Results 17,921-17,940 of 18,736 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (4 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: An application for naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the citizenship section of my Department on 22 May 2003. Applications for naturalisation are currently taking approximately 18 months to process. Consequently, it is likely that the application of the person concerned will be finalised in late 2004. As soon as I have reached a decision on the...

Written Answers — Drug Courts: Drug Courts (4 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: The pilot drug court programme was launched in the Dublin District Court on 9 January 2001 and the first sitting took place on 16 January 2001. Dublin's north inner city was chosen as the location from which to operate the pilot drug court. The pilot drug court programme marked a major policy initiative in the criminal justice system and was designed as an alternative measure for dealing with...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (4 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: An application for naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in the citizenship section of my Department on 4 July 2002. The application is currently being processed and I will inform both the applicant and the Deputy once a decision has been reached.

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (4 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: I understand from the Garda authorities that there are no plans to relocate the station referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (4 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: An application for a certificate of naturalisation was received from the person referred to by the Deputy on 1 November 2002. I considered this application on 5 March 2004 and decided not to grant the application. That decision was based on information available to me at that time. The applicant was informed of my decision in writing on 25 March 2004. A copy of the submission that was...

Written Answers — Garda Pensions: Garda Pensions (4 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: The background to this case is that a 1983 arbitration finding, recommended that certain Garda allowances should be made pensionable with effect from 1 October 1982. The finding was applied only to personnel who retired on or after that date. The pensionability of the Garda unsocial hours allowance was treated in a similar way when it was introduced. It was applied, with effect from 1 January...

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: There may be an IGC treaty or there may not; we do not know about these things. In An Agreed Programme for Government I have an undertaking to face up to this issue, if necessary on a constitutional basis. I ask this House in all reasonableness, what other day in the life of the Government, given that we are now between 40% and 50% through the life of the Government, could I say before the...

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I commend the Leader for her diplomacy in getting us to the point at which we can put the matter to the House. The Bill deserves a solid "Yes" vote. Tairgeadh an cheist: "Go bhfanfaidh na focail a thairgtear a scriosadh."

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: The child can obtain a passport within weeks.

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: There are more horses ready to bolt.

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: Passports for investment were not the worst thing in the world in the 1980s.

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I will try to deal with the issues raised without going into all of them in detail. This has been a lengthy and substantive debate. If I were to attempt to reply to everything to the extent I would like, we would be here until late this evening and I do not wish to do that. Since taking up office as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform I have been intent on pursuing policies on...

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I emphasised that as far as I am concerned this is a process about the integrity of our citizenship law. This is a Bill designed to put one simple question to the people. It is not a complicated question. It is a question of whether the people want to restore to the Houses of the Oireachtas the capacity to deal with the circumstances in which children born to non-nationals become citizens or...

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: No. This point was carefully considered at the time. Article 2 does not impose on the Protestant Unionist community of Northern Ireland citizenship of the Irish State. It gives them the birthright and entitlement to claim it if they so wish. It does not make anyone automatically a citizen but it does say that anyone born is the island of Ireland has an absolute entitlement to claim that...

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: It was designed to comply with our obligations under the Vienna conventions and so on that we would not impose on the children of diplomats something they did not want.

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: That is the point.

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: That is the point I am making.

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: That is the distinction with which there is no problem.

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: It has been argued that this measure is inconsistent. It is not inconsistent because there is an entitlement which is not automatic citizenship. The blackest of black Unionists, so to speak, in Northern Ireland is entitled to claim citizenship of this State as of right if he or she was born in the island of Ireland, but we as a State do not impose the obligation of fidelity to the nation or...

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: Article 2 makes that very clear. Senator Hayes and Mr. MacEochaigh's article missed this point. Article 2 confers on anyone born in the island of Ireland, regardless of their connection with this country in reality, an absolute entitlement to Irish citizenship, which is the issue we are dealing with. It refers to people who have an absolute entitlement, regardless of how tenuous their link...