Results 301-320 of 2,500 for speaker:Ciarán Cuffe

European Court Rulings (27 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: We can. I can revert to the Deputy on that specific instance. To summarise what we are trying to do with the planning system, we are trying to make it much more rigorous with an impetus from this country and Europe to include environmental impact assessment and development plans so we will have much more certainty within the planning process. That will benefit both the communities and...

European Court Rulings (27 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: There is much good news in this. My belief is that since coming into office my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Gormley, has given the highest priority to the transposition and implementation of EU environmental legislation. He has secured the closure of 27 cases in the past two and a half years. Deputy Tuffy might think we are being hauled over the coals on a regular basis but I think we...

European Court Rulings (27 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: At an environmental Council meeting in March 2010 the Minister met the current Environment Commissioner, Mr. Potocnik, and reaffirmed this country's commitment on EU compliance. To throw a few more numbers into the mix - 33 cases were outstanding when the Minister came into office, there are now 23. That is a 50% reduction in the number of cases. Deputy Tuffy will be aware from her legal...

Unfinished Housing Estates (27 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: As outlined in the reply to Question No. 4 of 22 April, my Department is progressing a range of actions, with the co-operation of local authorities and other key stakeholders, to address the issue of unfinished or unoccupied estates. These actions include in the first instance an accurate quantification, classification and mapping of the various types of unfinished or unoccupied estates on a...

Unfinished Housing Estates (27 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: In terms of the Laois report, I received that recently. One action we are taking is that we have developed a methodology on classification of different types of unfinished estates comprising categories such as completed but with paths, lighting, parks and green spaces unfinished; estates where initial phases of development have been completed but other parts remain under construction; half...

Unfinished Housing Estates (27 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: -----to work closely with the management teams and the professional planners and listen carefully to their advice. To be frank, I was flabbergasted to see that in my county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Fine Gael councillors were to the fore in promoting even more rezonings.

Unfinished Housing Estates (27 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: Have they and the Deputy learned nothing from the mistakes made?

Unfinished Housing Estates (27 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: I urge the Deputy to work with his colleagues and tell them to stop putting forward these mad ideas for rezoning. The goose that laid the golden egg is long gone and it would be constructive if the Deputy and his colleagues would think carefully about sustainable planning rather than rezoning land as the solution to our economic woes.

EU Funding (26 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: I apologise to the House and to Deputy Andrew Doyle for not being present when the question was called. I apologise to Deputy Doyle and assure him there was no slight intended. There has been no delay in processing claims submitted under the compensation scheme for crops damaged by frost. As at the closing date of 19 February 2010, some 359 applications which related to potato and-or field...

EU Funding (26 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: In fairness to the departmental officials, they are taking a very helpful approach to the processing of payments and they cannot simply wish away the rules coming from the European Union. These rules are fairly clear although they sound complex when read into the record of the House but when broken down they are relatively easy to follow. We are still awaiting documentation from many of the...

EU Funding (26 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: I am not an auditor so I do not claim any significant insight into the rules but it has to withstand an audit. I said in my earlier reply that a common sense approach is taken. However, the bottom line is we have to satisfy both the Department of Finance officials and the European Union officials. In my view a good approach has been taken. I expect payments to commence within two or three...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (25 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 340 and 341 together. Section 254 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides for a licensing system for the placement of various structures and appliances on, under, over or along a public road, including maps for indicating directions or places. This licensing system enables a local authority to exercise control over the placing of structures on roads...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (25 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: While I am not aware of any legal provisions which would compel a developer to facilitate a connection between an estate and the gas line, it would be general practice that a developer, in framing his development proposal and in his discussions with the planning authority and other key stakeholders including utility providers, would seek to make best use of the available infrastructure and...

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (25 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: As stated in reply to Question No. 320 of 11 May 2010, it is my understanding that development objectives and designations for the proposed public safety zones around the 3 state airports have already been incorporated into the development plans and, where applicable, local area plans of the relevant local authorities.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (20 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: The Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 amends the current exemption in relation to forestry works by – (i) requiring planning permission for any access point of a private forest road onto a public road, and (ii) providing for the possibility of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on private forest roads. The exemptions for thinning, felling and replanting, maintenance, etc.,...

Diversification of Primary School Provision: Statements (20 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: I endorse everything Deputy Sargent said. The more clarity we can bring to the procedure, the better. Prospective parents are often baffled by the admission procedure and by the Department of Education and Skills website. All they want is clarity as to what to do and what chance they have of getting their child into a particular school, and I am only talking about parents from Ireland....

Written Answers — National Cycle Fleet: National Cycle Fleet (19 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: I propose to take Questions No. 147 and No.148 together. As far as I am aware there is no reliable estimate of the number of bicycles in Ireland. My department has commissioned a pilot National Transport Survey, through the Central Statistics Office, which should, when completed, provide a reliable measure of cycling use for transport purposes.

Seanad: Women's Participation in Politics: Statements (Resumed) (19 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: I thank the Senator.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (18 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: Development which is not carried out in compliance with the terms of the planning permission for the development is unauthorised development which is an offence under the Planning and Development Act 2000. The Act provides that enforcement action may not be taken in respect of a development for which permission has been granted after seven years beginning on the expiration of the duration of...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (18 May 2010)

Ciarán Cuffe: The Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill, published in June 2009, provides an amendment to section 42 of the Planning and Development Acts, which currently provides that the duration of a planning permission must be extended, subject to certain conditions, where substantial works have been carried out before the expiration of the original permission. The proposed amendment provides for...