Results 14,301-14,320 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

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

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 611 and 612 together. The question of the extension of the terms of reference of the Morris tribunal to cover the tragic event in question was raised by the person concerned and by Members of the House around the time of the establishment of the tribunal. I also understand that it was the subject of a request under the Freedom of information Act which was...

Written Answers — Naturalisation Applications: Naturalisation Applications (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation by the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the citizenship section of my Department in February 2003. Section 15 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, provides that an applicant for naturalisation must have a period of one year's continuous residence in the State before the date of the application and a...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that this is an application for transmission of part which was lodged on 24 March 2004. Dealing Number D2004SM002579W refers. I am further informed that this application is in the final stages of completion and, subject to no queries arising, will be completed within the next few weeks.

Written Answers — Civil Service Allowances: Civil Service Allowances (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The position with regard to the payment of travel and subsistence to the staff concerned was set out in my replies to Questions Nos. 198 and 199 on 16 June 2004. I indicated that the payment of travel and subsistence is governed by the provisions of Department of the Public Service Circular 11/82. It is a matter for each Department to determine whether it would be appropriate to make travel...

Written Answers — Firearms Offences: Firearms Offences (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: According to the Garda authorities the category of "pistol-revolver" on the crime recording system is broad and captures different types of pistols and revolvers including starting pistols, air pistols, antique pistols and flare pistols. Starting pistols, antique pistols and flare pistols do not require a firearm certificate for possession, use or carriage. Where an air pistol falls under the...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (28 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 of Killucan Garda station as at 24 June 2005 was one garda. As I stated in my reply to Question No. 263 of 18 May 2005, it is the responsibility of the divisional officer to allocate personnel within his or her division. I am advised...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (28 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 27 January 2005. Some 18,000 applications were received under the revised arrangements and more than 7,600 have been...

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

Michael McDowell: I regret that it has not been possible in the time available to obtain the information requested by the Deputy. I will contact the Deputy again when the information is to hand.

Written Answers — Prisoner Transfers: Prisoner Transfers (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not received formal applications for transfer to this country under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons in respect of these persons. The Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons requires extensive documentation to be exchanged between both jurisdictions to allow an application to be fully considered. A...

Written Answers — Film Censorship: Film Censorship (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Under Section 6(2) of the Censorship of Films Act 1923, it is an offence to knowingly exhibit in public a film in the presence of any person who is not a member of the class in whose presence such a film is authorised to be exhibited. The staff of the film censor's office includes an inspector, one of whose duties includes visiting cinemas to ensure compliance with the aforementioned Act....

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 623 and 624 together. I am informed by the Garda authorities that the weapon in question, which was never claimed, was destroyed, together with other weaponry, in July 2000, as the storage site — Clancy Barracks — had been sold. In this regard, when cases are finalised in the courts or if no charges are preferred, items such as this are returned to the...

Written Answers — National Drugs Strategy: National Drugs Strategy (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government's overall policy to tackle the drug problem is set out in the National Drugs Strategy 2001-2008, Building on Experience, and responsibility for co-ordinating the implementation of the strategy lies with my colleague, Deputy Noel Ahern, Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Under the current national strategy,...

Written Answers — Equality Matters: Equality Matters (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Equality Authority is independent in the performance of its functions. It is open to the Equality Authority in this case to appeal to the Supreme Court. The time allowed for lodging an appeal has not yet elapsed. It would be inappropriate, therefore, for me to comment at this stage other than to welcome the judge's finding that the relevant sections of the Equal Status Act are constitutional.

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have received a number of reports on this matter from the Garda authorities who have informed me that on 2 June, 2005, the person referred to by the Deputy was arrested for an offence under Section 112 of the Road Traffic Acts 1964-1994 unauthorised taking of a vehicle, and conveyed to Store Street Garda station. Upon arrival, the person was processed, subjected to a search and placed in a...

Written Answers — Departmental Revenue: Departmental Revenue (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I take it the Deputy is referring to appropriations-in-aid received into my Department's Votes for each of the calendar years 1995 to 1998 — the financial year for Departments and offices is the calendar year. The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement, which reflects the levels of appropriations-in-aid for the years in question including a...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I listened to SenatorCummins giving out about the fact that many years after CCTV was in existence I decided to provide a legal basis for it. The fact is that it was only in the context of looking at CCTV that we asked the Attorney General's office if it was happy that we were operating it without a statutory basis and the advise was that there should be a statutory basis for it under the...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: It reminds me of the remark that was attributed, probably unfairly, to the former Taoiseach, Garrett FitzGerald——

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: ——"That is all right in practice but how will it work out in theory?" CCTV has been in operation for years and we never worked out the theory of it. We are now getting the theory.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: That is right. To answer the point, if I had queried with my Secretary General whether we had a proper statutory basis for this and he said that we will not ask that question because it is too inconvenient, we might be in a very different situation.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report Stage. (28 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: People would be saying that for years we knowingly ran a system which we knew required a statutory basis but we did nothing about it. One cannot win on these issues. Regarding the Commissioner and the centralisation point, the Commissioner's powers can be delegated under section 31. On the basis of what Senator Maurice Hayes talked about, I believe he should say that decisions on the location...