Results 17,381-17,400 of 18,736 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: No civil servant is based full-time or part-time in my constituency office in Ranelagh. There are two staff members in my constituency office in Ranelagh. These are a personal secretary and a personal assistant. They deal with all correspondence received from my constituents and arrange meetings at my clinic. There are three executive officers and three clerical officer positions based in my...

Written Answers — Visa Applications: Visa Applications (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: My Department has for a number of years had in place a set of detailed student visa guidelines. These have been circulated to relevant education institutions and are also available on my Department's website. They are intended to assist frequent and high volume users of the student visa scheme. In general terms, however, the principal criteria applied are that the prospective student must...

Written Answers — Customer Charter: Customer Charter (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: I am happy to inform the Deputy that the customer charter for my Department is in the final stages of completion and it is envisaged that it will be published shortly.

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: The Criminal Justice Act 1984 (Electronic Recording of Interviews) Regulations 1997 provide for the recording of interviews of suspects who are detained in custody. In 1999 the Government decided to introduce an audio-video system on a nationwide basis for the recording of such interviews. I am advised by the Garda authorities that the number of locations — 132 — and interview rooms —...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: There are procedures and channels in place for the exchange of security information between the Garda Síochána and the Irish Prison Service. This information is essential when securing background information on the nature of any particular offence and as an aid in assessing the potential threat to the community that any potential release may have. It is normal practice when a prisoner is...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that this is an application for first registration which was lodged on 10 August 2004 — dealing No. D2004SM006294D refers. I understand that due to the complicated nature of cases of this type, which require examination of an applicant's entitlement to the property concerned, it is not possible to estimate a date of completion at this time. I am...

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that this is an application for first registration which was lodged on 10 June 2004 — dealing No. D2004SM004866M refers. I understand that, due to the complicated nature of this type of case, which requires examination of an applicant's entitlement to the property concerned, it is not possible to estimate a date of completion at this time. I am...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 521 of 15 June 2004 regarding the same person. The case file was since submitted to me and was considered within the terms set out in section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, and section 5 of the Refugee Act 1996, prohibition of refoulement. Having assessed the case, a deportation order was signed in respect of the person concerned...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: The person in question arrived in the State on 6 June 2003 and claimed asylum. The Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner recommended that he should not be declared as a refugee and he was notified of this recommendation on 15 March 2004. He appealed this recommendation to the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Following an oral hearing, the original recommendation was affirmed and he was...

Written Answers — Prison Committals: Prison Committals (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: On 18 October 2004, the number of persons detained in prison custody who were solely serving a term of imprisonment as a consequence of the non-payment of a fine was 15. The Government's legislative programme proposes two Bills to deal with fines which are relevant to the Deputy's question. As a first step, I intend to bring to Government shortly a fines Bill which, although primarily...

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that three members of the Garda Síochána are attending the Jane's international conference on less lethal weapons on 19 and 20 October 2004. The members attending are of the following rank; assistant commissioner, detective superintendent and detective inspector. No officials from my Department are attending the conference.

Written Answers — Garda Equipment: Garda Equipment (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: I have been informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda implementation team for the introduction of less lethal devices into the Garda Síochána is currently implementing a plan for the introduction of three less lethal devices for use by the emergency response unit where this is necessary to avoid the use of firearms. A total of 16 Garda members have been trained in the use of less...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: My Department and the Garda National Immigration Bureau affords every necessary assistance to parents wishing to take their Irish born children with them whether the parents are being deported or are returning home voluntarily. In addition to being Irish citizens, the Irish born children of the 32 non-national parents deported to date all share the nationality of their parents. As such, these...

Written Answers — Deportation Orders: Deportation Orders (19 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: The reasons for granting temporary leave to remain, as opposed to the making of a deportation order, are varied having regard to the 11 factors which I, as Minister, must consider under section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended, in reaching a decision in any particular case. It would therefore be wrong to assume that the decision to grant temporary leave to remain in the 45 cases...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (13 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: In this Bill, it was my intention to afford a defence to a person who had in the past run an event, for example, a disco or an Irish dancing class, in premises containing a bar with closed shutters. In the Dáil, Deputies English and Costello claimed I was taking a very narrow view of the idea of closing a bar. They said that if I really wanted to encourage bar and club owners in future to...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (13 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: ——or water to children across the bar and can show there is no question of alcohol being in a position to be consumed on the premises — in other words that access to it is securely prevented — an offence is not committed. A distinction is drawn between section 1(5) and what is referred to in the preceding four subsections. This is based on the very simple proposition that the Attorney...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (13 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: I remember a story the Tánaiste told me. During campaigning in the Dublin West by-election, won by Deputy Brian Lenihan, she was outside a supermarket. A lady wearing one of Senator Quinn's fur coats approached her pushing a trolley and berated her over the possibility of the introduction of water charges. It may have been implied that such charges were not completely off the agenda at the...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (13 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: Attitudes to drink can change significantly. Pubs were once allowed to open at ungodly hours of the morning because it was considered important that dockers and fruit market workers were entitled to a pint when they finished work. I do not know whether that is still the case.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (13 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: A funny exception was made. One could probably go from a night-club to a dockers' pub without having to suffer much deprivation.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (13 Oct 2004)

Michael McDowell: Some barristers in days gone by who were unduly fond of drink used to go to dockers' pubs on their way into work to fortify themselves. We spoke earlier about wine. When a barrister friend of mine who went into a pub in Valentia or Portmagee was asked by the landlady what he wanted, he asked for a glass of wine. There was a perplexed look on the landlady's face as she asked if he wanted...