Results 1,481-1,500 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Order of Business (13 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: A couple of weeks ago, I raised with the Taoiseach the need for the Government to ratify the Aarhus Convention. At the time he stated that he would direct the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to reply to me, but it does not appear to have done so. What is the up-to-date position in respect of the Aarhus Convention? When will the Government ratify it? Ireland is...

Local Government (Roads Functions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (13 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: I want to raise a number of issues with the Minister about the rationale for this legislation. There are implications for the transferring of this function to the Department of Transport but can the Department of Transport deal with these additional responsibilities? The Department of Transport has become a vast empire. A number of issues that have arisen there, for example, the disastrous...

Local Government (Roads Functions) Bill 2007: Second Stage (13 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: What does "this will be the benchmark going forward" mean? Does it mean there will be €87.5 million in the budget this year in addition to whatever would take into account the adjustment for the new economic situation? Will that €87.5 million from the Exchequer plus the local government funding be in the budget this year? I would like the Minister to clarify that. A few weeks ago there...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (13 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: Question 65: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, further to Parliamentary Question No. 119 of 2 October 2007, the exact number, name and location of the schools who are in receipt of the €3 billion plus that has been invested by her Department since 2000 as part of the upgrading of existing school infrastructure and new school accommodation; and if she will make a statement on...

Written Answers — Privately-Owned Schools: Privately-Owned Schools (13 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: Question 87: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, further to her reply to Parliamentary Question No. 119 of 2 October 2007, the comprehensive details of the long term lease agreements referred to in the second line of the last paragraph of her reply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28456/07]

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (13 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: Question 166: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will make funding available to youth cafés to support them in their works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28239/07]

Sustainable Development Strategy. (14 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: Question 36: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authorities, in drawing up their next county development plans, will specifically climate-proof those county development plans and, for example, allow no building on flood plains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28711/07]

Sustainable Development Strategy. (14 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Minister. The Environmental Protection Agency has called for county development plans to be climate proofed. The Minister has stated what is in place at present in terms of guidelines, that to which one must have regard, what local authorities should promote, etc. The problem with all of that is it is just too vague. There are no requirements on local authorities to ensure...

Sustainable Development Strategy. (14 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: I am informing the Minister that the chairman of An Bord Pleanála identified a problem. He stated that if councillors rezoned land on flood plains, for example, An Bord Pleanála might have to override those rezonings on the grounds that it would be on flood plains and that there may be issues of compensation to the land developers. That is not good enough. There should be a mandatory...

Sustainable Development Strategy. (14 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: ——which will happen irrespective of what we do about reducing our emissions and such like. Therefore, there will be a real problem. If the development plans drawn up in two years time include irresponsible rezonings such as those in the past which promote urban sprawl, all the Minister's carbon targets will be cosmetic if he will allow local authorities to continue to rezone without...

Sustainable Development Strategy. (14 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: I had indicated.

Sustainable Development Strategy. (14 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: I had indicated already.

Environmental Protection Agency. (14 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: If the Minister is considering doing something about the staffing embargo, that is welcome. In an article in the current council magazine, Council Review, Mr. Ray Earle, a Dublin City Council manager of the eastern river basin district project, said the Department believes local authorities have enough staff to deal with this issue. Mr. Earle said local authorities do not have enough...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (14 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: Question 68: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps his Department is taking to address the findings of a recent Environmental Protection Agency report that some 40% of public drinking water supplies it monitored in 2006 were not meeting required standards to protect against cryptosporidium contamination; and if he will make a statement on the...

Alternative Energy Projects. (15 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: Question 9: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the grants given to Irish companies involved in tidal turbines or wave energy; the applications for grants he has received relating to this energy resource to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28973/07]

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (15 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: Question 58: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the Broadcasting Bill; when it will be published; if he is in favour of maintaining the RTÉ authority; if this is no longer the case, the reasoning for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28974/07]

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (15 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: Question 134: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to a section in the new programme for Government 2007, under the heading Improved Opportunities in Further and Higher Education which states that more students will be enabled to qualify for the top-up grant; the way she envisages same being brought about; and if she will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (15 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: Question 195: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has plans to introduce legislation to enable tenants of housing associations to avail of a tenant purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29113/07]

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (15 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: Question 196: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his proposals to introduce a new tenant purchase scheme for local authority tenants in view of the fact that the valuation of houses is making it impossible for the vast majority of tenants to avail of the existing scheme. [29114/07]

Written Answers — Banking Sector Regulation: Banking Sector Regulation (20 Nov 2007)

Joanna Tuffy: Question 76: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance his views on the latest warning by the IMF that Ireland is one of the most vulnerable countries to the ongoing international banking crisis and credit crunch; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29596/07]