Results 421-440 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

EURATOM Treaty. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: Ireland's position on nuclear power, the Government's opposition to it and my views are well documented in the public domain. There is not unanimity in Europe on this issue because some countries are nuclear and support the development of the industry. We do not. What is important is the nuclear safety package which is currently under discussion and about which there are differing views. As...

EURATOM Treaty. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I do not agree with all the assertions the Deputy has made in the absolutist terms in which he has framed them with regard to EURATOM. While there are issues and questions which we should pursue, it is not open to me to turn round the agenda during the Irish Presidency. The agenda for the Presidency is well documented and publicised. The best thing the Irish Presidency can do is deal with...

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: Final decisions on planning applications are a matter for the relevant local planning authority or, in the case of planning appeals, An Bord Pleanála. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is a statutory consultee in the case of any proposed development which may have an impact on built or natural heritage. The Minister is accountable to the Houses of the Oireachtas...

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy is suggesting that I rejected——

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy's assertion is that I rejected professional advice.

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I did not. I took all——

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I would answer, if the Deputy allowed me. I took advice from various sections. The perception the Deputy is conveying externally is that I sit in some office locked away on my own and receive a series of files.

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I want to make it clear that I do not do that. It is important to record the fact.

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: As the Deputy is well aware, I sit down with senior management to discuss all of these issues right across the system. Members from all sides of the House constantly come to me about all sorts of heritage issues in their local areas. Some even try to raise planning issues with me in which instances I inform them immediately that I have no function in the planning system. People raise issues...

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I do not have any notes in front of me. I will not stand here and say no one did. I will check the files and if someone did, I will confirm for the Deputy what the position was. I have no difficulty with that as I wish it to be clear that I looked at the implications and our vitally important heritage aims in each of the 28 cases, 19 of which were appealed. I considered how best we could...

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: No.

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: Not to my knowledge.

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: The basis of the second part of the Deputy's questioning is inaccurate. I have answered the first part. He suggests I do not take professional advice from my Department.

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: There was differing professional advice available.

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: If the Deputy is asking whether or not I went outside the Department to obtain further advice, the answer is "No".

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: That is very easy to answer — I made this point in my answer to the Deputy. There is a whole range of issues under the National Monuments Acts and the Heritage Act where I can ensure that the same objectives are achieved. I will answer the Deputy directly. I am not absolutely certain as I do not have the files in front of me. However, I recall that one of the objections, which was in north...

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: Yes, 1,100 houses. I answer questions in the House every day of the week about our efforts to build houses. I took the view that there should be a balance between protection of the heritage on one side and other Government policy issues on the other.

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy is not saying that, in several of the cases to which he refers, we sent the proposal back to the local authority concerned and said that we would not accept the scale of the facility in question but that if it were substantially scaled back, it would meet the requirements of heritage. That was what happened. Some officials met those requirements after doing that and taking account...

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I am not a rubber stamp and I will not be one for anyone.

Planning Issues. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I am not doing so. However, the point was why I engaged in this. I discovered that objections were made in my name about which I knew nothing.