Results 4,801-4,820 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: Ireland signed the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters on 25 June 1998. Progress towards ratification of the Convention is closely aligned with work at EU level. To date, the European Union has adopted two Directives as part of the ratification process for the Convention. These deal with public...

Written Answers — Local Government Act 2001: Local Government Act 2001 (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: The Local Government Act 2001 modernises the legislative framework for local government, supports community involvement with local authorities in a more participative local democracy and underpins generally the programme of local government renewal. The Act is being brought into operation on a phased basis and 213 of its 247 sections have so far been commenced. The following table identifies...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: The European Commission is currently in correspondence with my Department in respect of 35 cases relating to possible infringements of EU environmental legislation for which my Department is responsible. This compares to 53 such cases at the end of October 2005. This considerable improvement illustrates the positive outcomes from my intensive efforts to resolve issues in dialogue with the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Services: Local Authority Services (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 202 to 206 of 26 October 2006. Section 67 and Schedule 13 of the Local Government Act, 2001 empower local authorities to take such measures, engage in such activities or do such things as they consider necessary to promote the interests of the local community. This includes general recreational and leisure activities such as the provision of parks,...

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: A Joint Industry Taskforce, comprising the Regional Newspapers Association of Ireland (RNAI), Irish Retail Newsagents Association (IRNA), Newspread and Eason Wholesale Ltd, and co-ordinated by National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) was established and has been engaged in negotiations with my Department. The aim of these discussions with the stakeholders, which are continuing, is to develop a...

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: Recycling is a significant element of the Government's overall integrated policy framework on waste management — which is based on the internationally recognised waste hierarchy — prioritising waste prevention, minimisation, reuse, recycling, energy recovery and the environmentally sound disposal of residual waste which cannot be recycled or recovered. This significant emphasis on...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 344 together. Government policy on the control and regulation of numbers in the public sector, including local authorities, was announced in the Minister for Finance's Budget statement of 7 December 2005. I am continuing to keep the overall employment position in the sector under regular review, having regard to the need to deliver quality front line...

Written Answers — Sustainable Development Strategy: Sustainable Development Strategy (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: The Ten Year Framework Social Partnership Agreement, Towards 2016, includes a commitment to publishing a renewed National Sustainable Development Strategy by mid 2007. Ireland's first sustainable development strategy, Sustainable Development — A Strategy for Ireland was published in 1997. A review of the Strategy, Making Ireland's Development Sustainable, was published in 2002, ahead of the...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 125 together. I welcome the publication of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change. The report offers a comprehensive review of the economic implications of climate change. Together with the substantial body of scientific evidence which is available through the UN system in relation to climate change, the Governments of the world now have...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 110 together. Income to date from the plastic bag levy amounts to €64,988,365. The 15c levy on plastic bags, as provided for in the Waste Management (Environmental Levy) (Plastic Bag) Regulations 2001, has led to a dramatic reduction in use of plastic bags with a consequent positive environmental benefit. Plastic shopping bags accounted for 5% of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 135 of 4 October 2006. I am arranging for the following documents to be made available in the Oireachtas Library: My Department's consolidated guidelines on procurement; a list of reference material on procurement that has been published on my Department's Intranet, together with the Internet weblinks to the original source material.

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: The improvement and maintenance of non-national roads is a matter for local authorities to be funded from their own resources supplemented by State Grants provided by my Department. The results of a Pavement Condition Study on non-national roads, which was carried out by consultants and completed in 2005, have shown that there has been a very large growth in traffic volumes, including...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 121 together. I am well aware of the importance of cross-border co-operation on environmental matters. On 2 October 2006 I met with my Northern Ireland counterpart Minister David Cairns to discuss issues of common interest, in particular biodiversity, waste management and spatial planning. We acknowledged the significant on-going North/South...

Written Answers — Architectural Heritage: Architectural Heritage (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: Following a review of my Department's Built Heritage Capital Programme for 2006, I announced on 29 September that I had re-allocated identified savings within that programme to add to the provision of certain individual projects as follows: Heritage Council €1,650,000 Waterford City Walls €260,000; Local Authority Conservation Grants Schemes €1,067,000. The additional €1,650,000...

Written Answers — Local Government Policy: Local Government Policy (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: I have noted the contents of the report referred to in the Question. With regard to local government funding in general, I consider that the present system of funding local government, put in place by this Government, has served us particularly well, and has placed local government in a much better financial position than in the past. This year I announced record levels of general purpose...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: I refer to the replies to Questions No. 106 of 13 June 2006 and No. 225 of 4 October 2006, which set out the range of legislation on noise pollution already in place. Given these extensive controls on noise pollution from various sources, it is not proposed to introduce further legislation in this area.

Written Answers — Local Government Expenditure: Local Government Expenditure (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: The table sets out the increases in local authority current expenditure since 1999. The data for 1999 to 2005 are based on outturn figures and the data for 2006 on budget data provided by local authorities. The increased expenditure by local authorities in the period is in response to the needs of an expanding population, growth in economic activity associated social and quality of life...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 175 of 4 October 2006. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Wildlife Protection: Wildlife Protection (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98, 102, 106 and 323 together. On 18 October, the European Commission issued a Reasoned Opinion requiring Ireland to complete the task of publishing Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and transmit the final list of SACs to the Commission. It is accepted by both sides that while substantial progress has already been made in this regard, the process must...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (8 Nov 2006)

Dick Roche: The definitive Action Plan for the Implementation of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2002/91/EC) in Ireland was published on I August 2006. Section 6 of the Plan set out proposals for a comprehensive consultation, promotion and information campaign to inform the general public and business industry. I understand that Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) has held and...