Results 2,481-2,500 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, a development plan must set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area concerned. Development Plan Guidelines for Planning Authorities, published on 8 June 2007, provide that the development plan must offer clear guidance on sustainable development policies and objectives, both national and local, and...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: I will be pursuing, with colleagues in Government, a range of commitments set out in the Programme for Government to utilise economic instruments, including taxation, in pursuit of environmental objectives. In addition, the new Commission on Taxation will be specifically charged with investigating fiscal measures to protect and enhance the environment, including a carbon tax. The proposals...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: The National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012 undertakes to introduce a carbon offsetting scheme for all air travel on Government business, including flights by Ministers and by civil servants, from January 2008. It is intended that a contribution will be made to an appropriate fund to secure verified emissions reductions equivalent to the annual emissions associated with Government air...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: The Programme for Government and National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012 commit the Government to the establishment of a Climate Change Commission, which will be attached to the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) under the auspices of the Department of Taoiseach. The Commission will monitor and assess Ireland's progress in addressing climate change and increase...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: I am carefully considering the form which the review of regional waste management plans provided for in the Programme for Government should take. It is important that the review is properly structured so as to make a lasting contribution to the manner in which Ireland undertakes waste management planning and the achievement of international best practice in this area, while meeting...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: The Programme for Government commits to the setting of new ambitious waste management targets for maximum prevention, re-use, recycling and modern waste treatment to ensure that we match the best performance in the EU for recycling with the objective that only 10% of waste or less is consigned to landfill (down from 66% now). Irish waste management policy is based on the internationally...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: The waste management plans for which local authorities have statutory responsibility, generally operating in regional groupings, identify the landfill capacity which those authorities consider necessary to meet the needs of each region while meeting national and EU objectives and requirements. My Department does not compile details in respect of existing or proposed facilities and all such...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: Ireland signed the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters on 25 June 1998. Progress towards ratification of the Convention is closely aligned with work at EU level and, in that context, the European Union has adopted two Directives as part of the ratification process for the Convention. These deal...

Written Answers — Archaeological Sites: Archaeological Sites (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: A considerable amount of preparatory work has been done in my Department to develop proposals for the consolidation and modernisation of current national monuments legislation. The enactments relating to the protection of archaeological heritage date from 1930 to 2004 and need to be consolidated and updated to take account of current and future circumstances. In doing so account will also...

Written Answers — Archaeological Sites: Archaeological Sites (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to seek designation for Clonmacnoise as a World Heritage Site. I have requested my Department to liaise with UNESCO in relation to this designation. Tara is not one of the sites on the tentative list for World Heritage status prepared by a Departmental Committee following public consultation before I became Minister. However I will keep the...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 359, 360 and 362 together. The statutory role of the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in relation to an approved road development lies in the issuing of directions as to how works of an archaeological nature are to carried out on the approved route. The recent issuing of the statutory directions in this case arose in circumstances...

Written Answers — Archaeological Sites: Archaeological Sites (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: Before directions issued in this case under the National Monuments Acts, the Director of the National Museum of Ireland (NMI) was consulted as required by law and offered detailed comments by way of written submission. The issues raised by the Director in relation to the National Monument discovered at Lismullin were considered and taken into account in finalising the directions which...

Written Answers — Interpretation Act 2005: Interpretation Act 2005 (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: I am not aware of any decision or instrument made under the auspices of my Department the aspects of which has been repealed or amended by reference to section 22 of the Interpretation Act 2005.

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: In April 2007, my Department approved a proposal by Cork County Council to invite tenders for the provision of a new fire station at Youghal, Co Cork. The commencement date and overall cost of the development will not become clear until the tender process is completed by the fire authority. My Department meets 100% of the capital cost of the construction of fire station projects provided...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: The following persons were recently appointed by my predecessor as Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government to the Executive Board of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, in accordance with Section 17 of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority Act 1997. Niall Coveney Donal Curtin Brendan Malone Mary Moylan Catherine Mullarkey Donal O'Connor (Chairperson) Sheila...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: The administration of the Disabled Persons Grant scheme is delegated to local authorities within the framework laid down in statutory regulations; as far as is practicable, this is designed to give an appropriate degree of flexibility at local level. In the light of substantially increased demand for grant assistance in recent years, the majority of local authorities have reviewed their...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: The Planning and Development Regulations 2001 provide that any person or body who makes a submission or observation to a planning authority regarding an application for permission must pay a fee of €20. The primary purpose of the fee is to contribute towards the costs of the service provided by planning authorities to persons who make submissions. The European Commission lodged an...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (27 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: The European Commission wrote to the Irish authorities last Autumn, seeking views on a complaint received by them regarding the application of local needs policies in relation to the granting of planning permission for a one-off rural house in County Wicklow. A reply to the Commission issued on 27 November, stating that the settlement strategy within Wicklow's County Development Plan was in...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (28 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: The Programme for Government sets a target of an annual average reduction of 3% in our greenhouse gas emissions. The achievement of this reduction through domestic measures would minimise the need for Government purchases of carbon credits in the future. The National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012 includes limited provision for the purchase of Kyoto Units by the State so as to assist...

Written Answers — Public Service Charges: Public Service Charges (28 Jun 2007)

John Gormley: Guesthouses are commercial enterprises and, as non-domestic users of water supplies, are required, in accordance with the requirement of the Water Framework Directive and the polluter pays principle, to be charged for water services supplied to them. Where there is a mixture of domestic and non-domestic use in a premises, an allowance, based on the local authority's reasonable estimation of...