Results 13,701-13,720 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — : (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 682 and 683 together. My Department makes refund of fees to members of staff in accordance with the provisions of Department of Finance circular 21/78. This provides for refunds to courses in the following areas: degrees of bachelor or master of arts or commerce; accountancy; business administration; business studies; computer science; economics; general...

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

Michael McDowell: The information requested by the Deputy is as follows: the cost of briefcases purchased since May 2002 is €3,672.07; the number of briefcases purchased since May 2002 is 33 and the largest single amount paid for a briefcase was €202.50. There have been no refunds made to staff in respect of purchases of briefcases during this time.

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

Michael McDowell: I can inform the Deputy that, after evaluation of a number of personal digital assistant-mobile mail devices, the Blackberry platform has been selected for use in my Department. Since 17 May 2002, Blackberry units have been assigned to 62 of my Department's staff and a small number of other devices have been acquired for research and evaluation purposes. The current cost of these devices is...

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

Michael McDowell: I understand the Deputy has clarified that he is looking for the number of staff in my Department who are currently on sick leave absence of more than six months. There are currently 13 staff in my Department on sick leave of more than six months duration. Staff returning from long-term sick leave are required to provide a medical certificate detailing fitness to resume duty. Occasionally,...

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

Michael McDowell: The following amounts have been paid to the company in question by my Department for each of the years in question: in 2000, nil; in 2001, €8,686.80; in 2002, €20,328; in 2003, €23,861.30; in 2004, €14,520 and in 2005, €14,520. All figures include VAT. These payments are in respect of access to vendor-independent research material, briefings and advisory services on the IT industry...

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

Michael McDowell: The contracts and services provided to my Department by the company in question since 2000 have been outlined below. A contract was awarded to supply and implement a financial management system for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Courts Service, the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Síochána. This contract was awarded to the company in question in March 2002. The...

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

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the current full-time juvenile liaison officer allocated to Gorey district is based in Arklow Garda station. This full-time juvenile liaison officer deals with and monitors referrals under the juvenile diversion programme for qualifying young people from the Gorey...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (18 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 690 and 691 together. I understand from the Garda authorities that heroin abuse is a relatively new phenomenon in the Gorey town area. Gorey and its hinterland is one of the fastest growing areas in the south east and is now a satellite town of Dublin with many people from the greater Dublin area settled in the local community. I am informed by the Garda...

Written Answers — Garda Remuneration: Garda Remuneration (13 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The starting pay for a member of the Garda Síochána is €23,598 per annum rising to a maximum of €42,404 over 17 years on an incremental scale. The estimated total annual payroll costs including pay, allowances and employers' PRSI, but excluding overtime, for a member of the force in his-her first year following qualification from the Garda college is €39,767. It is difficult for me to...

Written Answers — Garda Training: Garda Training (13 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the provision of training in suicide is delivered by the social and psychological studies section of the student-probationer training faculty at the Garda college. The training is provided on phase III of the student-probationer education-training and...

Written Answers — Gender Discrimination: Gender Discrimination (13 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy may be aware, the examination of Ireland's combined fourth and fifth reports on progress under the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, CEDAW, was held in New York in July 2005, following the submission of the reports in June 2003. The CEDAW committee issues concluding comments and recommendations for further action following the...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (13 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The reception and integration agency is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers through the policy of dispersal and direct provision. The agency seeks to meet its obligations regarding the accommodation of asylum seekers in a sensitive, balanced and proportionate way and maintains a spread of centres throughout the country. The agency monitors its accommodation on an ongoing...

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (13 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Garda investigation into the death of the person referred to has not been re-opened. However, the Garda authorities inform me that, following consideration of the matter, they have decided that they should conduct a review of the original investigation. This review is being carried out under the direction of a detective chief superintendent from the national bureau of criminal...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (13 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The role of the Garda is to investigate alleged offences, to gather whatever evidence may be available and to submit a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP. The question of whether a particular person should be prosecuted, and for what criminal offence, is the responsibility of the DPP. The DPP, who is independent in the performance of his functions, makes his decision on the...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (13 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The persons referred to by the Deputy made separate applications for refugee status in the State in November 1998 and February 2001 and their cases were considered separately. Both applications were rejected and following further consideration of their cases under section 3 (6) of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, deportation orders issued. In the meantime they married each other on 30...

Written Answers — Garda Recruitment: Garda Recruitment (13 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I recently made a number of changes to the rules governing entry to An Garda Síochána, including removing the requirement to hold a qualification in both Irish and English in the leaving certificate or equivalent, in favour of a requirement, instead, to hold a qualification in two languages, at least one of which must be Irish or English. Irish society is increasingly multi-ethnic and...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (13 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The visa applications were received by my Department on 2 August 2005, and were for the purposes of allowing the children of two non-EEA nationals travel to the State to reside with them here. It appears that the father of the children was a work permit holder for a number of years. Subsequently, both he and his wife applied for residency in the State based solely on parentage of a child born...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (13 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy will be aware that the primary responsibility for funding agencies providing health and welfare services to the victims of domestic violence rests with the Department of Health and Children. My Department has provided funding to such non-governmental organisations at the level set out in the tabular statement below. This financial assistance has been provided in respect of such...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (13 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person in question must make a written application to the immigration division of my Department for permission to remain in the State providing details as to his circumstances, address and identity.

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (12 Oct 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 to 360, inclusive, together. I propose to take these questions together as they all concern the illegal and harmful uses of the Internet. The Internet is an international and world-wide phenomenon with no borders and no single organisation controlling it. Measures to combat child pornography or other illegal materials and activities on the Internet are...