Results 9,241-9,260 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: The waste licensing of landfills is governed by the provisions of the Waste Management Acts 1996-2010 and associated regulations. The legislation provides that the EPA may impose conditions on a licence relating to the operation of facility, including requirements in relation to the closure, restoration, remediation and aftercare of the facility. The EPA is entitled to seek the necessary...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: My Department received a delegated sanction from the Department of Finance in August 2009 for implementation of the general moratorium on the filling of public sector posts across all local authorities. This is on condition that the overall staffing levels in the sector are reduced significantly by the end of 2010 in adherence with the Government's Policy on Staffing and Numbers in the Public...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: My Department provides support to various groups involved in social partnership. Grants are provided towards the administrative and general expenses of a number of organisations and bodies that provide information, research or representative services in the housing area. This funding assists such organisations in the delivery of housing objectives and services. Funding is also provided...

Written Answers — National Monuments: National Monuments (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 506 and 507 together. These buildings, which are privately owned, are subject to a Preservation Order made under section 8 of the National Monuments Act 1930, as amended. As required under section 14 of that Act, I have given consent to the owners for certain works to preserve the structure of the buildings. I understand that these works are ongoing and I...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: The issue of pyrite was brought to the attention of my Department in mid-2007. Having consulted the statutory Building Regulations Advisory Body, my Department issued a circular letter (Ref. BC 6/2007) to each county manager and local building control authority on 16 August 2007 to bring this matter to their notice and to request co-operation in the enforcement of the relevant requirements...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Question No. 754 of the 20 April 2010. The position, insofar as it related to the Kildare Town Sewerage Scheme, is unchanged.

Written Answers — National Monuments: National Monuments (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: In October 2008, I established an Expert Advisory Group (EAG) to carry out a review of Ireland's Tentative List of potential properties for nomination for inscription on the World Heritage List. On the basis of the EAG's own analysis and its consideration and assessment of the proposals and submissions received from the public and interested groups, the group finalised a new Tentative List,...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: County Councils were notified of their block grant allocations under the Rural Water Programme in April 2010. The total funding involved in block grant allocations was nearly €85 million and a list showing the overall allocation to each Council is available in the Oireachtas Library. These block grant allocations cover both funding for group water and sewerage schemes and small public...

Written Answers — Radon Gas Levels: Radon Gas Levels (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: The Government, largely through the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII), has, for many years now, worked towards assessing the extent of the radon problem throughout the country. Between 1992 and 1999 the RPII carried out a comprehensive National Radon Survey to measure radon concentrations in Irish homes. The principal objective was to identify the scale of the radon problem...

Written Answers — Water Pollution: Water Pollution (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I have recently given final approval, with amendments, to River Basin Management Plans developed jointly by the local authorities in each River Basin District. In accordance with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive these plans set out environmental objectives to be achieved and measures to be implemented to protect and improve our waters. The plans, which have been developed...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: Drainage works are generally the responsibility of the Office of Public Works in the context of measures to alleviate flooding, and the lead role in the preparation and funding of any regional drainage plan would accordingly fall to the OPW. Where my Department provides funding for local authority sewerage schemes in urban areas, these schemes may, on occasion, provide limited measures to...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: Provision is made in my Department's Vote for 2010 for capital expenditure by local authorities and others of some €1.509 billion this year, including €880 million in respect of housing and €508 million for water services. Work is proceeding on the planning, construction and financing of investment projects across these programmes so as to secure maximum benefit from the resources...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Question No. 210 of the 27 May 2010 which outlined the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Air Quality: Air Quality (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 532 and 533 together. The monitoring, assessment and management of ambient air quality in Ireland is carried out according to the requirements of the EU Air Quality Framework Directive. This Directive was transposed into Irish law through the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 (Ambient Air Quality Assessment and Management) Regulations 1999. Under...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I propose to take Question Nos. 537 and 538 together. As Minister, my role is to provide the necessary statutory and policy framework within which individual development contribution schemes are adopted by each local authority. The adoption of individual development contribution schemes is a reserved function of the locally elected members of each planning authority. It is a matter for...

Written Answers — Illegal Dumping: Illegal Dumping (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: Enforcement actions against illegal waste activity are a matter for the local authorities and the Office of Environmental Enforcement (OEE). I am satisfied that appropriate powers and resources are available to these enforcement authorities. The 2005 report of the OEE, The Nature and Extent of Unauthorised Waste Activity in Ireland, identified the unauthorised collection and fly-tipping of...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: The Government has considered the position in relation to the former Irish Steel/Ispat site at Haulbowline, noting the outcome of the site investigations, the requirement for various works and further monitoring recommended by the environmental consultants, and the development issues, particularly technical constraints, site boundary issues, zoning issues and regulatory requirements. The...

Written Answers — Heritage Sector: Heritage Sector (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: While there is no comprehensive data available on employment in the heritage sector, I am satisfied that the sector is making an important contribution to the Irish economy. For example, Fáilte Ireland's Survey of Travellers 2008 estimates that up to €2.3 billion was generated for the Irish economy from overseas tourists who engaged in cultural and heritage pursuits. Fáilte Ireland's...

Written Answers — Non-Principal Private Residences: Non-Principal Private Residences (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: As of 6 July 2010, a total of €111,990,940 had been raised from the charge on non-principal private residences, €46,929,340 of which was in respect of 2010. The charge is being levied and collected by local authorities. Income from the charge is retained by the individual local authorities that collect it and is used to support the provision of local services.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (8 Jul 2010)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Question No. 17 on today's Order Paper.