Results 501-520 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Special Areas of Conservation. (12 Dec 2006)

Batt O'Keeffe: There has been no amendment of the provisions relating to special areas of conservation, SACs, appeals as set out in the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997. These provisions allow persons with a legal interest in designated areas to object to such designations, on scientific grounds, within a three-month period from the time of designation. Moreover, in circumstances...

Special Areas of Conservation. (12 Dec 2006)

Batt O'Keeffe: The answer to Deputy Naughten's first question is "yes". It was introduced during 2001. For nine years the farming community should have been aware that some of their lands were designated. There has been an opportunity over a nine-year period. In addition, the National Parks and Wildlife Service has notified through radio, television and newspaper advertising, and through the provision...

Special Areas of Conservation. (12 Dec 2006)

Batt O'Keeffe: Over the nine-year period, where the Department was aware of the ownership of land, all the people concerned were written to. In certain instances there might be a question over the ownership of certain parcels of land and to make contact with those people, all the other devices of making that information available were used — the media, public notices and maps in public places. In...

Leaders' Questions (13 Dec 2006)

Batt O'Keeffe: Deputy Rabbitte was still on the old agenda.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments. (14 Dec 2006)

Batt O'Keeffe: On behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Michael McDowell, I thank Senator McHugh for raising this important issue. I hope what I have to say will be positive in terms of addressing the issues he raised. The Tánaiste has asked me to assure the Senator and the House of the importance he places on adequately resourcing the judicial system. In this...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments. (14 Dec 2006)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Senator's response is disappointing. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has assigned nine new judges to the system to deal with any delays. The President of the District Court, having reviewed the situation in Donegal——

Seanad: Judicial Appointments. (14 Dec 2006)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——has advised the Minister that there should not be any delay. The Minister and the Courts Service have to deal with 1,139 extra cases to reduce the backlog.

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes. (14 Dec 2006)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. My Department has provided significant funding for various improvements and extensions to the Shannon Estuary water supply scheme. The Water Services Investment Programme 2005-07 includes some €5.5 million for an upgrade of the treatment works and an extension of the supply system to Pallaskenry and Kildimo. The Department also provided moneys...

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes. (14 Dec 2006)

Batt O'Keeffe: Ultimately, responsibility has been delegated to local authorities. They have their own science laboratories to test water quality. Water supplies must conform with the water framework directive. Accordingly, I can only conclude that, in certain circumstances, it is. The underlying problem is that the water is not up to the standard required by the directive in certain areas. For that...

Seanad: Biodiversity Conservation. (6 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank Senator Coghlan for raising what is an important matter to those of us in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. As a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Ireland published a national biodiversity plan in 2002 containing 91 actions aimed at securing the conservation, sustainable use and enhancement of biodiversity in Ireland. A key concept of...

Seanad: Biodiversity Conservation. (6 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: My understanding, which I will confirm for the Senator, is that it contains the main rulings of the European Court. If there is any deficiency in terms of the information the Senator requires, my Department will be only too happy to supply it to him.

Bridge Collapse. (7 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. County councils and other major local authorities are responsible for managing and maintaining all non-national roads and bridges in their area. Each year, my Department assesses the non-national roads programmes of local authorities and makes substantial grant allocations towards these programmes. Authorities also have to commit an appropriate...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (20 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Approval in principle was granted in 2001 for a new fire station in Tallow. While it has not been possible to provide funding for this station as part of the 2007 fire services capital programme which I announced last week, funding has been provided for various other priority projects which have been advanced in County Waterford since 2001. These include replacement stations and extensions...

Housing Grants. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: For many years, the Government, through the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, RPII, has committed significant resources to assessing the incidence of radon gas, highlighting public awareness of it and the health risks associated with prolonged exposure to high concentrations. During the 1990s, the RPII carried out a nationwide survey of radon gas in domestic dwellings. Based on...

Housing Grants. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Obviously, the more often a Deputy asks a question, the more likely it is that he will get an answer to his liking.

Housing Grants. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: We have a very open mind on the matter, since we have serious concerns, and we want to ameliorate the situation as much as possible. However, I temper my answer by saying this.

Housing Grants. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: In countries where a grants system has been established, for example, in Northern Ireland, Great Britain and Denmark, it has not improved the take-up. Even where people are aware that radon levels are high and that assistance is available, it is surprising how low uptake has been. Denmark in particular, having examined its scheme's cost-effectiveness, decided that a far better mechanism to...

Housing Grants. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Regarding the figures that I quoted, we tell people to shop around, and we have a list of contractors. Our evidence is that the general norm is €2,000 to €3,000. If a contractor is charging €8,000 or €9,000, we would like to see evidence of those charges, and we will deal with them and inform customers where they might secure much better value for money. I do not want to...

Water and Sewerage Schemes. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Some 239 waste water schemes have been completed since 1997 under my Department's water services investment programme at an Exchequer cost of around €2.3 billion. This investment has transformed the quality, scale and coverage of our national waste water infrastructure. It has resulted in major progress in preserving and improving environmental standards and facilitated the unprecedented...

Water and Sewerage Schemes. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Minister will roll out the national sewage and water scheme on Thursday.