Results 5,021-5,040 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (30 Sep 2008)

John Gormley: The Castleblayney Sewerage Scheme, which is being advanced as a grouped project with Ballybay and Clones, is approved for funding under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 at an overall estimated cost of €12m. My Department is awaiting Preliminary Reports from Monaghan County Council for the three locations. I understand that the Council is preparing an...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (30 Sep 2008)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply on 25 September 2008 when this matter was raised on the Adjournment. Subsequently, I understand that the Health Services Executive has confirmed that tests carried out to date have established that none of the persons tested has shown any evidence of lead toxicity. I have strengthened the legislation and provided additional resources to the EPA to ensure that the...

Written Answers — Register of Electors: Register of Electors (30 Sep 2008)

John Gormley: The Referendum Act 1994 does not make provision for the inspection and making available of certain documentation, including the marked copy of the electoral register. Furthermore, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government does not have any statutory function in relation to documentation arising from a referendum. Statutory responsibility in this matter lies with the...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (30 Sep 2008)

John Gormley: I announced a public consultation, inviting submissions from all persons and organisations, regarding the control of postering for elections and referenda on 23 July 2008. The closing date for receipt of comments, 15 September 2008, has now passed. Submissions are currently being collated and analysed in my Department, to inform my development of proposals which I expect to bring to...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (30 Sep 2008)

John Gormley: It is the Department's policy to ensure that all newly procured laptops have encryption software installed as standard. A rolling project to ensure that all existing stock is updated with the latest encryption technology is also underway. The Department's Information and Communications Technology User Policy sets out the general policy on access to and use of data held by the Department....

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (30 Sep 2008)

John Gormley: To date in 2008, three laptops and one external hard drive have been reported stolen and have not been recovered. No sensitive or personal data was stored on any of these devices.

Written Answers — Development Levies: Development Levies (30 Sep 2008)

John Gormley: The Planning and Development Act 2000 introduced changes to the operation of the development contributions system, including the introduction of a statutory requirement that such contributions may now be levied only in accordance with a development contribution scheme drawn up by the planning authority and approved by the elected members following a public consultation process. Section 48...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (30 Sep 2008)

John Gormley: No such general directive has been issued by my Department in respect of local authority capital projects funded by my Department. My Department wrote to local authorities in July 2008 to set aside old loan approvals for capital works where no funding had been drawn down on foot of these approvals. Authorities who wished to renew such applications for borrowing sanction were requested to...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (30 Sep 2008)

John Gormley: My Department's guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing (2005) are designed to achieve a balance between a good planning framework for rural housing and the local housing needs of those who are part of, or have links to, local rural communities. The Guidelines elaborate on the physical development policies for rural areas as set out in the Government's National...

Written Answers — Turbary Rights: Turbary Rights (30 Sep 2008)

John Gormley: A small fraction of Ireland's peatlands are designated for conservation purposes. Ireland is obliged to protect these designated peatlands, whether they are blanket bogs or raised bogs. While all threats to the conservation status of designated blanket bogs must be kept under review, I envisage that domestic turf cutting, by turbary owners or those who have been exercising cutting rights,...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Sep 2008)

John Gormley: Under the decentralisation programme, all Dublin based operations of my Department are being decentralised, with the exception of Met Éireann, ENFO and a small co-ordination section which it is proposed to retain in Dublin to assist with the Department's Dáil and other business. A total of 682 Dublin-based posts will be transferred to four locations in the south east, as follows: Wexford,...

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (1 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Question No. 327 of 9 July 2008. Decisions on the projects to be approved under the Gateway Innovation Fund, and the timing of any such approvals, will be subject to the overall capital funding position to be determined as part of the estimates process.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (1 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: I am aware of the case referred to in the Question. The making of a Tree Preservation Order, in exercise of the powers provided under section 205 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, is a matter for the relevant planning authority. I have no function in the matter. However, my Department will shortly write to planning authorities again bringing to their attention Tree Preservation...

Written Answers — National Monuments: National Monuments (1 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: In May 2008 my Department received a further report on the condition of the Turoe Stone commissioned by the Office of Public Works (OPW) from one of the country's foremost stone conservation experts. The report re-emphasised the continuing threat to the integrity of the Stone, arising from the unsatisfactory nature of the current conditions in which it is kept. The Department had previously...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (1 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: Animal welfare issues are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. I understand that he is preparing an Animal Health and Welfare Bill at present. Work is underway in my Department in drafting measures to implement the majority recommendations of the Working Group to review the Management of Dog Breeding Establishments. The issues involved are quite complex...

Written Answers — Special Areas of Conservation: Special Areas of Conservation (1 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: My Department is engaged in a nationwide roll-out of Special Protection Areas in accordance with the EU Birds Directive. The exercise includes redesignation of SPA sites some of which, like Wexford Harbour, were first designated ten years ago. This work is particularly required as part of Ireland's response to an adverse judgment by the European Court of Justice against Ireland in December...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (1 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: The Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for the preparation of annual inventories of greenhouse gas emissions to meet the reporting requirements of both the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the European Union. The Agency publishes a National Inventory Report each year on foot of these requirements. The most recent report published by the Agency...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (1 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: European Parliament and Council Directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) as amended by European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/108/EC of 8 December 2003 was transposed into Irish Law on 5 July 2005 by the Waste Management (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2005. The WEEE take back scheme, which came into effect on 13 August 2005,...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (1 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 163 together. A successful Producer Responsibility Initiative has been in operation since mid 1997 in relation to farm film/silage bale wrap. Producers — i.e. manufacturers and importers of farm film/bale wrap — pay a levy of €127 per tonne of farm plastic placed on the market to a compliance scheme, the Irish Farm Films Producers Group (IFFPG),...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (1 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: Local Government Fund general purpose grants, which are financed from the proceeds of motor tax and an Exchequer contribution, will be notified to local authorities in the coming weeks.