Results 2,521-2,540 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Waste Management: Motion. (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: We face a major challenge in reaching our targets under the EU landfill directive. This directive, as a first step, will entail reducing our reliance on landfill by a further 700,000 tonnes. My ambition over time is to go even further than this and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill to no more than 10%. Once again this should be about ambition.

Waste Management: Motion. (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: Meeting our EU obligations is important but our mission should be to take such objectives in our stride as we reach for the highest standards.

Waste Management: Motion. (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: I do not underestimate the difficulties involved but I am determined to create a new context in which the challenges I have mentioned can be met and our achievements built on. In this regard the Government is committed to carrying out a review of the regional waste management plans. This will be respectful of the statutory position of the local authorities and of the reviews of the existing...

Waste Management: Motion. (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: The Deputies opposite keep saying that we have agreed to incinerators and they want to know how many we have agreed to, but we have agreed to none.

Waste Management: Motion. (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: That is it. There is the answer. The Deputies do not like direct answers.

Waste Management: Motion. (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: The Deputies do not like direct answers.

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: The Council of Europe Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Public Life at local level has to date been signed and ratified by eight of the forty seven member states, and signed by a further four. The issues involved in relation to Ireland's signature and ratification of the Convention will be examined and some preliminary contact in this regard has already been made by my...

Written Answers — Fire Safety: Fire Safety (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: Under the Fire Services Change Programme led by my Department since 2005, a comprehensive fire safety programme for primary schools was introduced in 2006. The programme, which will be delivered annually represents a consolidation of existing activity in schools into a single national programme, supported from the centre and delivered locally. The development of a national secondary school...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 549 and 585 together. My Department has this week received a letter from the European Commission which seeks to verify whether the "local needs" test contained in a number of County Development Plans for the granting of planning permission for one-off dwellings in rural areas is compatible with Articles 43 and 56 of the EC Treaty which guarantee respectively...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: My Department is funding a pilot programme, proposed by the National Rural Water Monitoring Committee, to test a range of new, small-scale wastewater collection and treatment systems under Irish conditions. The objective of the pilot programme is to evaluate new approaches to meeting the wastewater collection and treatment needs of rural communities and to examine the potential role for...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: My Department's allocation of €142m for the 2007 Rural Water Programme will fund the provision of water treatment and disinfection facilities that will improve water supplies to nearly 60,000 rural households served by group water schemes. In the Action Plan for Rural Drinking Water Quality, a total of 728 privately sourced group water schemes were identified as falling within the remit of...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: The commitment to implement the Government's decentralisation programme was reaffirmed in the new Programme for Government. Under the decentralisation programme, all Dublin based operations of my Department are being decentralised, with the exception of Met Éireann, ENFO, the Private Rented Tenancies Board and a small co-ordination section which it is proposed to retain in Dublin to assist...

Written Answers — Electoral Boundaries: Electoral Boundaries (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 560 together. Unlike for Dáil constituencies, there are no constitutional or statutory requirements in relation to the frequency of local electoral area reviews. The last review of local electoral areas was carried out in 1998. The June 2004 local elections took place on the basis of the existing local electoral areas. The next local elections are...

Written Answers — Register of Electors: Register of Electors (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: The number of Dáil electors included on the Register of Electors which was published by local authorities in February 2007 is 3,066,517. Some 36,794 electors were included on the supplement to the Register prepared prior to the General Election. In compiling the current Register, local authorities carried out an extensive electoral registration campaign. On the basis of the work...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: Approval in principle was granted in 2001 for a new fire station in Tallow. While it has not been possible to provide funding for this station as part of the 2007 fire services capital programme, announced earlier this year, funding has been provided for various other priority projects which have been advanced in County Waterford since 2001. These include replacement stations and extensions...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: The Athea Sewerage Scheme, which is being advanced as part of a grouped project that also involves Askeaton, Foynes, Glin and Shanagolden, is approved for funding in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005 — 2007. My Department is awaiting submission of Limerick County Council's Preliminary Report for the project.

Written Answers — Safety Certificates: Safety Certificates (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: On 9 May 2007, my Department sought expressions of interest from persons experienced in the examination of fairground and/or amusement park machinery and structures for appointment as authorised persons under the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (Certification of Fairground Equipment) Regulations 2003, to carry out inspections and grant certificates of safety in respect of such equipment....

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 562 and 563 together. I am aware of concerns regarding sequencing difficulties between expiration of planning permissions and timing of grid connections. Firstly, I should point out that, as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, I am precluded, under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, from exercising any power or...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: The Athenry Sewerage Scheme is approved for funding under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005 — 2007 at an estimated cost of €13.13 million. My Department conveyed approval to Galway County Council in May for the preparation of Contract Documents for Stage 1 of the scheme. The Council will be in a position to invite tenders when the Contract Documents have been...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (3 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: I will keep the overall employment position in the local government sector under regular review having regard to the need to deliver quality front line services and achieve value for money within the parameters of Government policy on the control and regulation of public service employment generally. As regards staffing levels in any local authority, it is a matter for the City or County...