Results 7,841-7,860 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

FÁS Training Programmes. (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: Again, I emphasise that these are primarily matters for the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which is why I could not give exact figures to Deputy Tuffy. The suggestions made by all of the Deputies are very constructive ones. I will be happy to bring them to the attention of the Tánaiste. I agree that what the Deputy says makes sense. In the current economic...

Severe Weather. (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 10 together. In relation to the recent sustained period of severe weather, the critical consideration was the response of the relevant statutory agencies tasked with addressing emerging events. The response arrangements of the statutory and voluntary agencies in dealing with the developing situation were substantially tested. Some areas of the country...

Severe Weather. (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: As the Deputy knows, this is primarily a matter for the local authorities, which report directly to the Minister for Transport and this matter is co-ordinated by the National Roads Authority. That authority, which was part of the emergency committee, ensured we had adequate supplies of salt at all times. If one was to consider our response compared to Northern Ireland, which the Deputy...

Severe Weather. (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: We did.

Severe Weather. (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: We certainly did do that.

Severe Weather. (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: What is said is simply the case. I watched the response of the Prime Minister of the UK in the House of Commons who revealed that the UK at that stage had only six days of salt supply. They have six days' supply while we have ten days' supply. I am giving the Deputy the facts and he may not accept them but these are the facts.

Severe Weather. (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: No, it is a fact.

Severe Weather. (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: We got approximately 3,000 tonnes of salt from Carrickfergus. I must complement the Department of Foreign Affairs and others who were engaged in this process. We managed to access salt from all over Europe. Our embassies were engaged in this process. I attended a ministerial Council meeting at the weekend and I am aware that our Spanish embassy was involved in accessing salt. Salt...

Severe Weather. (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: I am more than happy for anybody to review our response because it compares very favourably with the responses elsewhere.

Written Answers — Local Government Reform: Local Government Reform (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: I have asked that the Local Government Efficiency Review Group complete its work and report to me by mid-2010. The Group's findings and recommendations will then be brought to Government to consider in the appropriate policy and financial contexts. Significant changes to local government will continue in parallel with the work of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group. The Government's...

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: The renewed Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce charges for water in a way that is fair, significantly reduces waste and is easily applied. I will shortly be bringing detailed proposals to Government on the approach to the metering of households on public supplies, including details on the financing and delivery of the metering programme. Legislation will also be...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: On 12 May 2009 I announced that the Government had decided to introduce a directly elected Mayor for the Dublin Region in 2010. This decision arises from the commitment in the Programme for Government to introduce a directly elected Mayor of Dublin, and from the considerations in the Green Paper on local government which I published in April 2008. The Government's decision to introduce a...

Written Answers — Emergency Planning: Emergency Planning (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: The need to deal in a proactive manner with the issue of flood risk was recognised by the Review of Flood Policy agreed by Government in 2004. Following the Review, the Office of Public Works was assigned Lead Agency responsibility for the management of flood risk. In this regard, I understand that the OPW is commencing Flood Risk Studies with a view to the preparation of Catchment Flood...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 284 together. Since the Department's Retail Planning Guidelines came into force in 2001, Ireland has undergone considerable change in terms of economic and social development, particularly in relation to population expansion and settlement patterns. In this period, there has been a considerable expansion of retail infrastructure and services which has...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: The renewed Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a scheme for the licensing and inspection of septic tanks and other on-site waste water treatment systems. In October 2009, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) found that Ireland failed to make adequate legislation for dealing with domestic waste-water from septic tanks and other on-site wastewater treatment systems. My...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: My Department's policy guidance in relation to Taking in Charge of Residential Estates states that planning authorities must adopt construction standards for residential developments that are acceptable to the planning authority for taking in charge and long-term maintenance and that it should be a condition of planning permission that such standards be adhered to. The guidance also states...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: Ireland will make a positive contribution to the successful implementation of the Copenhagen Accord, while maintaining efforts to strengthen it. Our contribution will be reflected, inter alia, in the emission reduction pledge which the European Union will make before the end of this month for the purposes of Appendix I of the Accord, and in the international financial support to assist...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 29, 64, 294 and 295 together. General-Purpose Grants from the Local Government Fund are the contribution that my Department makes to local authorities to meet the gap between the cost to them of providing a reasonable level of day-to-day services and the income they obtain from other sources. A total of €870m in General-Purpose Grants will be provided...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: In areas for which my Department has responsibility, the European Commission is currently in correspondence in respect of 31 cases relating to transposition and implementation of EU environmental legislation. The table lists the directives involved and indicates the various stages of proceedings in respect of these cases. The Commission made a decision on 29 October 2009 to refer Ireland to...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (21 Jan 2010)

John Gormley: The Programme for Government agreed in 2007 signalled a fundamental change of policy in relation to waste management. Reflecting the ambition of the Programme commitment, I have repeatedly made clear that incineration can no longer be the cornerstone of Irish waste policy, and that it is the Government's intention not to support the provision of excessive incineration capacity but to...