Results 12,221-12,240 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: This instrument is based on Title IV of the treaty establishing the European Community which deals with visas, asylum, immigration and other policies related to free movement of persons. Ireland and the United Kingdom do not automatically participate in such measures and participation is on the basis of the protocol on the position of Ireland and the United Kingdom, annexed to the treaty on...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The directive in question is being implemented in Ireland via the existing national scheme of compensation for personal injuries criminally inflicted, which is an administrative scheme laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas and operated by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal, CICT. My Department is satisfied that legislative change is not necessary to give effect to the directive....

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: There are currently six staff on paid full-time study leave, while 166 staff are undertaking part-time or evening study paid for by the Department. The figure of 166 includes 70 staff from the Department and its agencies who are completing a one-year Diploma in Justice Studies, a specially designed course developed by the Institute of Public Administration. Department of Finance Circular...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the area referred to is policed by uniform and detective gardaí from Irishtown Garda station. Patrolling is also undertaken by the divisional crime task force, the community policing unit and the crime prevention unit. A number of incidents of vandalism and intimidation in the area are currently under investigation by gardaí. Gardaí recently held...

Written Answers — Departmental Appointments: Departmental Appointments (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement: Name of Board Number of Public Appointments since 1997 (including re-appointments) Interim Parole Board 15 Peace Commissioners 921 Prison Visiting Committees 463 Prisons Authority Interim Board 14 National Crime Council 77 Land Registry/Registry of Deeds Interim Board 6 Registration...

Written Answers — Departmental Appointments: Departmental Appointments (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table: Name of Board Vacancy Censorship of Publications Board 1 Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal 1 National Crime Council 1 Committee on Court Practice & Procedure 1 Interim Parole Board 1 Arbour Hill Prison Visiting Committee 2 Clover Hill Prison Visiting Committee 2 Loughan House Place of...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1112 and 1113 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that it is not generally their policy to make any comment regarding the existence or otherwise of any intelligence information that relates to the security of the State.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides for two methods by which non-nationals who are married to Irish citizens can obtain Irish citizenship. Non-nationals who are married to Irish citizens, who are Irish other than by marriage, naturalisation or honorary citizenship, can make a declaration of Irish citizenship as post-nuptial citizenship following three years of...

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: In June 1991, a Garda youth diversion project was established in Ballymun, Dublin 11 under the acronym BAY. The community based committee established a limited company, trading as BAY Limited, to act as a management agency to manage the project. In February 2003, this limited company was wound up and consequently the project closed. I understand that the community relations section of the...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person in question made an application for permission to remain in Ireland under the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005, for the parents of Irish born children born before 1 January 2005. One of the requirements of these revised arrangements is that the applicant must have been continuously resident in Ireland with their Irish born child since its date of birth....

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that as the incident involving the person referred to is sub judice it would not be appropriate for me to comment at this time. I am further informed by the Garda authorities that the legal position regarding a person not giving their name to the Garda Síochána is as follows: section 24(2) of the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994 states that...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person to whom the Deputy refers arrived in the State on 11 May 2001 and sought asylum. It was decided to refuse refugee status and a deportation order in respect of the person was made on 22 February 2005. Judicial review proceedings challenging the deportation order were instituted on 27 April 2005 and, accordingly, as the matter is sub judice, I do not propose to comment further.

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The applicant applied to join his spouse in Ireland on a long-term basis. The visa application in question was refused by my Department at initial stage on 19 November 2005 on several grounds. First, the visa officer was not satisfied that an adequate relationship history existed prior to the marriage. Second, on the basis of documentation supplied in support of the application, there were...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 14 March 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 Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Subsequently, in accordance with section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, he was informed by letter dated 16 February 2005 that the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: In October 2005 I sought and obtained Government approval for the publication of the report of the auctioneering and estate agency review group, for the establishment of a new regulatory authority to assume responsibility for the licensing and regulation of auctioneers, estate agents, property letting and property management agents and for the preparation of legislation to give effect to the...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: The person to whom the Deputy refers arrived in the State on 27 April 2005 and applied for a declaration of refugee status. On 3 May 2005, the person withdrew that application and made an application for leave to remain under the revised arrangements for the processing of applications from the non-national parents of Irish-born children born before 1 January 2005. Based on the refusal of...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the total number of gardaí allocated to the traffic corps as at 31 December 2005 was 570 — all ranks. While the members of the traffic corps are specifically dedicated to traffic duties, all gardaí have responsibility, to deal, inter alia, with traffic duties as they arise. As a result of the Government's approval of my proposal to...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: This visa application was approved by my Department on 11 January 2006.

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that members of the Garda Síochána enforce the law on cycling on footpaths on an ongoing basis. When traffic is heavy it is difficult for Garda motorcyclists and patrol cars to intercept offenders, and the most effective means of targeting this offence is through the use of Garda mountain bike units. I have been assured by the Garda authorities that...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (25 Jan 2006)

Michael McDowell: I commissioned the auctioneering-estate agency review group in July 2004 to examine the licensing and regulatory requirements for property practitioners against a background of serious public concern regarding certain selling practices in the property industry. The review group reported in July 2005 and made a number of recommendations aimed at protecting consumers from such practices as...