Results 13,981-14,000 of 18,734 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Prison Inspections: Prison Inspections (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: The office of the inspector of prisons and places of detention was established on a non-statutory basis in 2002. The annual budget for the prisons inspectorate is allocated from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform Vote - Vote No. 19. The expenditure in question was met from that budget in the normal manner.

Written Answers — Prison Service: Prison Service (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: Neither I nor officials from my Department have at any time suggested to the Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention, either by written communication or otherwise, that he should investigate private prisons or partially privatised prisons or the outsourcing of prison services. The inspector is independent in the exercise of his functions.

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: 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 application is made, the personal circumstances of the applicant, and the nature and purpose of the application itself. Government policy of the day will also have an influence on the assessment of applications falling into specific...

Written Answers — Missing Persons: Missing Persons (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Health Service Executive, HSE, has statutory responsibility for the provision of care to unaccompanied minors. I have been informed by the HSE that they report all cases of missing unaccompanied minors to local gardaí and the Garda national immigration bureau. I am unaware of any specific claims to which the Deputy might be referring. The Garda missing persons website is only one of a...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: On 18 December 2002, the third committee of the United Nations General Assembly adopted the draft Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment, OPCAT. Ireland, along with other EU partners, fully supported the draft optional protocol and worked for its adoption at the UN General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights. The object of...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: Work on the completion of Ireland's first periodic report under the United Nations Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is ongoing as a matter of urgency. Preparation of the report has involved my Department consulting with other Departments and bodies in respect of their responsibilities under the convention and that process is almost...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: I assume the Deputy is referring to the procedures under Articles 2 to 9 of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, CEDAW, whereby the CEDAW committee may receive and consider communications from individuals and groups of individuals in the jurisdiction of a state party claiming to be victims of a violation by that state...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: I assume the Deputy is referring to the procedure under Article 14 of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, CERD, whereby the CERD committee may receive and consider communications from individuals or groups of individuals in the jurisdiction of a state party claiming to be victims of a violation by that state party of any of the rights under the...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: In assessing any visa application, the visa officer will consider various matters, including whether it is reasonable in all the circumstances to conclude that the applicant would fully honour the conditions of the visa, that is, if it is unlikely that the applicant would overstay the length of time applied for. The application in question was refused on 18 April 2005 because the visa officer...

Written Answers — Human Rights Issues: Human Rights Issues (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am aware of media reports in respect of Martin Scheinin, the UN Commission on Human Rights' special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. However, I understand from the Department of Foreign Affairs that Professor Scheinin's office has confirmed that neither he, nor any other special rapporteur, is currently...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person concerned was deported from the State on 17 November 2004 following the earlier refusal of his asylum claim and subsequent further consideration of his case under section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, and section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996 (Prohibition of Refoulement). The effect of the deportation order is that the person concerned must leave the State and stay out...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: When assessing any visa application, the visa officer will consider various matters, including whether it is reasonable in all the circumstances to conclude that the applicant would fully honour the conditions of the visa, that is, it is unlikely that the applicant would overstay the length of time applied for. The visa officer will also have regard to information provided and to such factors...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (28 Sep 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 or a declaration of post-nuptial citizenship having been received from either of the persons referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (28 Sep 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 Care Services: Child Care Services (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: I understand that an application for capital grant assistance under the equal opportunities child care programme 2000-2006, EOCP, was submitted by this group to my Department some time ago. This application was forwarded to Area Development Management Limited, ADM, which is engaged by my Department to carry out detailed assessments of all EOCP grant applications. Each application for funding...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: The visa application in question has been approved.

Written Answers — Garda Investigations: Garda Investigations (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: On 27 June I appointed Mr. Shane Murphy SC to conduct an independent review and examination of the Garda Síochána papers relating to the making by the late Mr. Dean Lyons of false inculpatory statements in the course of the Garda investigation into the murders of Mary Callinan and Sylvia Sheils on 6-7 March 1997. Mr. Murphy has submitted his report to me, and I am considering it. I hope to...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the personnel strength of each Garda station in the Dublin metropolitan region, as at year ends 1997 to 2004, inclusive, and as at 26 September 2005, as well as the population covered by each station formulated from the figures gathered in the 2002 census of...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the current position with regard to the five members of the Garda Síochána referred to by the Deputy is that one member was transferred on 24 June 2005; one member retired from the force before his transfer was to come into effect; and one member appealed...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (28 Sep 2005)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy is aware, my Department is responsible for the delivery of the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-2006. This programme, which falls under the regional operational programmes of the national development plan and benefits from significant investment from the EU Structural Funds, aims to increase the availability and quality of child care services. The programme makes...