Results 8,721-8,740 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley
- Local Government Reform (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: If one wants to put it in those terms, I looked at what McCarthy had done and I felt it was necessary to carry out an efficiency review of the local government sector. Deputy Tuffy will have seen the recent reports about the failure to collect commercial water rates. It is absolutely essential that we get the full value for the â¬11 billion, current and capital, spent annually by local...
- Local Government Reform (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: One of the things I did not mention in my response was the introduction for the first time of a tax on second homes. I recall vividly that when it was introduced, Deputies on the Opposition benches said we would be lucky to collect â¬20 million. In fact, we have collected up to â¬63 million very quickly. It has worked efficiently. I do not think the local authorities can complain...
- Local Government Reform (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: We have been and will continue to be enormously flexible with the local authorities on every front.
- Noise Pollution (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: The Government is committed to introducing comprehensive legislation to address noise nuisance. Extensive public consultation was undertaken as part of the preparatory process, during which over 200 submissions were received from the public and key stakeholders. After due consideration of the submissions, the general scheme of a noise nuisance Bill was prepared and approved by the...
- Foreshore Licences (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: Following the enactment of the Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Act 2009, my Department assumed responsibility on 15 January 2010 for a range of foreshore functions, including all foreshore energy related developments, including oil, gas, wind, wave and tidal energy developments; aggregate and mineral extraction developments on the foreshore; foreshore projects in respect of port...
- Foreshore Licences (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: My understanding is that the various processes have not been gone through.
- Foreshore Licences (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: As I have said, we have to go through certain processes.
- Foreshore Licences (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: I understand that the senior counsel is in negotiations with some of the stakeholders to try to get further information. He needs to come back. He has told us he requires more time to do that. It is crucial to establish what the waste streams are and what quantities of waste are involved. I understand it has been difficult to get some of the information because it is commercially...
- Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 â 2012 aims to prioritise contracts and schemes that target environmental compliance issues and support economic and employment growth as envisaged in the Government's policy document Building Ireland's Smart Economy â A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal. The preparation of the programme involved a complete review of all schemes which...
- Written Answers — Water Charges: Water Charges (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 23 together. In December 2009, following a decision by Government, I informed the House that I would be bringing forward proposals for the installation of water meters in households served by public water supplies. These proposals, which my Department is now finalising, will give effect to the commitment in the renewed Programme for Government to...
- Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: I recognise that a significant proportion of complaints received by the Environmental Protection Agency relate to odour problems at licensed waste facilities. A range of measures are being pursued to address these issues, including significant enforcement efforts, the revision of waste licences to require odour management plans, and the publication of guidelines setting minimum acceptable...
- Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 21 and 201 together. The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 â 2012 provides for the development of a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure over that period. The timing of the commencement of contracts within that period is a matter for the Water Services Authorities and I encourage authorities to expedite the progression of...
- Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: Details of the local authority mains rehabilitation projects funded by my Department since 2002 are set out in the following table. Some of these projects are still underway. Local Authority Project Carlow County Council Carlow Water Conservation - Phase 2 Carlow County Council Carlow Water Conservation Project (Phase 2 Town and Phase 1 Regional) -Stage 3 Cavan County Council Arvagh...
- Written Answers — Coastal Protection: Coastal Protection (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 39 together. There is currently no limit imposed by either my Department or the local authority on the removal of sea lettuce from the areas in question. I understand that the local authority has invited expressions of interest from parties for proposed solutions for the collection and disposal of the sea lettuce. The closing date for receipt of these...
- Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: The European Communities (Environmental Liability) Regulations 2008 which came into operation on 1 April 2009, transpose the EU Environmental Liability Directive into Irish law. Primary legislation is however required to deal with a number of discretionary provisions contained in the Directive that could not be enacted by way of secondary legislation at the time of making the 2008...
- Written Answers — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: Road safety is a matter for the Minister for Transport and the Road Safety Authority and one in which I have no function. In relation to motor tax, liability on a vehicle arises when the vehicle is first used in a public place following registration of the vehicle by the Revenue Commissioners and assignment of Irish number plates. It is an offence to use an untaxed mechanically propelled...
- Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (27 May 2010)
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 — Turbary Rights: Turbary Rights (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: The ten-year derogation has come to an end for 32 raised bog Special Areas of Conservation. The derogation will end for further sites at the end of 2011 and 2013. It is clear from the scientific evidence available to me that there has been a continued loss of protected habitat on these bogs that can only be effectively halted and reversed through further restrictions on turf cutting and...
- Written Answers — Capital Investment Programmes: Capital Investment Programmes (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: In the renewed Programme for Government, the Government undertook to publish its revised investment priorities within the overall exchequer capital expenditure ceilings, set out in Budget 2010, of â¬6.43 billion for 2010 and â¬5.5 billion per year from 2011 to 2016. Substantial work has been undertaken by the Department of Finance, in consultation with other Departments, to review capital...
- Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (27 May 2010)
John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 209 together. Following the Government decision not to proceed with implementation of electronic voting in Ireland, an Interdepartmental Task Force, chaired by my Department, was established to bring the project to an orderly conclusion and to oversee disposal of the equipment and termination of storage arrangements. To date, the Task Force has met...