda Síochána, chaired by an assistant commissioner, to examine issues relating to the use of firearms in the force with...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Garda Síochána code, volume 1, contains a detailed set of instructions for the recording, storage and disposal of property and exhibits coming into the possession of an Garda Síochána from whatever source. Failure to comply with these instructions may constitute a breach of the Garda Síochána discipline regulations. Work on the development of a new national property and exhibit...

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

Michael McDowell: The application in question was received in my Department on 14 January 2006 for the purpose of allowing a non-EEA national reside in the State. The applicant had recently applied for and been granted a visit visa and is in the State. This visit visa is due to expire on 27 February 2006. The conditions of this visa require the applicant to return to his country of residence and it is then...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: Four members of An Garda Síochána are employed on immigration duties at Knock Airport. These members are drawn from the permanent Garda force in Swinford district in which the airport is located. When not employed on immigration duties at the airport these members are available for deployment on other policing duties within the district. Garda management is satisfied with the current...

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

Michael McDowell: Recent correspondence on the file referred to by the Deputy suggests that the person concerned wishes to obtain Irish citizenship and in this regard she has requested that the correspondence which she submitted be regarded as an application for same. The most appropriate way for her to seek Irish citizenship is through the process of naturalisation. However, it will be necessary for her to...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 15 October 2002 and claimed 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, the person concerned was informed on 19 May 2004 that the...

Written Answers — Land Registry: Land Registry (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I wish to inform the Deputy that I have requested the Land Registry to contact him directly concerning the position of the application in question.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: Legislation is being prepared in my Department which will create a specific offence of trafficking human beings into, through or out of Ireland for the purpose their sexual and labour exploitation. The legislation which is at an advanced stage of preparation will provide for compliance with two EU framework decisions — the framework decision combating trafficking in persons and the...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 450 and 451 together. I have been informed by the Garda authorities which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of the Limerick division as at 31 January 2006 was 483, all ranks. I have been further informed by the Garda authorities that the personnel strength of each Garda station in the...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the information sought is not readily available and that research is necessary to retrieve the relevant data. I will be in further contact with the Deputy when the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: There is no doubt that trafficking in human beings is a global problem. Within the EU indications are that trafficking in human beings takes place on a much smaller scale than illegal immigration. However, the nature of trafficking in human beings, including its clandestine nature and the vulnerability of victims, is such that it is harder to identify and, therefore, quantify. Consequently,...

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

Michael McDowell: The application referred to by the Deputy was refused by my Department in early 2005. When assessing applications of this type, the visa officer will consider, among other factors, whether the level of salary of the worker would come within the ambit of qualifying for payment from public funds. In this regard the criteria set by the Department of Social and Family Affairs for eligibility for...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have requested the Land Registry to contact the Deputy directly concerning the current position of the application in question.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I assume the Deputy is referring to leave to remain applications from persons who are now over 18 years of age but who originally entered the State as unaccompanied minors and made asylum applications that were later refused. I refer the Deputy to the reply I gave to Question No. 91 on Wednesday, 23 November 2005. The consideration given to such cases is the same as that given to other leave...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Equality Act 2004 which was enacted on 18 July 2004 amended both the Employment Equality Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2000 to give effect to EU equality directives, 2000/43/EC, race directive; 2000/78/EC, framework employment directive, and 2002/73/EC, gender equal treatment in employment directive. With this enactment, Irish national law is now fully compliant with the gender equal...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: Legislation is urgently being prepared in my Department which will create a specific offence of trafficking human beings into, through or out of Ireland for the purpose their sexual and labour exploitation. The legislation which is at an advanced stage of preparation will provide for compliance with two EU framework decisions — the framework decision combating trafficking in persons and the...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (7 Feb 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 459 and 469 together. The person concerned arrived in the State on 27 October 2003 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 Office of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. The person concerned was informed by letter dated 10 August 2005 that the...