Results 14,201-14,220 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

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

Michael McDowell: An extensive review of the Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1956 to 1986 was carried out in 2000 by an interdepartmental group which made recommendations for legislative amendments in this area. Draft legislation is under consideration in my Department to update key elements of the provisions relating to gaming. These new provisions will focus in particular on the area of gaming stake and prize...

Written Answers — Prison Drug Treatment Services: Prison Drug Treatment Services (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 361 to 363, inclusive, together. As envisaged in the programme for Government, the introduction of mandatory drug testing will play an important role in supporting future policy on drug supply and demand reduction in prisons. Prisoners accommodated in the open centres at Shelton Abbey and Loughan House and in the designated drug free areas of the...

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

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy will be aware, applications for refugee status in the State are determined by an independent process comprising the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner, ORAC, and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, RAT, which make recommendations to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on whether such status should be granted. While it is not the practice to comment in detail...

Written Answers — Departmental Records: Departmental Records (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I refer to Question No. 372 and have set out below the information requested in relation to sick leave in 2004 for the Irish Prison Service, the probation and welfare service and the Courts Service. I am still awaiting the information for the Garda Síochána. When I receive it, I will forward it to the Deputy directly. Division No. of man-days lost in sick leave Rate per Person % of...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (29 Jun 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 — all ranks — of Enniscorthy, New Ross and Gorey Garda stations as at 28 June 2005 was as set out in the table hereunder: Station Strength Enniscorthy 32 New Ross 32 Gorey 39 I have been further informed by the Garda...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy may be aware that the group in question has been awarded staffing grant assistance of €178,263 to date, under the equal opportunities child care programme, EOCP, 2000-06. I understand that an application for capital grant assistance under the EOCP was submitted by this group to my Department in January 2004. This application has been forwarded to Area Development Management Ltd.,...

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

Michael McDowell: Applications for permission to remain in the State under the revised arrangements announced by me on 15 January 2005 for the processing of applications from the non-national parents of Irish-born children born before 1 January 2005 were received from the persons concerned on 11 February 2005. Some 18,000 applications for permission to remain were received under the revised arrangements and...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that this is an application under section 49, that is, acquisition of title by virtue of long possession, under the Registration of Title Act 1964, which was lodged on 28 January, 2003. Dealing No. D2003CR000781J refers. I understand that, due to their complicated nature, applications under section 49, which require detailed examination of claims for...

Written Answers — Court Proceedings: Court Proceedings (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 352 and 353 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that no cases have been abandoned since 2003 in the Enniscorthy Garda district due to delays. I am further informed by the Garda authorities that there were no cases abandoned since 2003 in the Wexford Garda district due to warrants being out of date.

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my recent answer to Question No. 173 on Thursday 12 May 2005. I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that the position concerning the average waiting time for registration on a county basis has not altered significantly since I answered that question.

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I assure the Deputy that all Garda accommodation is continually under review to ensure that it meets the operational requirements of the Garda Síochána. Where it does not, then the required refurbishment or construction works are completed by the Office of Public Works — which has responsibility for the vast majority of Garda properties — with all due urgency and in accordance with...

Written Answers — Prisoner Escort Service: Prisoner Escort Service (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: It is not my intention to comment on operational matters pertaining to another jurisdiction. The monitoring of any proposed contracted out prisoner escort service will be comprehensively detailed in the tender documents currently under preparation by my officials. The brief of the Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention in carrying out an inspection of any prison or place of detention...

Written Answers — Prisoner Escort Service: Prisoner Escort Service (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Likely costs of a contracted out service are dependent on the outcome of the competitive tendering process involved and the Deputy will appreciate that the publication of estimated costs and savings by me would compromise this process. However, studies carried out on prisoner escorts in this jurisdiction are unanimous in identifying the potential for significant improvements in economy and...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Since January 2004, a total of 21 persons have been removed to Kosovo on foot of deportation orders. As the Department's records do not distinguish between applicants as to their ethnicity, it is not possible to provide the Deputy with a breakdown as to how many of those persons belonged to the Roma community. However, I assure him that full consideration is given to the circumstances of all...

Written Answers — Prison Reports: Prison Reports (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 359 and 360 together. The Inspector of Prisons and Places of Detention was appointed to inspect prisons and to report to the Minister of the day. It has been the practice since the appointment of the current inspector to lay his reports before the Houses of the Oireachtas and publish them on the Department's website. On one occasion, in the case of his second...

Written Answers — Garda Complaints Procedures: Garda Complaints Procedures (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Síochána Bill 2004, now at the final stage of its passage through the Oireachtas, provides inter alia for the establishment of a fully independent ombudsman commission, which will have wide powers to investigate complaints made against members of the Garda Síochána and a Garda inspectorate, the main functions of which will be to promote efficiency...

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The person referred to by the Deputy has received no form of temporary release since his committal to prison. I am also informed that his case will next be reviewed by the parole board in or around August 2007. The Deputy will be aware that there are provisions whereby victims of serious crime, or members of their family, who indicate such a wish will be notified whenever significant...

Written Answers — Crime Levels: Crime Levels (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: As regards crime figures, the Deputy will be aware that on becoming Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I arranged for the publication of headline crime statistics on a quarterly basis in order to improve the quality of information available to the public. While caution should be exercised in interpreting levels of crime between quarters, I am pleased to note that during my term of...

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

Michael McDowell: The correspondence to which the Deputy refers has been received and the person concerned has recently been granted permission to remain in the State with an exemption from work permit requirements.

Written Answers — Prison Accommodation: Prison Accommodation (29 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I draw the Deputy's attention to my response to a question which was taken on 4 May, 2005 — reference No. 14281/05 — and to the Adjournment Debates on 12 and 19 November 2003, in which I outlined the rationale behind the proposal to put in place alternative arrangements for the operation of Loughan House. I also refer the Deputy to my responses of 23 June last to two parliamentary...