Results 14,981-15,000 of 18,734 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The first main point that must be made is that the acquisition of Irish citizenship through the naturalisation process is a privilege, not a right. The discretionary nature of the naturalisation process is in keeping with international practice. Thus, it is not the case that a person who has been resident here, or in employment here, or has been granted refugee status here has, after a period...

Written Answers — Liquor Licensing Laws: Liquor Licensing Laws (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that local Garda management is aware of a number of complaints regarding anti-social behaviour in the vicinity of the premises referred to by the Deputy. I understand the complaints relate to loitering by local youths in and around the premises. However, local Garda management is satisfied that the premises concerned is not the only focal point for...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The position is that the correspondence to which the Deputy refers was received in my Department on 1 June 2005. I will consider the views expressed in the correspondence in due course in the context of the drafting of the intoxicating liquor Bill.

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I presume the Deputy is referring to applications for residency in the State based on marriage to an Irish national which currently take approximately 16 months to process. Marriage to an Irish national does not grant any automatic right to enter or reside in the State solely on that basis and applications of this type are dealt with in chronological order, in fairness to all other...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: As stated in my replies to Question No. 164 of Thursday, 3 February 2005, Question No. 265 of Wednesday, 9 March 2005 and Question No. 208 of Thursday, 28 April 2005, a comprehensive examination was carried out in relation to this person's asylum application and his application to remain temporarily in the State. All representations received on his behalf, including late representations, were...

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I defy anyone to contradict that. The so-called extinguishment requirement is the current rule whereby an applicant for a new licence for a public house or for an off-licence premises must present the court with evidence that an existing licensee has agreed to extinguish a current licence. I had intended to retain this provision, which many regard as restrictive and anti-competitive, as part...

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: We have had the slightly sad spectacle of people saying that alcopops should be banned. What do they mean by that? Should a vodka and orange or Bacardi and Coke not be available?

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Should Baileys Irish cream or anything that sweetens alcohol be banned? I would like to understand the proposition better. Likewise, it has been proposed that alcohol related sponsorship should be prohibited at all sporting events. Are we to allow Liverpool to appear on our television screens with Carlsberg emblazoned on their chests or say that no Irish team can display such sponsorship? Are...

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Deputy Jim O'Keeffe is the person who came up with this.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: The more I listen to Deputy Jim O'Keeffe's ponderous vacuity, I realise that none of the thoughts he expressed this evening has been thought through for one minute. None of the implications has been thought through, which was not the case with the intoxicating liquor commission which sat for a number of years.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I wish it to be very clear to the House that we face in Ireland a number of problems, one of which is the abuse of alcohol by young people. One of the ways in which we must respond is to provide social outlet choices of the kind referred to by Deputy Jim O'Keeffe and other contributors which do not involve the consumption of alcohol.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: It is an accepted point of view. However, those people who go drinking should be given the choice to eat and drink in moderation rather than have to go to exclusively drink orientated places which have a monopoly on the sale of spirits and beer. Young people in Ireland deserve the choice and I make no apology for saying I will do my best to bring it to them. Anyone who opposes choice with a...

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: They said rural pubs were under threat and asked me what I proposed to do to safeguard the economic well-being of rural publicans in this statute. One cannot have it both ways. Irish society is moving on and changing and it has problems. The alcohol problem derives in large measure from a superabundance of resources in the hands of a young generation in their late teens and early 20s around...

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: While we live in a society which has a number of problems——

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Deputy Jim O'Keeffe had his opportunity to speak. The House has a duty to legislate to codify the licensing laws.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: No one has a problem with that. The House is also obliged to provide for a modern generation of young Irish people the opportunities to which they are entitled. The House has an obligation to put before those people a real choice. They should not have to choose between beer and food as is currently the case. We have the opportunity to adopt a more continental approach, to be brave and to put...

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: It is not an answer to say we should ban all sports-related sponsorship by alcohol producers, it is, rather, impractical and foolish. It would be impossible to achieve on an international level and would put Irish sport at a very serious disadvantage.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: We must be practical and honest.

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: I believe most emphatically that the consumption of alcohol with food is part, though, I concede, not the entirety, of the solution. As long as we surrender to vested interests to separate the consumption of Irish produced alcohol, be it spirits or otherwise, from food and withdraw from most people in Ireland the opportunity to combine the two, we must take moral responsibility for the...

Liquor Licensing Laws: Motion. (14 Jun 2005)

Michael McDowell: Posturing, huffing, puffing——