Results 2,521-2,540 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Turbary Rights: Turbary Rights (15 Dec 2005)

Dick Roche: I assume that the question refers to the revised peat extraction controls introduced under the Planning and Development Regulations 2005 which I made on 14 July 2005 following approval of both Houses and to ensure compliance with EU requirements on environmental impact assessment. The regulations generally exempt peat extraction below a threshold of 10 hectares from the requirement for...

Written Answers — Housing Estate Management: Housing Estate Management (15 Dec 2005)

Dick Roche: The first national report, Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2004, which was prepared by the Local Government Management Services Board and published in July 2005, details the performance of local authorities in relation to 42 service indicators, covering the broad range of local authority activity. At the launch of the report, I indicated my agreement with the report's conclusion that...

Written Answers — Noise Pollution: Noise Pollution (15 Dec 2005)

Dick Roche: Noise pollution related to roads is generally dealt with either by the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the Department of Transport in the case of major national road schemes, or by the relevant local authority in the case of non-national roads. I understand that the NRA published Guidelines for the Treatment of Noise and Vibration in National Road Schemes in January 2005. These guidelines...

Written Answers — Local Authority Procedures: Local Authority Procedures (15 Dec 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 463 together. There is a range of powers available under various codes governing local authority activities through which local authorities can be held to account. These include provisions in environmental legislation which allow the Environmental Protection Agency to exercise a supervisory role in relation to the performance by local authorities of...

Written Answers — Noise Pollution: Noise Pollution (15 Dec 2005)

Dick Roche: Responsibility for the regulation of aircraft noise and for related operational matters rests with the Minister for Transport and the Irish Aviation Authority, as appropriate. There are no statutory limits for noise emitted from airports or aerodromes, nor is there a specific statutory requirement on local authorities to monitor noise emissions from airports or aerodromes. However, section...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (15 Dec 2005)

Dick Roche: Primary responsibility for developing and implementing responses to the litter problem rests with local authorities. It is a matter for each local authority to determine the level of expenditure on local services, including their anti-litter activities, as part of its estimates process. In this context, I recently notified South Dublin County Council of its 2006 general purpose grant from the...

Written Answers — Heritage Sites: Heritage Sites (15 Dec 2005)

Dick Roche: My Department has not contested the ownership of the Lusitania. Having considered the High Court judgment in relation to the judicial review sought by the owner of the Lusitania of the Minister's decision to refuse a licence under section 3(5) of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1987 and following legal advice, an appeal to the Supreme Court has been lodged. Legal costs in respect of...

Written Answers — Debt Collection: Debt Collection (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1428, 1429 and 1460 together. I understand that the Chief State Solicitor's office will not be pursuing costs in this case. The solicitors for the group concerned have been notified accordingly.

Written Answers — Environmental Protection: Environmental Protection (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1430 and 1447 together. In common with most EU member states, Ireland has neither signed nor ratified the 1998 Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law. Only Estonia has ratified the convention to date. In 2001 the European Commission brought forward a proposal for a directive which comprised the main elements of...

Written Answers — Compulsory Purchase Orders: Compulsory Purchase Orders (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: The legislation governing compulsory land acquisition by local authorities provides for the payment of compensation for lands acquired by them on the authorisation of a duly confirmed CPO. The amount of compensation payable by local authorities for land acquired by them is solely a matter for negotiation between the landowner and the local authority concerned. In the event of dispute, either...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take questions Nos. 1433, 1437 and 1438 together. My Department is co-operating with the Department of Finance, the decentralisation implementation group, and the Office of Public Works to ensure the Government's decentralisation programme is implemented efficiently and effectively. A decentralisation implementation team has been established to oversee the arrangements for the...

Written Answers — Architectural Heritage: Architectural Heritage (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: No request has been made to fund this project to my Department. As a protected structure on Kilkenny Borough Council's record of protected structures, the owners of the Rothe House would be eligible to apply to the council for a grant under the scheme of architectural protection grants which is administered by local authorities and resourced by my Department. The standard amount of grant is...

Written Answers — Marine Conservation: Marine Conservation (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: In common with other EU member states, Ireland has an obligation to complete the designation of special areas of conservation for certain marine habitats and species. Following on this obligation, my Department has transmitted some 420 candidate SACs for adoption by the European Commission, of which more than 70 have a marine element and 28 were chosen principally for the wealth of their...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: Statutory responsibility for the monitoring and management of water quality lies primarily with local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency and, in relation to marine waters, with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and the Marine Institute. Phthalates comprise a group of substances which are widely used in the plastics industry and which are of...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: The Clifden sewerage scheme is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005-2007 as a scheme to start construction in 2007. Further consideration will be given by my Department to Galway County Council's preliminary report, supplementary site location report and hydrographic marine survey for the scheme on receipt of additional information my Department has requested...

Written Answers — Public Safety Zones: Public Safety Zones (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: My Department is currently preparing draft guidelines for planning authorities on public safety zones at State airports and in this context is considering the ERM recommendations. When the draft guidelines are completed they will be issued for public consultation.

Written Answers — Environmental Impact Statements: Environmental Impact Statements (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: The threshold above which an environmental impact statement is required in connection with applications for waste transfer stations is a waste intake of 25,000 tonnes per annum. The threshold was originally set in 1989 in respect of waste disposal installations generally and there is no proposal to review it.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: The Belmullet and Foxford sewerage schemes are being advanced as a joint project and are approved in my Department's water services investment programme 2005-07 to commence construction this year. Further consideration will be given by my Department to Mayo County Council's preliminary reports and water services pricing policy reports for both schemes on receipt of the additional information...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 475 of 13 December 2005. Proceeds from the sale of assets such as land are applied for the replacement of the disposed asset, the purchase of other assets or for other appropriate purposes approved by the local authority.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (25 Jan 2006)

Dick Roche: To date, Ireland has not invoked Article 23 of Directive 2001/18/EC. At the Environment Council on 24 June 2005, the European Commission tabled proposals to overturn invocations under this article by other member states in respect of a number of genetically modified products. Ireland voted against the Commission's proposals.