Results 12,681-12,700 of 18,733 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Transfer of Execution of Sentences Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I do not propose to accept the amendment. This amendment proposes that a warrant for the provisional arrest of a person may be issued by the High Court on the sworn information of, effectively, a superintendent or a more senior officer, rather than an inspector as is currently provided for in the Bill, given with the consent of the Minister, that a request for the person's provisional arrest...

Transfer of Execution of Sentences Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am not in a position to come up with such an example off the top of my head, but such examples do exist in the domestic context. The 1965 Act is not that old hat. We operated it until very recently and nobody ever made a complaint on the basis of the rank involved.

Transfer of Execution of Sentences Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: Arising from a discussion that Deputies Ó Snodaigh and Costello participated in, this matter was readdressed. I see the force of the amendments and the reason they were tabled. I must indicate that I prefer the wording prepared by the Parliamentary Counsel to either of the two contending amendments, Nos. 19a or 20. I am grateful to the Deputies for drawing my attention to the omission of a...

Transfer of Execution of Sentences Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 19a: In page 8, line 38, after "custody" to insert "or on bail".

Transfer of Execution of Sentences Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: These amendments relate to the powers of the High Court to ensure that any aspect of a sentence other than its duration that is less favourable than the equivalent Irish sentence shall not be imposed. Clear examples might be penal servitude or hard labour, as Deputy Costello mentioned. In practice, we may find that some other conditions are also incompatible with Irish sentencing provisions....

Transfer of Execution of Sentences Bill 2003 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I thank Deputies for their contributions to the debate on this Bill today and on previous occasions. The Bill enables Ireland to meet its international obligations in respect of persons who fled from the state in which they were sentenced without having served or completed the sentence imposed by the sentencing state. The arrangements under this Bill will complement the extradition...

Commissions of Investigation: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I move: That Dáil Éireann, —bearing in mind the specific matters considered by the Government to be of significant public concern arising from the making of a confession by Dean Lyons (deceased) about the deaths of Mary Callinan and Sylvia Shiels in March 1997 in Grangegorman, Dublin 7; —noting that it is the opinion of the Government that a commission of investigation represents the...

Commissions of Investigation: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: It is on the way, it is being photocopied as we speak.

Commissions of Investigation: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: No, I was not, I was making amendments to the speech.

Commissions of Investigation: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I thank the Deputies for their compliments.

Commissions of Investigation: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The draft order is accompanied by a statement of reasons for establishing the commission, as required by the Commissions of Investigation Act, and a similar motion will be brought before Seanad Éireann. Under the provisions of the Act, the order establishing the commission must specify the matter that is to be investigated. The draft order which is before the House describes it in the...

Commissions of Investigation: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am glad to hear that because it means we are on the same wavelength. It struck me today that there was an infelicity in the way in which the motion was drafted, and that is the reason for the delay in circulating the script. The draft order authorises me as the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to set the commission's terms of reference. If such provision were not made, that...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: A key element of the Government's decentralisation programme is the selection of Longford as the location for the headquarters of the Irish Prison Service. It is expected that the building of the new headquarters will commence later this year and it is scheduled for occupation in early 2007. The question of recruiting new civil servants to transfer to Longford by way of open competition does...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: In its report that was published recently, the auctioneering and estate agency review group recommended that all auctioneering, estate agency, property letting and property management agencies be licensed and regulated by a new regulatory authority. Following Government approval, my Department is preparing legislation to give effect to the new property services regulatory authority. In the...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The applications referred to by the Deputy were for family members to join their parents in the State. The parents were granted permission to remain in the State based on parentage of an Irish born child. On 18 July 2003 the Government announced its policy on non-nationals in the above circumstances. On family reunification and Irish born children it was announced that there is no presumption...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 343 and 347 together. The join parent visa applications were refused by my Department on 17 February 2004. The reason for refusal was insufficient documentation submitted in support of the applications. There is an extensive set of criteria applied when assessing any visa application. These criteria, to a large extent, depend on the context in which the...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The applicant in question submitted an application for permission to remain in the State on the basis of being the parent of an Irish born child born prior to 1 January 2005 under the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005. One of the conditions of the revised scheme is that certain documents are required to be submitted with an application. The applicant did not suppy all...

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: Following the Government decision to approve my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000, I asked the Garda Commissioner to review the eligibility criteria for entry to the Garda Síochána. I initially increased the maximum age of applicants from 26 to 35 in time for the recruitment competition in November 2004. That change has had a significant effect, with a...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (29 Nov 2005)

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

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the current personnel strength of Bunclody Garda station as at 25 November 2005 is five, all ranks. This compares to a strength of three, all ranks, on 31 December 1997. On Garda resources generally, I am pleased that the Government has approved my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to 14,000 members on a phased basis, in line...