Results 2,981-3,000 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche
- Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: In line with the recommendations of the Indecon report on the financing of local government, which I published last week, I have been considering appropriate regulatory arrangements which could apply in respect of the emerging waste management sector where key roles are played by both the public and private sectors. I shall develop proposals in this regard for presentation to Government. I...
- Written Answers — Local Government Funding: Local Government Funding (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 592, 594 and 595 together. My Department has not commissioned specific research on the use of a site or land value tax or into means of replacing the commercial rates system. In 2004, my predecessor commissioned Indecon International Economic Consultants, in conjunction with the institute of local government studies at the University of Birmingham, to carry...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: I have no plans to introduce legislation allowing for directly elected mayors of local authorities. The provision for the direct election of mayors was repealed by section 7 of the Local Government (No. 2) Act 2003.
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: My Department is not aware of any prospective legal proceedings by the EU Commission in the matter referred to.
- Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: As indicated in reply to Questions Nos. 114 and 161 of 14 February 2006, the forthcoming draft guidelines for planning authorities on the preparation of development plans, will indicate that in addressing the issue of flooding, development plans should identify areas that experience or are at risk from flooding, drawing as appropriate from a process of flood risk mapping currently being...
- Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: Cork County Council recently submitted a proposal to my Department to upgrade the trunk mains between Boola water treatment plant and the storage reservoirs in Youghal under the serviced land initiative measure of my Department's water services investment programme 2005-07, at an estimated cost of â¬2.3 million. This proposal is being examined in my Department and is being dealt with as...
- Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: The Cobh-Midleton-Carrigtwohill water supply scheme is included in my Department's water services investment programme 2005-07 as a scheme to commence construction this year at a cost of â¬9.84 million. My Department is awaiting submission by Cork County Council of revised contract documents for the scheme that incorporate necessary amendments identified by the Department to the council last...
- Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: The principal statutes governing animal welfare are the protection of animals Acts 1911 and 1965. Responsibility for that legislation, including any proposals for amendment, is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Agriculture and Food. A working group to review the management of dog breeding establishments nationally was appointed in September 2004. The group was established in response...
- Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: I am pleased to bring the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006 before the Seanad. This represents one of the most important Bills I will bring forward as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In terms of the provision of infrastructure, it is probably one of the most important items of legislation that will be introduced in this parliamentary...
- Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: The Senator misjudges me.
- Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: It is in the Bill.
- Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: Can I be helpful to the Senator?
- Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: Their reports will be debated in open council meetings, of course, so it will not be private.
- Local Authority Funding. (8 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: Development contributions are levied as a condition of planning permission in accordance with development contribution schemes adopted by the elected members of planning authorities after a public consultation process. This approach was endorsed by the Oireachtas in the context of the Planning and Development Act 2000. It enables local authorities to estimate the cost of infrastructure and...
- Local Authority Funding. (8 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: I agree with Deputy McCormack that the process for dealing with development levies is not as transparent as it should be. Before the recent local authority estimates were produced, I wrote to all the county managers informing them than I expected them to be open and transparent as to the amount of money they were collecting in levies. It is a matter for local authorities and local councillors...
- Local Authority Funding. (8 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: I am very pleased that Deputy McCormack raised the issue of contribution levies in County Wicklow because, as he is aware, his colleagues on the county council reduced the levies before the local elections and increased them after the elections. This was an extraordinary example of levying a stealth tax. It was extraordinary behaviour on the part of councillors, who made the decisions to both...
- Local Authority Funding. (8 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: The cost, including publication, of the recently published study in the financing of local government was â¬291,100. On the basis of different methods of projecting expenditure, the consultants identify that by 2010, local authority expenditure will increase by â¬1 billion to â¬2 billion in nominal terms over 2004 levels. Funding this expenditure will be met by a combination of the...
- Local Authority Funding. (8 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: As the Deputy will recognise, there is a significant variation in the calculations provided by Indecon. It is suggesting that if expenditure is kept to 3% of GNP, one will get the higher estimate of â¬5.8 billion by 2010. However, if one bases it on population trends, which is probably more realistic because it is what determines the costings of local authorities, the figure would be â¬3.8...
- Local Authority Funding. (8 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: I am talking about continuing a very good trend which the Government has set.
- Local Authority Funding. (8 Mar 2006)
Dick Roche: In 1994, when the Deputy's party was in Government, it allocated â¬236 million. I acknowledge that this had increased significantly by 1997 to â¬339 million and it has increased even more significantly to â¬875 million in 2006. While one cannot project exactly what the figures will be, if the trend continues, significant amounts of money will be involved. On a number of the specific...