Results 12,701-12,720 of 18,733 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Refugee Status: Refugee Status (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The applicant arrived in the State in September 1997 and claimed asylum. The application was refused in June 1999 and that decision was upheld on appeal in August 2000. The person concerned was granted, as an exceptional measure, temporary leave to remain in the State for an initial period of one year with effect from 19 May 2005. An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the...

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

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that in 2004 two mountain bikes were allocated to the Bridewell Garda station for use by the community policing unit. However, due to wear and tear, both bikes became unavailable for use in July 2005. However, there are currently ten bicycles allocated within the...

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

Michael McDowell: Following Government approval, the Department is preparing legislation to give effect to the new national property services regulatory authority. In the interim, I am proceeding with arrangements to facilitate the establishment of the new authority at an early date. The new regulatory authority will be responsible for the licensing and regulation of a range of property services including...

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

Michael McDowell: The roll out of e-mail to the Garda Síochána is under way. It is now available to all gardaí from superintendent rank upwards and this includes the Dublin north central division. The gardaí have plans for significant further extension of the system next year.

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

Michael McDowell: This matter has been the subject of considerable correspondence over the years and I have recently corresponded further with the person referred to by the Deputy. The Garda authorities inform me that this case was the subject of a thorough Garda investigation and a person was tried and acquitted in connection with it. It is a matter for the gardaí to investigate reported crimes and to gather...

Written Answers — Private Security Industry: Private Security Industry (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: My concern about unacceptable elements within the private security industry was one of the reasons I brought forward the Private Security Services Act 2004 to regulate the private security industry. It should be noted that the Security Institute of Ireland is a separate body, independent of my Department and the Private Security Authority. The Private Security Authority is the statutory body...

Written Answers — Drugs in Prisons: Drugs in Prisons (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 355 to 357, inclusive, together. There is currently a range of measures employed in the Irish Prison Service with the aim of eliminating both the supply of and the demand for drugs within the prison system. These include education, treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicted offenders. Drug treatment services for prisoners involve a significant...

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 — 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.

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: Section 16 of the Criminal Evidence Act 1992 provides that a video recording of any evidence given by a person under 17 years of age in respect of sexual or violent offences shall be admissible at a trial as evidence. My predecessor as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform established a committee to draw up guidelines for persons involved in video recording interviews with a...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for long-term residency in September 2005. On receipt of the documentation submitted it was noted that he would not meet the qualifying criteria until the middle of November 2005. His application was subsequently held by the Department until such time as he did qualify for long-term residency. The immigration division of my...

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

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by officials in the citizenship section of my Department that there is no record of an application for naturalisation having been lodged by the person concerned. The person in question has an ongoing application for residency in the State on the separate basis of marriage to an Irish national. It should be noted that marriage to an Irish national does not confer an...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The reception and integration agency is charged with providing quality accommodation which promotes the well being of all asylum seekers and decisions regarding the reassignment or closure of centres are made in the context of the overall demand for accommodation. As considerable numbers of asylum seekers have left accommodation having received leave to remain in the State on the basis of...

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

Michael McDowell: A visa application was refused by the Department in September 2005. The authorities dealing with this matter have been informed that the Department, in co-operation with the Department of Foreign Affairs, and in particular in the interest of the child, are happy to grant a re-entry visa to the mother of the child to allow her to travel to Britain to visit and initiate a familiarisation...

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

Michael McDowell: The person concerned arrived in the State on 25 April 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 May 2005 that the...

Written Answers — Road Traffic Offences: Road Traffic Offences (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Road Traffic Act 2002 provides that equipment used by the Garda Síochána to detect speeding must be of a type that has been approved by the Commissioner or another member of the Garda Síochána not below the rank of chief superintendent authorised in that behalf by the Commissioner, or the chief executive officer of the National Roads Authority or another officer of that authority...

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

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the Garda strength nationally and in the Dublin metropolitan region as at year ends 2002, 2003 and 2004 and at 28 November 2005, was as set out in the following table: Date National Strength DMR Strength 31 December 2002 11,895 3,516 31 December 2003...

Written Answers — Property Rights: Property Rights (29 Nov 2005)

Michael McDowell: The principal legislation in Ireland dealing with theft, prior to the enactment of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001, was the Larceny Act 1916. On the specific point raised by the Deputy, it is outside the scope of my functions to provide legal advice and I could not, with propriety, do so.

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

Michael McDowell: Under the Government's decentralisation programme, close to 1,000 posts from nine agencies under the aegis of my Department will transfer to seven different locations around the country. The latest figures from the central applications facility indicate that out of an overall total of 819 applications for these posts, 53 are from people who are currently working in the decentralising...

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

Michael McDowell: I have recently approved the application for a certificate of naturalisation by the person referred to. A letter conveying my decision, as well as the procedures which must be finalised before a certificate of naturalisation can issue, is due to be sent in the next week or so to the person concerned. Once these procedures are completed, a certificate of naturalisation will issue as soon as...