Results 7,521-7,540 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 90 together. 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 and, in that context, the European Union has adopted two directives as part of the...
- Written Answers — Site Management: Site Management (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: As previously advised, the Government has decided that the Office of Public Works will chair a working group to develop a structured and coherent approach to the further management and development of the site. The establishment of this group is a matter for the OPW. The issue of a retaining sea wall or similar such barrier remains a key issue to be addressed in this context. Consideration...
- Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: I understand the concerns of domestic turf cutters on the relatively small number of designated raised bogs on which, for conservation reasons, turf cutting needs to be ended. There is no intention to restrict this activity on the vast majority of bogs within the State, where cutting may continue as before. The restrictions on domestic turf cutting on designated raised bogs affect only...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: My Department has a delegated sanction from the Department of Finance for implementation of the general moratorium on the filling of public sector posts in the local authority sector, on the condition that the overall staffing levels in the local authority sector are to be reduced significantly by the end of 2010 in adherence with the Government's policy on staffing and numbers in the public...
- Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: The programme for Government, agreed in 2007, contains a commitment to the establishment of an independent Electoral Commission which will take responsibility for electoral administration and oversight, implement modern and efficient electoral practices, revise constituency boundaries, take charge of compiling a new national rolling Electoral Register, take over the functions of the Standards...
- Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: My Department is currently undertaking a Value for Money Study in relation to the efficiency and effectiveness of delivery of the Water Services Investment Programme as part of the Government's Value for Money Reviews for 2009 â 2011. The outcome of this study, which will be finalised early next year, will influence the implementation of future water services investment programmes. As...
- Written Answers — Urban Renewal Schemes: Urban Renewal Schemes (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Priority Question No. 45 on today's Order Paper.
- Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 418 and 422 together. Under the Government's water pricing policy, local authorities are required to recover the costs of providing water services from non domestic users of these services. A water services charge is levied for the provision of drinking water and is based on volumetric use. A programme of work to install water meters for all non domestic...
- Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 provides for a charge on all non-principal private residences set at â¬200 per annum which is payable by owners of private rented accommodation, holiday homes and any other residential property that is not the owner's sole of main residence. The Act is structured with a starting position of a universal liability for residential property in respect of...
- Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 420 and 421 together. Work is under way in drafting an amendment to the Control of Dogs Acts and I hope to publish my proposals in the near future. The draft Bill proposes to give statutory effect to the recommendations of the Working Group that had been established to review the management of dog breeding establishments. The Working Group recommended that a...
- Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: Under the provisions of the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, the charge on non-principal private residences is only payable in respect of a building used, or suitable for use, as a dwelling. It follows, therefore, that a building that is not habitable is exempt from the charge. While the Act does not define what might constitute a habitable, building, my Department has issued guidelines...
- Written Answers — Library Projects: Library Projects (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: The provision of a public library service in Belturbet is a matter for the library authority concerned, in this instance Cavan County Council. The authority has indicated that the library in Belturbet is its number one priority for funding. Following detailed consideration of the priority lists submitted by all local authorities, a limited two-year Capital Programme for Public Libraries was...
- Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: As previously advised the Attorney General sought and received on my behalf, on a confidential basis, a copy of the agreement in respect of the public private partnership between Dublin City Council, acting on behalf of the Dublin local authorities, and Dublin Waste to Energy. The figure of â¬18 million was arrived at on the basis of a desktop exercise to assess risks associated with the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: The Department's leased buildings are acquired by the Office of Public Works. Rental costs and rent reviews are a matter for that Office.
- Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: The levels of compliance with drinking water and waste water standards are monitored by the EPA. In relation to drinking water, the EPA published its annual report on the provision and quality of drinking water for the period 2007-2008 in April 2009. The report contains the results of monitoring data for 2007 and highlighted that overall compliance with drinking water standards in 2007 was...
- Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: My Department funds the capital costs associated with the provision of water services infrastructure to the domestic sector. The 2009 capital provision is â¬500 million, of which an estimated â¬270 million will be spent on the provision of drinking water supplies. The operational costs for local authorities in providing water and wastewater services in 2007, based on the Annual Financial...
- Written Answers — Tax Yield: Tax Yield (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: As of 23 November 2009, â¬48,289,700 had been raised under the non-principal private residence charge. Properties used for the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) are exempt from the charge under the provisions of the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 in order to encourage take-up of the scheme and to prevent a circular flow of income to and from local authorities. The latest figures...
- Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: The Environmental Protect Agency is responsible for compiling the national inventories of greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland and for reporting these to the European Union and to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). These inventories are compiled on an annual basis using the good practice guidelines established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change....
- Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: I do not accept the premise on which this question is based: there is no failure to meet the targets set under the Kyoto period 2008-2012. The National Climate Change Strategy signalled the possibility of supplementing greenhouse gas emission reductions with the purchase of up to 3.6 million carbon units on average each year in the five-year Kyoto Protocol commitment period 2008-2012 or 18m...
- Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (24 Nov 2009)
John Gormley: Funding is directed through the Irish Environmental Network (IEN) to member organisations to support their core activities, build capacity to participate in policy development/implementation and social partnership, and to carry out project research and advocacy. Funding is also provided directly to some organisations to support the development of educational materials/exhibitions and to...