Results 17,921-17,940 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: There is a very simple answer to that question. If Senator Hayes's proposition were incorrect, that would not be a cause for worry, as it is open to the Oireachtas to legislate on the matter.

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: Senator Terry's amendment suggests that we should actually again tear open the terms of Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution, consider what they involve and insert new wordings in them. I fully accept that this would be one way to approach this issue. All of the rhetoric I have heard for a long period runs to the effect that we should not touch these articles and that they should be left...

Seanad: Family Law: Motion. (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the motion put before the House by Senators Henry, Quinn, Norris, O'Toole and Ross. I hope the Leader will not accuse me of treachery, but it does not matter to me whether the motion as proposed or the motion as amended is passed because we are all in agreement on this issue.

Seanad: Family Law: Motion. (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: The Independent Senators' motion seeks a report of progress to date and future plans aimed at securing the full compatibility of Irish family law with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, with particular reference to the convention rights of non-marital and one-parent families. I am grateful to them for raising this issue and I propose to give the Government's response to it,...

Seanad: Family Law: Motion. (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights deals with the right to respect for private and family life and provides that everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence and that there shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a...

Seanad: Family Law: Motion. (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: Attendants.

Seanad: Family Law: Motion. (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: "Cohabitees" does not mean anything to me.

Seanad: Family Law: Motion. (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: Maybe I am old-fashioned but I just do not like it.

Seanad: Family Law: Motion. (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: This paper contains a comprehensive examination of the law as regards cohabitees and makes recommendations for change. It does not recommend any new institution such as registered partnerships and does not analyse this question, which is for another day but is not far off. Instead, it makes proposals in individual areas of the law that would improve the situation of cohabitants. It repeatedly...

Seanad: Family Law: Motion. (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: There should be an obligation and an entitlement for somebody who joins, say, a religious order to make the mother superior or some other member of the community the next of kin. There are some people in the clergy who share my view that it is right that the law reflects a relationship where responsibility and caring exists and helps those relationships rather than ignores them because...

Seanad: Family Law: Motion. (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: Perhaps somebody will come into the House later and say he or she has a radically different view of the world and, if so, we will have to take that into account but it would be a pity to have a false division when everybody appears to be agreed on the approach to be taken.

Seanad: Family Law: Motion. (5 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: It is not mine to withdraw.

Written Answers — Prison Service Staff: Prison Service Staff (4 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: As stated in my letter of 30 March 2004, the Irish Prison Service has conducted a thorough search of its files and has documented all information available in relation to chaplains' salaries. To revisit these files in order to clarify the exact application of all public service pay round increases applied to prison staff from 1980 would take an inordinate amount of staff time and resources,...

Written Answers — Prisoners' Voting Rights: Prisoners' Voting Rights (4 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: As I indicated previously, in reply to Question No. 175 of 7 April 2004 and Question No. 693 of 27 April 2004, the European Court of Human Rights, ECHR, in a judgment adopted on 9 March 2004, found that a breach of Article 3 of Protocol 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights had occurred in a case taken by a prisoner in the United Kingdom. The prisoner, who is serving a sentence of life...

Written Answers — Peace Commissioners: Peace Commissioners (4 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: The duties and powers of a peace commissioner as set out in section 88(3) of the Courts of Justice Act 1924 allows for: (a) signing summonses (except against a garda); (b) signing warrants; (c) administering oaths and taking declarations, affirmations, information, bonds and recognisances; and (d) signing certificates for the registration of clubs. Peace commissioners are also empowered to...

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

Michael McDowell: The immigration division of my Department has written to the person concerned on three occasions requesting information to assist with the determination of the application in question. There has been no response from the person to date. Consideration of the application cannot proceed pending the receipt of the information requested.

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

Michael McDowell: The visa applications in question were to enable the wife and daughter of a non-EEA national employed in the State under the work permit scheme to join him. A worker employed under this scheme may be joined by their spouse and minor children after the worker has been in the State for one year and has been offered a contract for a further year. The worker must also be able to fully support the...

Written Answers — May Day Protests: May Day Protests (4 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the Garda Síochána engaged in ongoing liaison with various groups planning protests and-or demonstrations over the May Day bank holiday weekend.

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 9 March 2004. 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 2005. As soon as I have reached a decision on the matter,...

Written Answers — Probation and Welfare Service: Probation and Welfare Service (4 May 2004)

Michael McDowell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 to 238, inclusive, together. A monitoring committee was recently established comprising representatives of the traders of the shopping centre, the property management group, the probation and welfare service, my Department, and the Garda to review the operation of the new probation and welfare office at Donaghmede shopping centre and to report to me on the...