Results 2,041-2,060 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67, 102, 137 and 165 together. The provision and improvement of non-national roads is a matter for local authorities to be funded from their own resources supplemented by State grants provided by my Department. There have been significant increases in recent years in the level of State aid provided to local authorities for the provision, improvement and...

Written Answers — Wildlife Act: Wildlife Act (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: Section 36 provides for the possibility of ministerial regulation of commercial shoot operators. This section, which is permission in scope, has not yet been commenced because of the increasing demands of other higher priority nature conservation requirements, in particular those associated with the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997.

Written Answers — Electoral Fraud: Electoral Fraud (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 154 together. In law, the preparation of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local registration authority. It is their duty to ensure, as far as possible and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Register; house to house or other sufficient enquiries must be made for this purpose. In April 2006, I...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: Work on implementation of the majority recommendations of the Working Group which was established to review the management of dog breeding establishments is currently underway in my Department. The process includes the development of standards for relevant dog breeding establishments and the drafting of new Regulations under the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 and 1992. The work will be...

Written Answers — Public Service Charges: Public Service Charges (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72, 151 and 162 together. Government policy envisages full and transparent cost recovery of water services supplied to the non-domestic sector. The policy also provides for the continued funding of the cost of providing water and waste water infrastructure to domestic users through the capital budget of my Department and, in the case of operational costs,...

Written Answers — Register of Electors: Register of Electors (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 101, 115, 132 and 157 together. In law, the preparation of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local registration authority. It is their duty to ensure, as far as possible and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Register; house to house or other sufficient enquiries must be made for this purpose. In April...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 92, 105, 159, 538, 539, 543 and 544 together. Details of water services schemes approved by my Department are set out in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005-2007 which is available in the Oireachtas Library. Earlier this year my Department asked all local authorities to provide updated assessments of their needs for additional water...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 75, 78, 79, 82, 112, 119, 141, 152 and 509 together. The Commission on Electronic Voting concluded in its Second Report on the Secrecy, Accuracy and Testing of the Chosen Electronic Voting System, which was published on 4 July 2006, that it can recommend the voting and counting equipment for use at elections in Ireland, subject to further work it has...

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: Statutory responsibility for the implementation of the regional waste management plans, including the provision of recycling infrastructure, rests with the local authority (or local authorities) concerned and my Department has no function in this regard. However, since 2002 my Department has allocated over €90 million in capital grants to assist local authorities in the provision of...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 525 together. In addition to the Carbon Fund Bill 2006, which has just been published, I intend early in 2007 to publish a Housing Bill which will deal, inter alia, with revised tenant purchase arrangements (including sale of local authority apartments), the Rental Accommodation Scheme and local authority powers to deal with ant-social behaviour, and an...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: My Department published Residential Density Guidelines for Planning Authorities in 1999, aimed at improving the quality in new housing by supporting more compact and sustainable forms of residential development. The thrust of the Guidelines was to promote higher residential density at appropriate locations particularly in conjunction with improved public transport systems. My Department...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: In Ireland, the thirty four county and city councils are the designated statutory competent authorities in respect of the export of waste from the State under Council Regulation (EEC) No. 259/93, the Waste Shipment Regulation. My Department does not compile data in regard to their specific enforcement activities, but is aware that verification of waste destinations is carried out by...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: I am satisfied that the co-operation between An Bord Pleanála and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in relation to environmental impact assessments (EIA) is effective and, furthermore, is fully in accord with the provisions of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive (337/85/ EEC). The interface between An Bord Pleanála and the EPA has been developed and refined over the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: Adaptation to the inevitable impact of current and historic emissions of greenhouse gases is an integral part of national climate change policy, as reflected in the document "Ireland's Pathway to Kyoto Compliance" which I issued earlier this year, copies are available in the Oireachtas library. There is no evidence to link recent flooding or any future flooding in the short-term directly to...

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 99 together. At national level substantial progress is being made in implementing the National Spatial Strategy (NSS), which is having an increasing influence on policies and programmes across a range of Government Departments and agencies. At regional level, a key policy bridge between national development priorities and local planning has been put in...

Written Answers — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: On Budget day (6 December) I announced new proposals which will provide an incentive through the motor tax system for the motoring public to drive cleaner cars. The new proposal will use CO2 emission ratings, in addition to the normal engine c.c. value, in the calculation of motor tax and will rebalance tax payments in favour of cars with lower CO2 emission levels, at the expense of cars with...

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 125 together. There has been a radical transformation in recycling rates in Ireland in the last ten years. Recycling is a significant element of the Government's overall integrated policy framework on waste management — which is based on the internationally recognised waste hierarchy — prioritising waste prevention, minimisation, reuse, recycling,...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: Following a European Court of Justice judgment in April 2005 which found that Ireland had not properly transposed the 1975 Waste Framework Directive, the European Commission indicated its wish to see progress in relation to landfill sites which had not been subject to the regulatory approach provided for in the Directive in the period to the enactment of the Waste Management Act in 1996. In...

Written Answers — Nuclear Safety: Nuclear Safety (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 45 of 8 November 2006. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Climate Change Strategy: Climate Change Strategy (12 Dec 2006)

Dick Roche: Ireland's Pathway to Kyoto Compliance, published in July 2006 for the purpose of public consultation in the context of the ongoing review of the National Climate Change Strategy, sets out work currently under way to assess the impacts of climate change in Ireland. The report proposes the development of a national policy on adaptation to climate change to provide policy-makers with a framework...