Results 2,761-2,780 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Planning Issues. (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: In exceptional cases where I feel I am compelled to act——

Planning Issues. (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: Exactly, that was the instance I was going to give the House. In this case a rezoning took place which I felt was out of order, would have increased the population threefold in the area and would have had disastrous consequences for generations to come. It represented bad planning. In instances where I see bad planning I will intervene.

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: The total cost incurred to date in the development and roll-out of the electronic voting and counting system is €51.3 million (including some €46 million in respect of hardware costs and €2.6 million in respect of awareness and education initiatives). In addition, information provided by returning officers to my Department indicates that the total annual storage costs incurred by them...

Written Answers — National Parks: National Parks (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: I assume that the Question refers to the proposal from a local group to establish what it calls a 'North Midlands Peatlands Park' — formerly titled a 'National Wetlands Wilderness Park' — in the cutaway area of the Mount Dillon group of bogs in Longford and Roscommon, which is owned by Bord Na Móna plc. It is estimated that some 80,000 hectares of cutaway Bord na Móna bog will become...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: Ireland's commitment under the Kyoto Protocol is to limit emissions to 13% above 1990 levels. The Government's approach to meeting Ireland's Kyoto Protocol commitment is set out in the National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012, published in April 2007. This Strategy provides a framework for reducing emissions across all sectors of the economy and sets out a series of measures that,...

Written Answers — Electoral Boundaries: Electoral Boundaries (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: The Local Government Act 1994 provided that the boundaries of certain town councils could be altered by regulation, solely for local electoral purposes, following agreement by the relevant local elected councils. This was done in order to extend the franchise to individuals living in built up areas that form part of the towns but are outside of the towns' administrative boundaries. These...

Written Answers — Archaeological Sites: Archaeological Sites (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: In relation to the National Monument at Rath Lugh, I refer to the reply to Question No. 89 on today's Order Paper. The National Monument at Lismullin is a previously unknown national monument discovered during the course of the archaeological works on the route of the M3 Clonee-North of Kells motorway scheme. The monument fell, therefore, to be dealt with under the provisions of section...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: My Department has no role in determining the location of municipal waste incinerators. Such decisions are taken by local authorities, in the context of the regional waste management plans for which they have statutory responsibility, and by commercial enterprises in relation to private sector facilities, and are subject to the statutory planning and waste licence approval processes. However,...

Written Answers — Food Labelling: Food Labelling (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: The substantive political and policy decision on the item referred to was taken at the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers on 11 June 2007 at which Ireland was represented by the then Minister for Agriculture and Food. In accordance with EU procedures, all political decisions are subject to further legal and other processes — unrelated to the relevant political or policy decision — and...

Written Answers — Litter Pollution: Litter Pollution (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: The Litter Monitoring Body's 2006 National Litter Pollution Monitoring System Results report, released in June 2007, is based on an analysis of data received from 72 local authorities, or almost 80% of all local authorities. The number of local authorities operating the system has increased significantly in the last three years and steps continue to be taken by the consultants who manage the...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: My Department is currently examining options to strengthen legislation on noise pollution, with a view to meeting the Programme for Government commitment as a matter of priority.

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 130 together. To meet the commitment in the Programme for Government in this area, I published draft Building Regulations and an associated Technical Guidance Document under Part L of the Building Regulations, which deals with the Conservation of Fuel and Energy, on 21 September 2007. These draft Regulations provide for a 40% improvement in energy...

Written Answers — Local Government Reform: Local Government Reform (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114, 128 and 147 together. In accordance with the Programme for Government, my Department will be publishing a Green Paper on local government reform in the coming months. The Green Paper will examine a number of issues with the objective of making local government more transparent and responsive, and will set out options for reform in advance of a subsequent...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: The Government has designated €270 million for the purchase of carbon allowances over the period 2007-2013. This sum is in addition to €20 million provided in my Department's Vote in 2006. Following the enactment of the Carbon Fund Act in March 2007, the National Treasury Management Agency is now statutorily designated as the Government's purchasing agent for the acquisition of carbon...

Written Answers — Hunting Licence: Hunting Licence (10 Oct 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 advice from the Attorney General as to the view that this section...

Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: The Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments is empowered by relevant Oireachtas resolutions to carry out such preliminary investigations in private, as it thinks fit. My Department has cooperated with all requests by the Tribunal to make files available. However, it would not be appropriate to disclose details of material provided in this way to the Tribunal, on a...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Question No. 1108 of 26 September 2007. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: Ready, Steady Play: A National Play Policy, which was published in 2004, provides a framework for the development of public play facilities in Ireland, with the overall aim of ensuring that children have access to a range of quality play opportunities to enrich their childhood. As part of the implementation of this policy, my Department has allocated funding of over €8 million to County...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122, 313, 316 and 317 together. Local authorities were asked by my Department in 2006 to carry out detailed assessments of the needs for capital water services infrastructure in their areas and to prioritise their assessments, taking account, inter alia, of: national and EU environmental and public health requirements and standards, including the EU Urban...

Written Answers — Library Projects: Library Projects (10 Oct 2007)

John Gormley: I am aware of the current staffing needs identified by Fingal County Council in relation to the opening of the new library in Malahide, and use of enhanced facilities at Garristown library, and am more generally reviewing the overall employment levels in the local government sector having regard to the need to deliver front line services and achieve value for money within the parameters of...