Results 17,281-17,300 of 18,736 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (16 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together. Because of security reasons and the need to carry out essential maintenance, a small cohort of prison staff continue to be assigned to duties at both the Curragh and Fort Mitchel places of detention. There are currently 11 and 12 staff serving at the Curragh and Fort Mitchel respectively. Any overtime payments to the staff who continue to...

Written Answers — Irish Prison Service: Irish Prison Service (16 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy will be aware that the mothballing of the Curragh Place of Detention and Fort Mitchel Place of Detention was the subject of a Government decision on 11 November 2003. That decision approved a series of measures to be taken on a rolling basis with effect from 1 January, 2004 in the event of failure to reach agreement with the Prison Officers Association on a change agenda aimed at...

Written Answers — Disability Support Service: Disability Support Service (16 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: This figure of approximately €2.5 billion in 2004 was allocated to services and supports for persons with disabilities across a number of key Departments. The main elements of the expenditure are in the health sector, approximately €1.9 billion; special needs education funded through the Department of Education and Science, approximately €400 million; and the remainder is administered...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (16 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that a garda is due to be allocated to the Garda station, referred to by the Deputy, on 3 December 2004. Regarding Garda resources generally, I am, pleased to say that the Government has approved my proposal to increase the strength of the Garda Síochána to...

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (16 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: The Reception and Integration Agency which operates under the aegis of my Department is responsible for the provision of accommodation and ancillary services for asylum seekers. The agency currently operates 74 centres in 25 of the Twenty-six Counties. The accommodation centre located in Magee Barracks, Kildare Town currently houses 138 residents. Since January 2003 the numbers accommodated...

Written Answers — Communications Masts: Communications Masts (16 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 168 of 4 November 2004 based on the response from the Garda authorities on the matter. I am advised by the Garda authorities that it remains the case that no request for information has been received from the planning enforcement section of Dublin City Council, notwithstanding that the council report supplied by the Deputy envisaged such a...

Written Answers — Communications Masts: Communications Masts (16 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: I am advised by the Garda authorities that a survey of the electromagnetic field strength of the mast installation on the Garda station referred to by the Deputy has not been carried out. I am advised, however, that the antennae configuration on the mast concerned is typical of a number of Garda stations both in the Dublin metropolitan region and throughout the country. In my reply to the...

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (16 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: There are plans to address the inadequate Garda accommodation in Dunmanway. The Office of Public Works, which was until recently working towards the refurbishment of the existing, vacant, Garda station, has now indicated that it no longer favours pursuing this course. It has, however, suggested an alternative proposal which would involve a move away from the station's current temporary...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (16 Nov 2004)

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 the person referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (16 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: It is not the practice to comment in detail on individual asylum applications. 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 and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal which make recommendations to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform on whether such status...

Written Answers — Garda Deployment: Garda Deployment (2 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: As the Deputy is aware in December 2001, an independent evaluation of the community policing forum in Dublin's Garda A district, Kevin Street — Kilmainham, recommended, inter alia, that a state funded co-ordinator be appointed to assist in the work of the forum. Co-ordinators are provided in certain cases for fora through funding under the national drugs strategy. In a reply to Deputy...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (2 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: Applications for certificates of naturalisation from the persons referred to by the Deputy were received in the citizenship section of my Department on 7 July, 2004. The average processing time for such applications is 24 months. Due to this lengthy processing time, applications are usually dealt with in chronological order unless there are exceptional circumstances in a particular case for...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (2 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: I assume that the Deputy is referring to applications for citizenship submitted by the two persons, both Romanians, referred to in this question. The first person referred to was granted temporary leave to remain in the State on 26 August 1999. This permission has now been extended until 15 September 2006. On 30 July 2001 he applied for a certificate of naturalisation in accordance with the...

Written Answers — Identity Cards: Identity Cards (2 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that for persons travelling within the common travel area, acceptable forms of ID can include a valid passport; driving licence with photograph; international student ID card with photograph; national ID card with photograph; bus pass with photograph; and a valid work identification with photograph. There is no requirement on any citizen to pay for a...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (2 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: The wife in question arrived in the State in December 2001 and made an asylum application. She gave birth in March 2002. The husband arrived in the State in April 2002 and made an application for asylum. Both subsequently withdrew their asylum applications and applied for residency on the basis of parentage of the Irish born child. Following the decision of the Supreme Court in the cases of L...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (2 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: The equal opportunities child care programme 2000-2006 is a seven-year development programme which aims to increase the availability and quality of child care to support parents in employment, education and training. The progress of the programme was commented upon favourably by the mid-term evaluators of both the regional operational programmes and the National Development Plan 2000-2006 and...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (2 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: My Department has had an internal audit unit in place since 1994. All areas of expenditure in the Department come under the remit of internal audit. The internal audit unit works to an annual audit plan in order to offer the secretary general, as Accounting Officer, reasonable assurance that transactions are authorised and properly recorded and that material errors are either prevented or...

Written Answers — Temporary Travel Documents: Temporary Travel Documents (2 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my answer to Question No. 184 of Thursday, 21 October 2004. My position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Control of Fireworks: Control of Fireworks (2 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: I have had no specific contacts with the UK Home Secretary, Mr. David Blunkett MP, and the Northern Ireland Secretary, Mr. Paul Murphy, in regard to the matter raised by him. With regard to the advertising of fireworks, under the provisions of the Explosives Act 1875, fireworks are deemed to be explosives. Accordingly, they may be imported into the State only under an importation licence...

Written Answers — Drug Seizures: Drug Seizures (2 Nov 2004)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that responsibility for policing the J district, which comprises the stations of Raheny, Clontarf — incorporating the Clontarf postal area — and Howth, rests with the superintendent who is based in Raheny station. In the J district there is a divisional drugs unit based in Clontarf station, consisting of one sergeant and five gardaí, who deal with...