Results 3,501-3,520 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (18 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: My Department's provision for national parks and wildlife in 2008 will amount to €46.665 million, which represents an increase of 31% on the 2007 allocation. This significantly increased level of investment is a clear indication of the high priority afforded by Government to biodiversity and nature conservation and accords with the commitment in the Programme for Government to increase...

Written Answers — Departmental Records: Departmental Records (18 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: The Headquarters of my Department is currently located in the Custom House, Dublin 1 where I work unless I am attending the Dáil or I am on other official business outside the Headquarters.

Written Answers — Water Pollution: Water Pollution (18 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: Statutory responsibility for the monitoring, management, protection and improvement of water quality, including groundwater, is assigned to local authorities, acting under the general supervision of the EPA. The EPA report, Water Quality in Ireland 2006 — Key Indicators of the Aquatic Environment, indicates in relation to groundwater that, in the period 1995 to 2006, there was a general...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (18 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 to 558, inclusive, and 564 to 566, inclusive, together. The EPA's regular reports on Water Quality in Ireland present a review of water quality and suspected causes of pollution in various categories of water bodies. The EPA's reports on Urban Waste Water Discharges in Ireland provide an analysis of the treatment of waste water from all agglomerations...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (18 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: I am not in a position to comment on the calculation of the carbon generated from the combined air transport of all participants at the recent UN climate change conference in Bali. On the issue of offsetting the greenhouse gas emissions from air travel involved for the Irish delegation, I refer to the reply to Question No. 990 of 11 December last.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (18 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: The South Roscommon Regional Water Supply Scheme is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007 — 2009 as part of a grouped project to begin construction in 2009. Roscommon County Council's Contract Documents for the South Roscommon scheme are being examined in my Department and are being dealt with as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: The Blanchardstown Sewerage Scheme (Network) is included in my Department's Water Services Programme 2007 — 2009 as a scheme to advance through planning at an estimated cost of €21 million. I understand that Fingal County Council has appointed consultants to prepare a Preliminary Report for the scheme, and information relating to the proposals being considered in the context of the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 387 to 389, inclusive, together. Section 4(2) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides that I, as Minister, may, by reason of size, nature or limited effect upon its surroundings, by Regulation, provide exemptions for a particular class of development provided that development is not contrary to the principles of proper planning and sustainable...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: My Department has prepared a Screening Regulatory Impact Analysis of the options for transposing the Environmental Liability Directive. This document is available on my Department's website (www.environ.ie), and the views of interested parties have been sought on it. Preparatory work on drafting the legal instrument for transposing the Directive is underway and will be informed, inter alia,...

Written Answers — Noise Pollution: Noise Pollution (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: 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 from commercial premises. This provision was enacted in an environmental protection context and was not, therefore, intended to apply to internal sound levels in any premises. Issues in relation to the impact of internal sound are, I...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: In making a determination on any planning application, Section 34 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 requires planning authorities to be bound by the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard, inter alia, to: The provisions of the development plan; The provisions of any special area order relating to the area; Any submissions or observations received; and...

Written Answers — Noise Pollution: Noise Pollution (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: The Environmental Noise Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 140 of 2006) give effect in Ireland to EU Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise. The Environmental Protection Agency is the national authority with overall responsibility for implementing the Regulations. At local level, implementation of strategic mapping requirements is a matter for the...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: Under Article 7(2) of the European Union (Drinking Water) (No. 2) Regulations, 2007, local authorities are responsible for monitoring and testing drinking water supplies and authorities make their own arrangements in that regard. Article 7(12) of the Regulations assigns responsibility to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for oversight of local authorities' functions in relation to...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: Recent annual reports by the Environmental Protection Agency on the quality of drinking water in Ireland indicate a sustained increase in the overall rate of compliance with all prescribed standards, from 96.1% in 2003 to 96.4% in 2004, and to 96.7% in the most recently published report for 2005. Notwithstanding these high overall compliance rates, the reports, nevertheless, have drawn...

Written Answers — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: Budget 2007 announced proposals for new motor tax and vehicle registration tax (VRT) systems to reward low CO2 emitting and penalise high CO2 emitting cars. It was made clear at the time that the new system would apply to new cars and newly imported cars. A public consultation process was held from December 2006 to March 2007 following press notices inviting public submissions. Both the...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: The certification of products is the responsibility of the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI). When the issue of pyrite arose, and following an intervention from my Department, the NSAI moved quickly to reconvene their Aggregates Panel in order to give urgent consideration to publication of additional guidance in relation to appropriate protocols for testing underfloor infill...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: My Department's Sectoral Plan, prepared under the Disability Act 2005, provides that local authorities develop co-ordination arrangements with local transport operators to improve the accessibility of public roads, footpaths, streets and crossings leading to ground, air and sea transport facilities and accessible routes to and from public transport. The Sectoral Plan also provides that...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (19 Dec 2007)

John Gormley: The previous question referred to is No. 196 of 22 November 2007. In response, I indicated that ten state bodies and boards under the aegis of my Department were established in the period since 1997 and that one of the bodies concerned evolved from the restructuring of an existing body. I refer to the reply to Question no. 364 of 19 October 2007 which provided information regarding the annual...