Results 121-140 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Social and Affordable Housing: Motion (Resumed). (20 Apr 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: That does not say much for Fine Gael councillors.

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (27 Apr 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: The provision of a fire service is a matter for the individual local fire authorities in accordance with section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports fire authorities in the active provision of a fire service through a range of functions, including capital funding assistance towards the cost of the provision of fire stations. In the case of new fire stations, the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (4 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is estimated that between 20% to 25% of first-time lettings by local authorities to households are allocated to single persons. While it is a matter for individual local authorities to decide on the allocation of houses to single persons and other categories on their waiting lists in accordance with their schemes of letting priorities, my Department has advised local authorities of the...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: Three out of five.

Written Answers — Air Pollution: Air Pollution (11 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: Air quality assessment is a matter for the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and air quality management is a matter for local authorities informed by air quality measurement data. The EPA's 2002 annual report on air quality monitoring contains details of the monitoring and assessment of national air quality. It incorporates data from all air quality monitoring stations operated by the EPA...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (11 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: Waterford County Council's proposals for new fire stations at Tallow and Portlaw, together with an extension to Dungarvan headquarters fire station, are under consideration in my Department in the context of the fire services capital programme. Having regard to the overall availability of resources under the programme it was not possible to approve additional fire station projects in...

Written Answers — Fire Services Capital Programme: Fire Services Capital Programme (11 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 and 276 together. Waterford County Council's tender proposal for the purchase of a new fire appliance, which was submitted to my Department on 5 January 2005, is at present the subject of correspondence with the council. On the receipt of the outstanding information a decision will issue to the council as early as possible. A further new fire appliance has...

Written Answers — Litter Pollution: Litter Pollution (17 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am satisfied that the penalties and enforcement powers in the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2003 are adequate to deal with dog fouling. Primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to litter pollution, including dog fouling, lies with local authorities.

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (17 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: Information on the operation of the local improvement scheme in each county council area is sought from councils each year. This includes details of the number of applications on hand and the estimated cost of those applications at the end of each year. Table 1 sets out details of the number of applications on hands and the estimated cost of those applications at the end of 2003 and the...

Register of Electors. (18 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: Significant measures are already in place with regard to voter identification and the prevention of personation. The returning officer or the presiding officer may, of his or her own volition, or if required by a personation agent, request any person applying for a ballot paper to produce a specified identification document. The range of documents includes a passport, a driving licence, an...

Register of Electors. (18 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: We all take this matter seriously. Deputy Gregory should consider the changes brought into effect since 2002. Section 111 of the Electoral Act 1992 has been updated. There has been a change in the electoral amendment regulations of 2004. We do not regard passports, driving licences or employee identity cards as items which can be overlooked by anyone. Deputy Gregory raised a fundamental issue...

Register of Electors. (18 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: I commend Deputy Gregory on what he is trying to achieve, but there are substantial practical difficulties in getting around this issue.

Register of Electors. (18 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: Everybody is concerned about probity in the system. I indicated in my reply that we are examining ways of ensuring it. We are certainly examining the registration. I am not sure what can be done at voting level. That is not to give a commitment that we will change the system because it is only a new system. It was in place for the Údarás elections. However, there will be ongoing review.

End-of-Life Vehicles. (18 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: Necessary enabling provisions to facilitate implementation of Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles were incorporated in the Protection of the Environment Act 2003. Part 5 (a) of the Waste Management Act 1996, as inserted by section 44 of the Protection of the Environment Act 2003, explicitly provides for the following: producer responsibility for the free deposit of ELVs at authorised...

End-of-Life Vehicles. (18 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is important to state that meetings were held over the years with the previous Minister and that the current Minister, Deputy Roche, has been particularly active in bringing this to a conclusion. He met the SIMI in November 2004 and met the metal recyclers association and the motor vehicle recyclers a week after the SIMI meeting. He met the SIMI again last week. The meetings are ongoing...

End-of-Life Vehicles. (18 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: It would be wrong to say that we do not have a high level of recovery of end-of-life vehicles. Currently the recovery level is 70% to 75%. We have targets to meet by 2006 and by 2015.

End-of-Life Vehicles. (18 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: No costs arise at this point. The Minister has clearly indicated that the regulations will be in place to ensure no costs will apply. With regard to 2001, I understand there was no finality to an agreement between the three parties.

End-of-Life Vehicles. (18 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: I understand there was no finality to that.

End-of-Life Vehicles. (18 May 2005)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can check my records as I do not have the information to hand, but my understanding is that there was no finality in terms of any agreement in 2001. With regard to the SIMI, there were tentative arrangements at some stage which, obviously, were not agreed to by the other groups involved, but negotiations have continued. The dismantlers group took an action to the European Court. We have the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the Air Pollution Act 1987, the occupier of any premises, other than a private dwelling, is required to use the best practicable means to limit and, if possible, to prevent emissions, including smoke emissions, from such premises. In addition, the occupier of any premises is prohibited from causing or permitting an emission in such a quantity or manner as to be a nuisance. The Act...