Results 701-720 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Registration of Title: Registration of Title (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: The All-Party Committee on the Constitution, in its ninth progress report on private property, recommended that the existence of options should be included in the categories of transactions to be revealed publicly as a measure to achieve transparency in property markets generally. While the registration of land is not a matter for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: Sewage sludge is an inevitable and potentially useful by-product of advanced waste water treatment processes. The national volume of sewage sludge is increasing as a result of the continuing major investment in waste water treatment facilities under the national development plan. It is desirable and in accordance with EU requirements that sewage sludge should be reused where appropriate. I...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: There is ongoing concern within the United Nations environment programme about the possibility of large scale illegal dumping of toxic materials in Somalia. I understand that the programme is undertaking further investigations following the recent tsunami which is reported to have uncovered evidence of such materials. As parties to the Basel Convention on the control of transboundary...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1071 and 1104 together. All provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000 are now in force. Neither the Act nor the subsequent amendments to it contain provisions prohibiting planning applications for retention. The retention permission system allows for the assessment of an unauthorised development to determine whether it meets the criteria, including...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: I visited Shanghai and Beijing in China, from 13 March to 20 March last, for the St. Patrick's Day celebrations, building on the successful visit by the Taoiseach and his delegation to that country. During my visit, on which I was accompanied by my wife and my private secretary, I met the vice-mayor of Shanghai and the president of Fudan university in Shanghai, where I presented the prize for...

Written Answers — Register of Electors: Register of Electors (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: The compilation of a register of electors is a matter for the appropriate registration authority in accordance with electoral law. To be able to vote, a person's name must be entered in the register of electors for the constituency in the State in which the person ordinarily resides. A person's citizenship determines the polls at which he or she is entitled to vote. Irish citizens who are...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: The Planning and Development Act 2000 contains significant provisions regarding the completion of housing estates. A planning authority may require as a condition of a planning permission for the development of an estate that the development be satisfactorily completed within a period of not less than two years from the commencement of works. The 2000 Act also provides that a planning...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: Planning authorities are responsible for the granting of planning permission and the registration of quarries within their functional area. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government does not have information on the number of quarries with planning permission registered with Donegal County Council. Section 261 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 introduced a one-off...

Written Answers — Serviced Land Initiative: Serviced Land Initiative (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: I have recently approved funding for revised water services proposals at Lanesboro Road in Roscommon under the serviced land initiative measure of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government's water services investment programme. It is a matter for Roscommon County Council to proceed with the preparation of contract documents for the works.

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: Under the Building Control Act 1990, compliance with Part M of the building regulations, which relates to access of people with disabilities, is primarily the responsibility of the designers, builders and owners of buildings. The enforcement of Part M is the function of the local building control authority. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, with the...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: Westmeath County Council wrote to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in June 2004 outlining its plans to develop a new county council headquarters at Mullingar, with an anticipated borrowing requirement of €35 million. While no formal application was made for sanction to borrow, the council was advised that the overall allocation for local authority borrowing...

Written Answers — Commercial Rates: Commercial Rates (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: The following table, which has been compiled from information supplied to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government by local authorities, sets out the percentage increase in the annual rate on valuation by each local authority in 2005, compared to 2004. Percentage Increase County Council Carlow 5.00 Cavan 5.00 Clare 5.90 Cork 5.83 ...

Written Answers — Motor Vehicle Registration: Motor Vehicle Registration (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: The installation of new software in the national vehicle and driver file during this year will enable the year of manufacture of vehicles to be included in the revised vehicle registration certificate from the autumn.

Written Answers — Tidy Towns Competition: Tidy Towns Competition (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government does not provide direct financial assistance to tidy towns committees. Available funding goes towards the organisation of the tidy towns and related competitions and the maintenance of a substantial prize fund, which this year will exceed €180,000, spread over more than 200 prize categories. Financial and other assistance may...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: The European Communities (Protection of Waters Against Pollution from Agricultural Sources) Regulations 2003 formally designated the national territory of Ireland as the area to which a national nitrates action programme would apply. Consequently, no particular areas of the country are designated as nitrate vulnerable zones.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: There are no proposals under the decentralisation programme to move sections of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government which are based outside Dublin to other locations outside the city.

Written Answers — Fairtrade Products: Fairtrade Products (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: I am aware of the campaign to have fair trade products widely available and in particular the launch in Cork on 1 March 2005 of the fair trade fortnight 2005 campaign, which aims to raise consumer awareness in this area. I support the campaign's objective, which is to promote justice in trade between people in Ireland and people in developing countries. The company providing catering services...

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: The Race Against Waste campaign funded by my Department is an extended environmental awareness campaign to promote better waste management at home and in the workplace. The campaign, which was launched in November 2003, comprises a waste awareness media campaign and a communications strategy. The media campaign encourages people to prevent, reduce, reuse and recycle or compost their waste...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: Under section 10 of the Housing Act 1988, my Department recoups to local authorities 90% of their expenditure for the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons. The following table sets out details of this recoupment for organisations providing services for men. Total expenditure over the last three years amounted to €138 million, of which €22.7 million was for...

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (12 Apr 2005)

Dick Roche: I intend to continue providing a subvention to local authorities towards the operating costs of their recycling facilities. Local authorities continue to roll out recycling facilities which will help facilitate the considerably higher levels of recycling now anticipated following the introduction of pay-by-use waste charges. I expect to announce a further significant tranche of grants towards...