Results 441-460 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Nuclear Plants. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 197 together. Access to Sellafield by Irish experts has been sought by the Irish Government on an ongoing basis and in February 2000 staff of the RPII received permission for a formal visit to the site. Based on its examination of the safety documentation, in December 2000 the RPII produced a report on the storage of liquid high-level radioactive waste...

Nuclear Plants. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I do not accept that. There is, and has been, fairly strong consensus in this House. As a former Minister with some responsibility in the area, the Deputy knows the difficulties first hand. However, we have advanced matters quite far under two cases, OSPAR and UNCLOS — the Deputy referred only to one. The situation regarding the European Court of Justice and the Commission believing that it...

Nuclear Plants. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy knows this is an issue in which the Taoiseach engages in a fulsome way and which is always on his agenda. I think he has confirmed to the House that he raised this matter with the British Prime Minister. I do not have the details but I am confident he has confirmed it to the House.

Nuclear Plants. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: Following the cases, serious discussions are going on as to how we implement and improve substantially the relationship between Ireland and the UK covering the full range of issues which the Deputy, Deputy Stagg, others and I have raised. However, these are not complete. I am anxious for them to be completed and when they are, I will give a full account to the House as to what the position...

Nuclear Plants. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I did so just before Christmas, less than two months ago. I raised it in my pre-Presidency discussions with Minister Beckett. The Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, was with me and we went on to meet the Minister for Energy on the same occasion. We had lengthy meetings on various subjects and I raised this with them. As I said to Deputy Allen, negotiations and discussions are taking place...

Nuclear Plants. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: As the Deputy knows, the RPII visited the site previously. When we talk about the site, one of the issues is that it is a vast site. The issue is perhaps more important than simply getting on to the site. I hope we can resolve this issue and see a further visit in the near future, but I am guarded in what I say for specific reasons, which the Deputy may appreciate, as I follow up on the...

Nuclear Plants. (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I reiterate that the Government remains committed to and is deeply concerned about the activities at Sellafield, as it always has been. The Government will use every avenue open to it, legal and otherwise, to ensure it gets the message home to the British Government and, ultimately, to achieve its objective which many people in Ireland and elsewhere would like to see, that is, the closure of...

Leaders' Questions (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: It is not.

Written Answers — Nuclear Plants: Nuclear Plants (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 147 together. Since June 2002, the Government has taken significant steps to bring about the closure of Sellafield, in accordance with our commitment in the agreed programme for Government. That policy objective has been advanced through separate legal actions, under the OSPAR Convention and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The OSPAR tribunal,...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: The national spatial strategy, or NSS, was published by Government in November 2002. The strategy is a 20-year planning framework designed to enable every part of the country to achieve its potential. The strategy aims to promote a dynamic urban and rural structure throughout Ireland through a set of interdependent spatial policies which focus on five main elements: a stronger,...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: Dioxins arise mainly from incomplete combustion. Various studies have confirmed their ubiquitous nature, even in remote areas. Humans have contributed to the dioxin load in the environment since the first use of fire, and in practical terms it is impossible totally to eliminate dioxins. The real challenge is to reduce levels of emissions. The most recent emissions data available are in the...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: The European Commission has initiated legal proceedings against Ireland regarding alleged failures to comply with aspects of the Waste Framework Directive (75/442/EC). Following the submission of papers by both the Commission and the Irish authorities, including a request by Ireland for an oral hearing, it is now a matter for the European Court of Justice to decide on the timing of the case's...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: Group sewerage scheme grants of up to 75% of the approved cost, subject to a maximum grant of €2,031 per house, are available for the provision of common or shared waste water disposal systems. The national rural water monitoring committee is overseeing the implementation of a pilot programme by local authorities to test a range of new, small-scale waste water collection and treatment...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: An effective basis for addressing our waste management responsibilities has been put in place through the Changing Our Ways policy statement on waste management, the Preventing and Recycling Waste: Delivering Change policy statement, the waste management plans, largely prepared on a regional basis, adopted by the local authorities, and the comprehensive regulatory framework now in place...

Written Answers — Playground Statistics: Playground Statistics (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: Comprehensive statistics on the number of playgrounds in the State are not available in my Department. However, under my recently announced initiative, Delivering Value for People: Service Indicators in Local Authorities, local authorities are required to report annually on their performance against 42 service indicators. Two of those indicators relate to playgrounds, and those will enable...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 202 together. There are seven cases in respect of which the European Commission has initiated legal action on grounds of non-implementation of EU directives in areas for which my Department has responsibility. Six of the cases relate to directives concerning dangerous substances in water, protection of water against pollution by nitrates from...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 183 together. Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides that the Minister may, at any time, issue guidelines to planning authorities regarding any of their functions under the Act and requires planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála to have regard to such guidelines in the performance of their functions. Work is under way in my...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I refer to the reply to Question No. 81 of 26 November 2003. Kyoto obligations arise in the commitment period 2008 to 2012. Ireland has embarked on a challenging programme to limit the growth in greenhouse gas emissions through vigorous implementation of the Government's national climate change strategy published in November 2000. This comprises a systematic programme towards meeting these...

Written Answers — Development Levy: Development Levy (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 160, 167, 209 and 488 together. The development contribution system was significantly revised when the Oireachtas, with cross-party support, brought in a new, transparent system in the Planning and Development Act 2000. Under section 48 of the 2000 Act, planning authorities must draw up a development contribution scheme in respect of public infrastructure and...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (3 Feb 2004)

Martin Cullen: I assume the question refers to targeted reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. Under the Kyoto Protocol, which the European Union and its member states ratified in May 2002, the EU has committed itself to reducing its combined emissions of a basket of six greenhouse gases by 8% below 1990 levels during the period 2008 to 2012. A subsequent burden sharing arrangement resulted in different...