Results 1,081-1,100 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Radon Gas Levels: Radon Gas Levels (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 177 together. The Government, for many years, and largely through the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, RPII, has committed significant resources to assessing the extent of the radon problem throughout the country and to increasing public awareness of radon. The RPII has consistently advised on the health risks of exposure to radon gas and...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85, 110, 145, 158 and 298 to 301, inclusive, together. My Department is developing, in parallel with the continuing work of the Commission on Electronic Voting, a programme of further assessment, testing and validation which is intended to address the concerns raised in the commission's interim and first reports with regard to the secrecy and accuracy of the...

Written Answers — Departmental Records: Departmental Records (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: The management of all records, electronic and paper, in my Department is governed by the requirements of the freedom of information legislation, the National Archive Acts and various EU directives. Corporate policy and practice is aimed at achieving compliance with the national legislation and EU directives in this area. Directive 2003/4 does not make specific reference to deleted e-mails or...

Written Answers — Radioactive Waste Disposal: Radioactive Waste Disposal (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: Ireland's radioactive waste is generally low level and low volume, and derives in the main from hospital and certain industrial applications. It falls into two categories, unsealed sources, which are usually in liquid form, and sealed sources, which are enclosed in containers. Unsealed sources have a very short radioactive half-life. This type of waste is from hospitals and is normally...

Written Answers — Nuclear Plants: Nuclear Plants (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 125, 135, 153, 165, 169, 174 and 187 together. The Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant, THORP, at Sellafield reprocesses spent nuclear fuels from power stations in the UK and overseas. THORP is operated by British Nuclear Group Sellafield Limited, BNGSL. At the end of each fuel reprocessing campaign the fuel stock is measured in each area of the plant for...

Written Answers — Service Charges: Service Charges (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to priority Question No. 75 of today's date.

Written Answers — Nuclear Safety: Nuclear Safety (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91, 113, 121 and 148 together. The International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, based in Vienna, is the principal organisation dealing with nuclear matters at the international level. The IAEA works to promote the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology. Three main pillars, or areas of work, underpin the IAEA mission: safety and security;...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92, 100 and 168 together. The most recent waste management policy statement, Taking Stock and Moving Forward, April 2004, recognised that the prohibition on all inter-regional movements of waste could be unduly restrictive in terms of securing the development of waste infrastructure and the objectives of waste management plans. It is the case that most waste...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 99 together. The task force set up in my Department to establish strategies to address the range of environmental complaints against Ireland in a more comprehensive way is already operational. The task force comprises heads of division in the areas of environment, water and natural heritage and heritage and planning. This task force is carrying out a...

Written Answers — Nuclear Safety: Nuclear Safety (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: I assume that the question refers to a recent letter from the European Commissioner for Energy to all EU Energy Ministers regarding proposed changes to the European Commission's nuclear safeguards inspection system for controlling the use of nuclear materials. The new approach outlined by the Commissioner would appear to involve reduced frequency of inspections by the Commission and a greater...

Written Answers — Radon Gas Levels: Radon Gas Levels (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: Epidemiological studies have shown that naturally occurring radon gas concentrations add to the incidence of lung cancer. While there is evidence to suggest that long-term exposure to high levels of radon can be a contributory factor in increasing the risk of lung cancer and that the incidence is higher among smokers than non-smokers, it is not possible to ascribe any one cancer death solely...

Written Answers — Agricultural Schemes: Agricultural Schemes (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: The re-use of waste water sludge, including Biofert, in agriculture is subject to compliance with the Waste Management (Use of Sewage Sludge in Agriculture) Regulations 1998, as amended, which give full effect to Council Directive 86/278/EEC on the protection of the environment, and in particular of the soil when sewage sludge is used in agriculture. The management, control and use of waste...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 124 together. Odour incidents at Dublin City Council's Ringsend wastewater treatment plant, which is operated on the city council's behalf under a public private partnership contract, have originated from the on-site sludge treatment facility and not from the secondary treatment plant. I understand that a programme of works had been implemented by the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 386 of 17 May 2005.

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: Since 2001, my Department has been in discussion with the newsprint industry with a view to developing a producer responsibility initiative, PRI, for the recovery and recycling of newspapers and magazines. A joint industry taskforce, comprising the Regional Newspapers Association of Ireland, RNAI, Irish Retail Newsagents Association, IRNA, Newspread and Eason Wholesale Ltd, and co-ordinated...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Childcare Facilities were issued by my Department in July 2001 and were intended to ensure a consistency of approach throughout the country to the treatment of planning applications for child care facilities. The guidelines were issued as ministerial guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, and planning authorities and An...

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: The Government has put a wide range of measures in place at national, regional and local levels to implement the national spatial strategy, NSS, and achieve its objectives over its 20 year timeframe. The initial phases of NSS implementation focused on embedding the policy approach of the NSS within key Departments, their agencies and in regional and local authorities. Significant milestones...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: In December 2002, the Government decided to cap public service numbers at the existing authorised level and to reduce numbers by 5,000 across all sectors by end 2005. Numbers in the local authorities are to be reduced by 1,000 over that period. Local authorities were informed of the reduction required in the overall local government sector over the three year period 2003 to 2005 and the...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: The Health Research Board's study on the effects of landfill and incineration was published in 2003. My Department, together with the Department of Health and Children and the Environmental Protection Agency, has been considering this report with a view to co-ordinating a response to its findings. This process has taken longer than originally anticipated, due primarily to the need to also...

Written Answers — Water Pollution: Water Pollution (18 May 2005)

Dick Roche: Ireland's bathing waters were of a high standard during the 2004 bathing season and remain consistently near the top of the EU bathing water quality league table, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's annual report, The Quality of Bathing Water in Ireland 2004. The report indicates that 98% of bathing areas complied with mandatory EU values while 88% complied with the stricter...