Results 2,781-2,800 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Public Procurement Policy: Public Procurement Policy (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The National Public Procurement Policy Unit of the Department of Finance, which has responsibility for public procurement policy, maintains the website www.etenders.gov.ie. The website is a centralised portal containing comprehensive information on all aspects of public procurement including the EU Handbook on Environmental Public Procurement which was published in October 2004 by the...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: Section 34 of the Waste Management Act 1996 provides that any person other than a local authority who wishes to collect waste commercially must do so in accordance with a waste collection permit granted by the relevant local authority. A local authority can attach conditions to a waste collection permit including requirements in relation to the location to which waste may be delivered for...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157, 167 and 205 together. A coherent, integrated approach to waste management has been put in place through my Department's policy statements Changing Our Ways, Delivering Change, and Taking Stock and Moving Forward. The Government's approach is based on the internationally recognised waste management hierarchy of prevention/ minimisation, significantly...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: My Department's consideration of the implications of this judgment has been overtaken by the publication by the European Commission in December 2005 of a proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste which includes text to deal with this case. The Commission proposal is to exclude unexcavated contaminated soil from the scope of the Directive where already...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: Section 10 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides that a development plan must contain objectives for the provision, or facilitation of the provision of services for the community including in particular, schools, crèches and other education and child care facilities. Under the provisions of section 11(3)(c) of the 2000 Act planning authorities are required when proceeding the...

Written Answers — Nuclear Safety: Nuclear Safety (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: My Department's Leaflet Safeguarding Ireland from Nuclear Accidents has recently been widely distributed to libraries and Citizens Information Centres. It is also available on the websites of both my Department — www.environ.ie and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, — www.rpii.ie. The question of its wider distribution is being considered in the context of a...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 216 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 1511 of 27 September 2006. It is estimated that up to 2,000 building professionals, mainly in the private sector, will require training as Building Energy Rating (BER) assessors, on a phased basis by 2009, for the BER certification of both new and existing buildings — as required under the Energy...

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 229 together. The EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) allows producers to show the cost of recovering and recycling "historic" waste i.e. waste arising from electric and electronic products put on the market before 13 August 2005. These costs are referred to as Environmental Management Costs – or EMCs. They are not...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: My Department has regard to the appropriate Department of Finance guidelines on engaging consultants. In addition, the Department's internal guidelines require all general contracts over €25,000 and all consultancy contracts, regardless of cost, to be reported to the Department's Organisation Unit which undertakes a process audit of the procurement prior to award of contract. Proposals for...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165, 186 and 343 together. To address the issue of accumulated backlogs of farm plastic, designated facilities are being provided on a temporary, once-off basis by local authorities where farmers may deposit stockpiled farm film plastic and silage wrap. This arrangement operated on a pilot basis in the first instance in counties Galway, Clare, Mayo, Offaly...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: Under Section 48 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, planning authorities may levy development contributions in respect of public infrastructure and facilities provided by, or on behalf of the local authority that benefit development in the area, based on a scheme of contributions adopted for the area. Subject to this, the types of public infrastructure that can be funded by a...

Written Answers — Fire Safety: Fire Safety (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The question of requiring the installation of fire doors in existing houses adapted by the installation of lifts, in order to meet the needs of people with disabilities, will be considered in the context of the next review of Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations.

Written Answers — Alternative Energy Projects: Alternative Energy Projects (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The Wind Energy Development Guidelines, which I published on 29 June 2006, provide advice to planning authorities on catering for wind energy through the development plan process. The guidelines are also intended to ensure a consistency of approach throughout the country in the identification of suitable locations for wind energy development and the treatment of planning applications for...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: In June 2005 I approved funding for a pilot programme, proposed by the National Rural Water Monitoring Committee, to test a range of new, small-scale wastewater collection and treatment systems under Irish conditions. The pilot programme will also test a low cost, low maintenance system to collect, treat and dispose of effluent from existing septic tanks. The objective of the pilot programme...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The Government, largely through the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII), has, for many years now, committed significant resources to assessing the extent of the radon problem throughout the country and to highlighting public awareness of radon and the health risks associated with prolonged exposure to high radon concentrations. Householders, particularly those in high radon...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174, 314, 321 and 330 together. The Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing, came into effect in April 2005. These Guidelines have a statutory basis as they were issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 which requires planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála to have regard to the Guidelines in the...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 114 of 4 May 2006. The Government has stated its intention to purchase up to a maximum of 3.607 million allowances per annum over the Kyoto Protocol commitment period 2008-2012. The Government will seek to minimise this purchasing requirement through the achievement of further emissions reductions in the economy. The ultimate cost to the Exchequer will...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: I have recently published a consultation paper on the possible regulation of the waste sector. Submissions have been invited on whether there is a need for a regulator for the sector, on what model of regulator might be most appropriate and on what powers any such regulator should be given. Among the possible powers discussed in the paper is the power to determine waste movements....

Written Answers — Sustainable Development Strategy: Sustainable Development Strategy (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: Comhar, the Sustainable Development Council, is the existing forum through which environmental organisations, together with the other Social Partners, engage in the promotion of sustainable development and the integration of the environment into other sectors. Comhar was established in 1999 as the forum for national consultation and dialogue on all issues relating to sustainable development....

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (4 Oct 2006)

Dick Roche: The Environmental Protection Agency's National Waste Reports do not give breakdowns of recycling rates on a local authority basis. The recently published Third Report of the Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government on Recycling of Household Waste in Ireland and Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2005 published last July by the Local Government Management Services Board,...