Results 15,741-15,760 of 18,734 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed). (14 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: I sincerely hope we will not find certain equipment in the back of Sinn Féin election workers' vans.

Garda Síochána Bill 2004 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed). (14 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: I know a lot about the Deputy.

Order of Business. (14 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: What else does the Deputy know about?

Order of Business. (14 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: The lawyers would like that.

Order of Business. (14 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy has no further commitments until next Tuesday.

Garda Stations. (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: I am grateful to Deputy Deenihan for raising this matter and affording me the opportunity to explain the latest position regarding Castleisland Garda station. There was an arson attack on Castleisland Garda sub-district station in March 2001 which caused extensive smoke damage to the station. Following this incident, the Office of Public Works identified alternative temporary accommodation,...

Garda Investigations. (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: As I have already put on the record of this House, the murder in 1991 of Mr. Eddie Fullerton, who was then a Sinn Féin councillor on Donegal County Council, was a most dreadful and heinous crime. I use the words "murder" and "crime" in respect of it. Regardless of who did it or why they did it, it is a murder and a crime, and the Deputy might note that. Unfortunately, to date, nobody has...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: The position with regard to legal costs for the family in question has been raised on many occasions in this House. Before dealing with the costs issue, it might be helpful if I outline for the House the current position in regard to the tribunal as I understand it. Mr. McBrearty senior gave evidence to the tribunal last week. He returned yesterday and, having completed giving his evidence,...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: On the question of legal representation for the family, I would have expected that the family would be reassured by the prompt manner in which Mr. Justice Morris addressed the issue of costs arising out of the first module. It is clear that the chairman is well aware of the issues of the various parties with regard to their legal costs and has acted expeditiously. Costs are being dealt with...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: ——and to guarantee their costs even if they choose not to co-operate with the tribunal or abide by its orders. That would be wholly wrong and I will not do it. It is a matter of profound regret to me that for one reason or another these issues should continually arise in this House. I want to make it clear that I will not change my mind. It would be grossly unfair of me to change my mind...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: It would be wrong for me to say that I would make an exception in respect of other people who had counsel and solicitors working for them whose counsel withdrew for some reason that I still cannot understand, bearing in mind what I was used to when I was a barrister in practice. I cannot now reverse course and suddenly select one group of people for treatment, and I will not do so. The sooner...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: ——from that tribunal and the fact that lawyers for some reason or another were not willing to act for the McBreartys when other lawyers were willing to act for other people in similar circumstances will not affect the fairness or the validity of the tribunal's findings. I have said on a number of occasions in this House, and I repeat it, that I am not for turning on this issue. It would...

Tribunals of Inquiry. (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: I will not interfere arbitrarily in this tribunal's affairs in a manner which would undermine its authority to get at the truth because the truth is what everybody in this House wants to see established.

Written Answers — Work Permits: Work Permits (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: It is open to any non-national to apply for a certificate of naturalisation if he or she satisfies the statutory criteria set out in the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. A general precondition is that the applicant worker must have been lawfully resident in the State for a continuous period of one year immediately before the date of application and for a total of four...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: This case came under the terms of the Dublin II regulations, formerly the Dublin Convention. The regulation is intended to prevent the phenomenon of "asylum shopping" across Europe and sets out criteria for determining which member state is responsible for examining an asylum application. At the same time it guarantees applicants that one state will process their application, thereby...

Written Answers — Coroners Service: Coroners Service (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my response to Question No. 81 answered along with Questions Nos. 96, 137 and 743 of yesterday's date.

Written Answers — Garda Transport: Garda Transport (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the vehicle in question, a 1.6 Ford Focus marked patrol car, was crashed on 28 November 2004. Due to the damage sustained, the vehicle was written-off. In the event of a Garda vehicle being involved in an accident, the Garda driver forwards a completed MT15 form to the fleet management section. The MT15 is a preliminary report of the...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that the number and location of all community gardaí attached to Garda stations in the Louth-Meath division, as at 12 April 2005, was as set out in the following table. District Sergeants Gardaí Drogheda 0 1 Dundalk 1 3 Ashbourne 0 3 ...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (13 Apr 2005)

Michael McDowell: A declaration of acceptance of Irish citizenship as post nuptial citizenship was received in the citizenship section of my Department on 13 October 2004 from the person referred to in the Deputy's question. The current average processing time for such declarations is approximately ten months from the date of lodgement. Declarations are processed in chronological order save in very exceptional...

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

Michael McDowell: The visa application referred to by the Deputy was received by my Department on 8 March 2005. In the interests of fairness, all visa applications are dealt with strictly in date received order unless there are extenuating circumstances which would warrant prioritisation. On the basis of the information supplied to my Department, no such circumstances appear to exist in this case. As visa...