Results 13,681-13,700 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am very much aware of the dangers posed by the use of illegal fireworks and of the distress they cause to people, particularly at this time of year. Consequently, last February I published a fireworks policy consultation document and initiated a process of consultation with a view to bringing forward proposals for amending and strengthening the provisions in the Explosives Act 1875 which...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: Some minor security works are under way at present aimed mainly at securing the property and preventing unauthorised access onto the site. I can also confirm that the removal of three trees near the house which was carried out for safety reasons did not require a tree felling licence and that no breaches of the planning laws or regulations have occurred arising from the various works carried...

Written Answers — Road Safety: Road Safety (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the specific statistics sought by the Deputy for the period in question are not available. However, I can inform her that 211,928 speeding offences were detected in 2004. These figures are provisional and liable to change. It is envisaged that by the completion of the period of the road safety strategy 2004 to 2006, at least 50% of the overall...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the following tables show the indictable offences, by group, for the Garda districts of Bray, which includes the Greystones area; Gorey, which includes the Arklow area; Wicklow and Baltinglass, which includes the Blessington area, for the years 1997 to 1998. In interpreting these figures, account has to be taken of the introduction of the new PULSE...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: An application for capital grant assistance under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006, was submitted by this group to my Department some time ago. The capital grant application was forwarded to Area Development Management Limited, which is engaged by my Department to carry out detailed assessments of all EOCP grant applications. Each application undergoes a thorough...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 661 and 662 together. I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that the applications referred to by the Deputy relate to two applications for transfer of part. Dealing Numbers D2003SM002149U and D2003SM002087R refer. The original registration made regarding this property in the Land Registry appears to be correct in accordance with the documents and maps...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The correspondence referred to by the Deputy relates to an acknowledgment of an application for permission to remain in the State on the basis of marriage to an Irish national. The person in question has been granted permission to remain up to January 2007 on that basis.

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The visa reference number supplied by the Deputy refers to an application that was refused on appeal by my Department on 23 September 2003 and as such has not been under active consideration by my Department for quite some time. It is open to the applicant to make a fresh application with up to date supporting documentation and the matter will be considered anew.

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The application from the person concerned for permission to remain in the State under the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005 for the non-national parents of Irish born children born before 1 January 2005 is currently being processed and a decision in the case will be made shortly.

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The personnel strength of Dunboyne Garda station as at 18 October 2005 is 14 across all ranks. Local Garda management is satisfied that the resources allocated to Dunboyne Garda station are adequate to meet the present policing needs of the area. The accelerated recruitment campaign of 1,100 Garda recruits each year to reach a record force strength of 14,000, in line with the commitment in...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 668 and 669 together. The Explosives Act 1875 provides for the control of the importation, manufacture, storage and sale of fireworks and, under the Act, any person wishing to import fireworks into the State must first obtain an importation licence from me. It is long standing policy to only grant importation licences for organised fireworks displays conducted...

Written Answers — Legal Aid Service: Legal Aid Service (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 670 and 671 together. The number of persons awaiting a first appointment with a solicitor at the end of August 2005 at the centres in question is: Centre Newbridge Law Centre 48 (maximum waiting time 2 months) Carlow (Part Time) Law Centre 23 (maximum waiting time 3 months) These waiting times reflect the progress made by the Legal Aid Board in...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 672 and 673 together. In the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 there were, respectively, 11, 15 and 12 applications for capital grant assistance under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006, from both community based/not for profit groups and private sector child care projects in County Kildare. In the same years, eight, 11 and six capital grants were...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person who is the subject of the correspondence, a Romanian national, arrived in the State on 9 August 1999 and applied for asylum. She was refused refugee status by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and, on appeal, by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. A deportation order was made in respect of her on 11 March 2004 and on 17 November 2004 she was deported from the State....

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned has been granted temporary permission to remain in the State for an initial period of two years, effective from 17 May 2005. Some 18,000 applications for permission to remain were received under the revised arrangements and more than 14,000 have been processed to date.

Written Answers — Childhood Development Initiative: Childhood Development Initiative (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the ten year strategy produced by the Tallaght West Childhood Development Initiative, which seeks to improve children's health, safety, learning and achieving and to increase their sense of community belonging. I understand that officials from a number of Departments, including my own Department and from the National Children's Office, will be meeting representatives of the project...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 677 and 678 together. The press office in my Department is currently staffed by the following personnel: one assistant principal officer; one administrative officer; one executive officer; and one clerical officer. Overtime payments are made to staff up to and including the grades of higher executive officer and administrative officer, as set out in Department...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I assume when the Deputy is referring to compensatory leave he is referring to the situation where staff within the Department work additional hours either before or after normal working hours and opt for time in lieu, instead of extra attendance payments. The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available as the granting of time in lieu is managed at local level, having regard...

Written Answers — : (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I can assure the Deputy that personnel files or personal information of staff in this Department would not be copied or released to external parties, except with the consent of the staff member concerned. Staff within the Department's human resources division are briefed regarding confidentiality of personnel files and comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003 and...

Written Answers — : (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: In light of the scale of this query and the number of agencies involved, it has not been feasible for my Department to prepare a response in the time available. Accordingly, my Department will respond directly in writing to the Deputy with the information requested.