Results 2,601-2,620 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley
- Written Answers — National Parks and Wildlife Service: National Parks and Wildlife Service (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1091 and 1092 together. The final report of the Status of Hares in Ireland â Hare Survey of Ireland 2006/07, is available and may be downloaded from the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department [www.npws.ie/en/media/Media, 5119,en.IWM30]. The survey was carried out nationwide over two years and the results confirm that hares are...
- Written Answers — National Parks and Wildlife Service: National Parks and Wildlife Service (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: Section 26(1) of the Wildlife Act 1976 provides that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government may grant to the master or other person in charge of a pack of stag hounds, a licence authorising the hunting of deer by that pack, during such period or periods as is or are specified in the licence. I sought and obtained advice from the Attorney General as to the view that...
- Written Answers — Environment Fund: Environment Fund (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: Copies of the Environment Fund's Annual Accounts up to and including 2005 are available in the Oireachtas library. The Annual Accounts in respect of 2006 are being prepared at present. They will be lodged in the Oireachtas library once they have been audited by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Fund was established by the Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2001, to be...
- Written Answers — Noise Pollution: Noise Pollution (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: There are various legislative provisions applicable to noise nuisance, as well as a number of practical arrangements to reduce the instances of unnecessary noise from alarms and to tackle persistent incidence of such noise. Section 107 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 provides local authorities with powers to require measures to be taken to prevent or limit noise. In the case...
- Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: In January 2007, Dublin City Council gave public notice under Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 of the proposed development of a medico-legal centre, to provide urgently required City Morgue and State Pathology Service facilities located on local authority owned lands adjacent to the site of the Casino at Marino in Dublin. The Casino itself is a national monument in the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: The telephone number referred is a low call number associated with the web site used for the very successful online motor tax renewal system. The number is available for use by customers for enquiries not catered for in the comprehensive 'frequently asked questions' page on the web site. A helpdesk supporting this number is serviced by staff with expertise in the online motor tax service and...
- Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to establish a Climate Change Commission. It is envisaged that the role of the Commission will include monitoring and assessing Ireland's progress in addressing climate change, and increasing awareness in all sectors of the opportunities and challenges presented by the transition to a low-carbon economy. Arrangements for the establishment...
- Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to agree an all-party approach on climate change targets and, in advance of this, to set a target of a 3% reduction per year on average in Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions over the lifetime of the current Government. At this year's Spring meeting of the European Council, EU Heads of State and Government agreed to reduce EU greenhouse gas...
- Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: The National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012, published in April 2007, includes a commitment to publish an annual Implementation Status Report. This report is to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, prior to presenting it to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Local Government. I intend that this report will set out progress on implementing the measures contained in...
- Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: The National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012, published in April 2007, includes a commitment to introduce an environmental levy on incandescent bulbs, to encourage consumers to switch to more energy efficient alternatives. More recently, the Programme for Government commits to the phasing out of incandescent light bulbs. My Department is currently examining the options available to reduce...
- Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: The Programme for Government contains a commitment 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. This will require significant further improvements in diverting...
- Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: Under the Waste Management Act, 1996 all major waste management facilities are subject to a stringent licensing system which is the statutory responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency. It is intended to ensure the application of high environmental standards in relation to the development, operation, closure and aftercare of such facilities. While this licensing system is...
- Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: In the last three years my Department has allocated over â¬100m in funding to more than 100 local authority recycling projects. An additional â¬3.3m has been allocated to local authorities for the provision of bring bank networks across the country. Under the National Development Plan 2007-2013 some â¬753 million will be invested in supporting the recycling and recovery effort and dealing...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: I am reviewing the overall employment levels in the local government sector having regard to the need to deliver front line services, intensify enforcement activity, and achieve value for money within the parameters of Government policy on public service employment generally. Insofar as funding is concerned, the record level of funding available to local authorities in 2007 through grants...
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: The transposition of Directive 2003/35/EC is well advanced with legislation already completed to amend the majority of the relevant consent systems. Work is continuing on a number of the outstanding issues which require statutory amendments to be made, and this work will be completed by the Departments concerned at the earliest possible date.
- Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to a review of the role, procedures and governing legislation of the Environmental Protection Agency. I am currently giving careful consideration to the form which this review should take.
- Written Answers — Litter Pollution: Litter Pollution (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: My Department reviews the effectiveness of the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2003 on an ongoing basis. Local authorities submit data to my Department every six months on their anti-litter enforcement actions under the Acts. These statistics are available in the Oireachtas Library and show that local authority performance on enforcement of the litter laws is being sustained at a high level....
- Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: The National Development Plan 2007-2013 identifies proposed investment of â¬4.7bn in new water services infrastructure â an increase of 27% over the previous Plan period. Priorities identified in the Plan for the wastewater sector include: completing the remaining infrastructure needed to provide secondary wastewater treatment in compliance with the requirements of the EU Urban Wastewater...
- Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: I presume that the Deputy is referring to the requirements on farmers arising from the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2006. The EU Nitrates Directive aims to protect all waters against pollution from agricultural sources. Particular care is required for the protection of public health in the case of waters which serve as the source of...
- Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (26 Sep 2007)
John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1113 and 1143 together. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a support scheme for replacing and upgrading septic tanks older than 15 years with newer systems. I am currently considering the terms, conditions and other arrangements that may be appropriate to taking forward this commitment.