Results 1,201-1,220 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (31 May 2005)

Dick Roche: The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government maintains an extensive programme of legislative activity covering primary and secondary legislation. While I have no specific proposals for restatement or consolidation of electoral law, the matter will be kept under review in the light of available resources and the priorities of the Government's ongoing statute law...

Written Answers — Hare Coursing: Hare Coursing (31 May 2005)

Dick Roche: The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government issues an annual licence under section 34 of the Wildlife Act 1976, as amended, to the Irish Coursing Club allowing affiliated clubs to net hares. According to the club, which is required to give details of the number of hares netted on foot of the licences, the number of hares netted in the 2001-02 season was 6,005, the number...

Written Answers — Noise Pollution: Noise Pollution (31 May 2005)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 400 of 24 May 2005. Noise pollution is a cause for concern under the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations if the special area of conservation in question is designated as such to protect species which are adversely affected by noise. That is not the case, however, in the site referred to in the question. Section 107 of the Environmental...

Written Answers — Local Government: Local Government (1 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 81 of 18 May 2005. Under the Local Government Act 2001, Kildare County Council is the primary unit of local government in the area. Leixlip already has an active town council. Any proposal to establish a town council in Maynooth is a matter for the local community in the first instance. Kildare town would not qualify to be considered for town council...

Written Answers — Departmental Publications: Departmental Publications (1 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: Twelve reports are awaiting publication in my Department. Details are set out in the following table: Name of Report Time Elapsed Cost/projected cost of each report Date each report will be published â'¬ National Urban Waste Water Study 42 months 2,400,000.00 The report is being prepared for publication All-island report on invasive alien species under action 28 of the...

Written Answers — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (1 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The surcharge on non-annual discs is designed to cover the higher administrative costs involved. Current surcharge levels are lower than those permitted under motor tax law and were slightly reduced in 2001. I will continue to keep the level of surcharge under review in light of the expansion of e-motor tax arrangements.

Written Answers — Regional Road Network: Regional Road Network (1 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The improvement of non-national roads is a matter for road authorities to be funded from their own resources supplemented by State grants. In 2005, a grant of €400,000 was allocated to Sligo County Council under the EU co-financed specific improvements grant scheme for improvement works on the R294 at Mullaghroe. The council has also included two schemes on the R294, at Drumartin and...

Seanad: EU Directives. (1 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I am grateful to Senator Bannon for raising this issue. If I rose my eyes to heaven, it is because of the amount of mythology that has been peddled in recent times by sectors of the retail trade. They are not helping their case. I wish to nail a couple of the lies that have been told, although not by the Senators. Retailers will not need a waste licence. I met with the retailers and with the...

Seanad: EU Directives. (1 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I fully accept the Senator's bona fides in this matter. It is unusual that we should have this exchange but I welcome it. The reality is that the retailers have been at the negotiating table and I have listened to their concerns. Ironically, some on the other side of this debate are arguing that I am too much in favour of the retailers. It seems I must be somewhere in the middle. There is no...

Seanad: School Accommodation. (1 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I wish I could do so. Perhaps I might have been able to oblige if the school in question had applied for consideration under this year's programme. Unfortunately, it apparently neglected to do so. However, I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline details of the funding allocated to St. Macdara's College to improve its accommodation, and to...

Seanad: Disadvantaged Status. (1 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I acknowledge Senator Browne's concerns on this issue. Like him, I am occasionally mystified as to how the status of adjacent schools which are attended by the same families may be determined in slightly different fashions. I thank the Senator for affording me this opportunity to outline to the House the position of the Department of Education and Science concerning the allocation of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (2 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I assume that the question relates to commissions, inquiries and tribunals established for specific investigative purposes. The total cost of the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments to 31 December 2004 is €37.602 million. The tribunal expects to finish all its public hearings by at the latest March 2007. It is not possible for my Department to estimate the final...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (2 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The Commission for Public Service Appointments, set up under the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004, has recently published codes of practice governing recruitment to the Civil Service. The code prescribes the necessary standard of probity, merit, equity and fairness to be applied to recruitment and provides for a review-appeals procedure. Most recruitment for...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (2 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: In accordance with the Government decision on the first phase of moves under the decentralisation programme, the transfer of my Department's headquarters to Wexford is included in the list of those organisations considered potential early movers. The indicative timescale provided for the completion of the Department's headquarters in Wexford and the subsequent relocation of staff, is the...

Written Answers — Development Levies: Development Levies (2 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: Information in relation to development contributions collected by planning authorities are published in my Department's annual planning statistics, which are available in the Oireachtas Library. The total amount of development contributions collected by planning authorities in 2003 was €215 million. The 2004 planning statistics are currently being compiled; an initial estimate of the amount...

Written Answers — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (2 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: Total receipts from motor taxation, including driving licence duties, etc., amounted to €747 million in 2004. Estimated receipts for 2005 are €770 million.

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (14 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The Control of Dogs Acts 1986 and 1992 place statutory responsibility for dog control on county and city councils. Under the Acts, dogs are required to be licensed and to be kept under effectual control. Regulations under the Acts also provide for the leashing and muzzling of certain classes of dogs when in a public place. The implementation of the Acts is assigned to local authorities which...

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (14 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 843 and 844 together. The national spatial strategy, NSS, aims to achieve a better balance of social, economic and physical development across Ireland, supported by more effective planning. The NSS will be implemented over a 20-year timeframe up to 2020. The Government has put a wide range of measures in place at national, regional and local levels to...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (14 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The Ennis town water supply treatment scheme has been approved for construction in my Department's water services investment programme 2004-2006. My Department is awaiting submission of Clare County Council's tender documents for the scheme.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (14 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The Ennis-Clarecastle sewerage scheme has been approved for construction in my Department's water services investment programme 2004-2006. Clare County Council's preliminary report for the scheme is being examined in my Department and will be dealt with as quickly as possible.