Results 4,501-4,520 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: In the context of new Planning and Development Regulations to be finalised shortly I intend to make the Irish Rural Dwellers Association (IRDA) a nominating body for An Bord Pleanála.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: An Taisce is an independent non-governmental organisation and I have no detailed information regarding its membership. In general terms it is a matter for non-governmental organisations to regulate their own affairs, without Government involvement. However, general provisions have been included in Section 10 of the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006 for the...

Written Answers — Light Rail Project: Light Rail Project (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: My Department has not made a submission to the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) in regard to the Luas Line B2 from Cherrywood to Bray, and there are therefore no papers from the Department in this regard which I could release to the Deputy. However, I should point out that, in my role as constituency representative, I have written to and met with the RPA in relation to the proposed extension...

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The architectural degree courses referred to have only recently commenced and, consequently, are not specified as recognised architectural qualifications for the purpose of registration of the title of "architect" in Section 11 of the Building Control 2005, introduced last December. Following the enactment of the 2005 Bill, I will consider making Regulations under Section 11 (5), providing...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 326, 335 and 337 together. Drinking water quality in public and private water supplies is monitored and reported on by the Environmental Protection Agency. The most recent EPA report The Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland — A Report for the Year 2004 is available in the Oireachtas Library and confirms the fundamentally good quality of drinking water...

Written Answers — National Parks: National Parks (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: All of Ireland's six National Parks are managed as Category II National Parks under the criteria set out by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Under this Category, ownership and management should normally be by the highest competent authority of the State. Accordingly, all National Parks in Ireland are fully owned and managed by the State. A large proportion of Killarney National Park is...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The operation of the regional waste water treatment plant in Ringsend is the responsibility of Dublin City Council and my Department has no direct function in the matter. I understand that remedial measures to deal with odour issues are being carried out by the plant operators on behalf of the City Council.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: Section 38(4) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 allows the charging of a fee for photocopies of documents relating to planning applications "not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy". On the basis of a survey carried out in 2005, my Department determined that there was a large variation in practices in planning authorities as regards the method of calculation of charges for...

Written Answers — Architectural Heritage: Architectural Heritage (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: Statutory protection of the architectural heritage is primarily a matter for the planning authorities to whom my Department provides advice in the exercise of their functions in that regard under the Planning and Development Act 2000. Under the provisions of the Act, each planning authority is required, for the purpose of protecting structures, or parts of structures, which are of special...

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The generation of methane gas for use as a fuel is a potential benefit of treating sludge, a waste water by-product, by anaerobic digestion. The gas produced from the sludge digestion process in Ireland's largest waste water treatment facility at Ringsend in Dublin supplies some 50% of the heating requirements of the plant. Other sewage treatment plants also recover energy from methane gas...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The provision of a fire service, including equipment such as breathing apparatus, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities and my Department has no direct role in this matter. My Department supports the local fire authorities through the setting of general policy, the provision of capital funding, the issue of guidance to fire authorities in relation to fire prevention and...

Written Answers — Air Pollution: Air Pollution (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: Air quality assessment is the responsibility of the Environmental Protection Agency and air quality management a matter for local authorities informed by air quality measurement data. The Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality in Ireland 2005 report, published in July 2006 (available in the Oireachtas Library), contains details of the monitoring and assessment of national air quality,...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 1504, 1506 and 1526 of 27 September 2006. I am arranging to forward the information promised to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The Buildings at Risk Grant Scheme operated by the Heritage Council, a statutorily independent body established under the Heritage Act, 1995 and funded by my Department, has been deployed to certain churches which are no longer required for religious service. Enquiries should be made directly to the Heritage Council. The Council is itself broadly based in its membership and has active...

Seanad: Petitions Committee: Motion (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: A temporary arrangement.

Seanad: Petitions Committee: Motion (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: We will not mention the poodles from Tallaght.

Seanad: Petitions Committee: Motion (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: I will do something dangerous and ignore my script. I can give the Senator another story to quote. When I was a civil servant many years ago, one of my senior and wiser people advised me about the dangers of Ministers who got their script too early and wrote on it. The real horror was a Minister who got a script and then changed it. Worse still was a character who actually said what he...

Seanad: Petitions Committee: Motion (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The Leader should not demur at a compliment. It is right to engage in this discussion. We have established a sub-committee under my chairmanship, as Senators know, which picks up on the work of the Leader's sub-committee. The sub-committee touched on the area of public consultation, which is interesting. I am pleased to say that Senator Tuffy's motion offers clarification in that regard...

Seanad: Petitions Committee: Motion (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The group's remit was to establish the extent of cross-party agreement on recommendations in the report. Frankly, I am not sure exactly how much agreement there is. There are some areas of consensus but others where I do not think it will emerge. The group held its first meeting in October 2005 and will hold its fourth on 18 October 2006. I will make a proposal to the House and a couple of...

Seanad: Petitions Committee: Motion (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: As a citizen, taxpayer and public representative I felt intense frustration that a valuable property, 14 miles from the centre of Dublin, containing millions of tonnes of sand and gravel, was sold for a ridiculous consideration. When we started to ventilate the issue I found that my frustration was nothing compared with that of citizens who felt that a large and powerful multinational...