Results 12,721-12,740 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

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...

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...