Results 4,721-4,740 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Public Private Partnerships: Motion. (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Finneran, who has the delegated functions in regard to the housing area, will deal in more detail with the Dublin City Council projects. I want to use my time this evening to set out some of the very complex issues that are involved in undertaking large-scale regeneration projects and to outline clearly the Government's position on regeneration...

Special Areas of Conservation. (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: I welcome the opportunity to clarify a number of issues regarding the cessation of turf cutting on a relatively small number of designated bogs, which is due to come into effect at the end of this year. Of the 1,500-1,600 raised bogs, only 139 are designated and only 32 of these are subject to the derogation that lapses this year. While a similar ten-year derogation period will apply to the...

Special Areas of Conservation. (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: A similar ten-year derogation applies to bogs designated after 1999. When NHAs were designated in 2004, under an agreement with the farming organisations, another ten-year derogation was put in place, allowing cutting in NHAs until 2014. In the meantime, a review of the state of our bogs has revealed severe and continuing damage by domestic turf cutting. In the ten years since commercial...

School Accommodation. (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity of outlining to the House the position of the Department of Education and Science regarding primary school provision in Letterkenny, County Donegal. The Department's school building programme in 2008 aims to provide sufficient school places in developing areas, while also showing the Government's commitment to delivering improvements in the...

Waste Management. (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter on the Adjournment. They will be aware that I have already responded to a parliamentary question submitted by Deputy Ciarán Lynch on this issue today. This gives me a further opportunity to address the issue, which has become the subject of much media speculation in recent days. There has been a long history of industrial activity on Haulbowline...

Written Answers — Public Service Charges: Public Service Charges (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: The Valuation Act 2001 provides that community halls such as clubhouses which are not licensed to sell alcohol and whose facilities are not used primarily for profit or gain are not rateable. The Act further provides that where a club is licensed to sell alcohol under the Registration of Clubs Act 1904 the premises occupied by that club is registered and rateable. The sale of alcohol is a...

Written Answers — Environmental Pollution: Environmental Pollution (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: A number of reports and desk top studies have been undertaken down the years on behalf of Irish Steel, Irish Ispat, the Liquidator and the then Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. In 2005 White Young Green conducted the most comprehensive investigation undertaken at the site, which I have made available, including the full suite of technical data which it generated....

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 874 and 931 together. Both Stage 3 of the Arklow Water Supply Scheme and the Dunlavin Sewerage Scheme have been approved for funding under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 at estimated costs of €35.2 million and €5.1 million, respectively. My Department has approved Wicklow County Council's Preliminary Reports for both...

Written Answers — National Monuments: National Monuments (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: Any proposal to extend the historic graveyard at St. Kevin's Parish, Glendalough would require my consent under the provisions of the National Monuments Acts, 1930 to 2004. There is no application for such consent before my Department. While I understand that there can be very strong local attachment to historic graveyards, such as the one in St. Kevin's Parish, Glendalough, my Department...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 878 to 880, inclusive, together. The information requested is set out in the tables below: Special Advisers Name Title Salary Date of Initial Appointment* € Ryan Meade Special Adviser 84,066 14 June, 2007. David Healy Special Adviser 84,066 17 July, 2007. Liam Reid Special Adviser:Press and Information Officer 97,747 9 July, 2007. Donal...

Written Answers — Turbary Rights: Turbary Rights (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Question No. 628 of 17 April 2008. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: The current position is that the Online Motor Tax review was completed in December 2006 and cleared by my Department. The review, together with a copy of the independent quality assessment, has been forwarded to the Department of Finance secretariat of the Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative. The review has also been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, presented to the Select...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: As the proposal is for an ex-post review in respect of works that have already been completed, no direct related savings are anticipated. My Department is in contact with the Department of Finance in relation to the review.

Written Answers — Noise Pollution: Noise Pollution (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: My Department is currently examining options to strengthen legislation on noise pollution, with a view to meeting the Programme for Government commitment as a matter of priority. I intend to consult with key stakeholders, including local authorities. A consultation paper in this regard is currently being finalised and will be published shortly.

Written Answers — Environmental Waste: Environmental Waste (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: As the Deputy is aware the State, acting through my Department in a co-ordinating role, took over custody of the site in question from the liquidator in June 2003 as mandated by Government. The mandate required the Department to co-ordinate all legal actions in relation to the site, to cover matters such as site security, ongoing care and maintenance, and other issues arising, and to enable...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: The State has no direct role in determining the number, type or capacity of incinerators which may be developed. These are matters for the commercial sector or local authorities, who may act by way of public private partnership. In either case any such projects must secure planning permission and a waste licence through statutory processes which are independent of the Minister and the...

Written Answers — Architectural Heritage: Architectural Heritage (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: My Department has consulted with the Office of Public Works (OPW), who are responsible for the management of Hore Abbey, a national monument in state ownership. I am advised that there are no specific plans by OPW for the rebuilding or restoration of the Abbey ruins. I understand that the matter of conservation plans for National Monuments in state ownership generally, and specifically the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 890 and 891 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 406 of 4 June 2008. Since then, the Minister for Finance has agreed that, in order to avoid delay in project delivery, there should be some flexibility in relation to the application of the new forms of fixed price contract and that, subject to certain conditions, tenders for water services...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: Returning Officers are responsible for all matters in connection with the conduct of elections and referendums, including the provision of premises for use as polling stations, and they are independent in the performance of their duties. Payments to Returning Officers in respect of their electoral duties are made by the Department of Finance from the Central fund. The primary role of my...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (8 Jul 2008)

John Gormley: Arrangements for the supply of subsidised home composting containers are an operational matter for individual local authorities. While my Department's Waste Recycling Infrastructure Capital Grants Scheme provides assistance towards the provision of materials recovery and biological treatment facilities, including centralised composting facilities, direct subvention of householders by my...