Results 3,301-3,320 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Water Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: I entirely agree with the Deputy about the tourism benefits of having pristine beaches all over the country. It enhances the quality of life of citizens in this city to have magnificent beaches on our doorstep. It must be said, and the EPA made clear in its report, that there was a significant problem with rainfall when the monitoring was being done last year which accounted for the bad...

Water Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: If the Deputy is a swimmer, she will know that it is very difficult to deal with rainfall. I go to Seapoint and the Forty Foot but if one is out there after heavy rainfall the water is brown. It is as simple as that and very difficult to treat. I was talking to one of the engineers on Dublin City Council about this. If one goes to any of the Caribbean islands where there are no rivers one...

Litter Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: I am aware that schemes such as those to which the Deputy refers are in operation abroad. Similar schemes are in place in certain local authority areas here. Under statute, the primary response to litter is a matter for local authorities. My Department's role is to provide the legislative framework for combating litter pollution and motivate and energise anti-litter responses, as...

Litter Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: While I agree that anecdotal evidence suggests fly-tipping has increased, I remind the Deputy of the results of a survey published recently by Irish Business Against Litter, IBAL, which does fantastic work. My Department's national litter pollution monitoring system will also publish results soon. The results of both IBAL and my Department's system point to a steady reduction in litter...

Litter Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: I have outlined what action the Department is taking on the issue of fly-tipping? Some people are not registered either with a private operator or-----

Litter Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: We will ensure that people are registered. Under legislation, people will have to dispose of their rubbish or waste in an environmentally friendly manner. In other words, they will be required to register with a local authority or private operator. The only conclusion one can reach is that those who are not registered are either fly-tipping or burning their waste. The question of whether...

Litter Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: As soon as possible.

Water Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: Primary responsibility for the prevention of pollution from septic tanks and other on-site waste water treatment systems rests with owners or occupiers of premises served by such systems. In its water quality 2004-06 report published in 2008, the EPA noted, inter alia, that greater attention needed to be given to ground water protection and in particular to prevention of pollution at source,...

Water Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: That is not the case. This is a serious problem because there are approximately 418,000 septic tanks in the country compared to England which has just over 800,000 despite being one of the most densely populated countries in the world. That puts the matter in perspective. The Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, of which Deputy Hogan is a member, made...

Water Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: I have stated that the matter will have the highest priority. The European Commission is taking the matter very seriously and if we do not get our act together quickly we will face the prospect of fines.

Water Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: We will do it all right. I hope the Deputy will support the measures I introduce. He has not done so thus far.

Water Pollution. (24 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: Fine Gael will not implement it.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (23 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 392 and 417 together. In February 2009, my Department set out details of the financial requirements for local authorities relating to the overall management of their capital and current accounts. These arise from the requirements for Government finances as a whole to be managed in accordance with the Stability and Growth Pact established under the Maastricht...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (23 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: As Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, I am precluded, under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, from exercising any power or control in relation to any individual planning application or appeal with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned. My Department understands that Dublin Port Company made an application to An...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (23 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: Article 12.4.1 of the Constitution provides that a citizen must be 35 years of age to be eligible for election to the office of President. A lowering of the qualification age would require a constitutional amendment and there are no current proposals in this regard.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (23 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: My Department published Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Telecommunications Antennae and Support Structures in 1996. The guidelines are intended to facilitate planning authorities, An Bord Pleanála, the licensed providers of mobile telecommunications services and the public by providing guidance on dealing with these developments within the planning system. Essentially, the guidelines...

Written Answers — Electronic Voting Machines: Electronic Voting Machines (23 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: Responsibility for the security and safe storage of manual voting electoral materials (such as ballot boxes, stamping instruments and stationery) is a matter for the Returning Officers, who are statutorily responsible for conducting the polls. Accordingly, similar responsibility was assigned to Returning Officers to make the necessary arrangements in relation to the storage of the electronic...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (23 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: The request referred to was recorded in July 2008 and over 184 records were identified across the relevant sections of my Department. Of these, 120 have been released in full and 3 records were partially released. This case is now the subject of a review by the Office of the Commissioner for Environmental Information. One file relevant to the case could not be located despite an extensive...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (23 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: I am aware that there is some public concern about the scale and nature of postering that arises around the time of elections/referenda. On foot of this, I held a public consultation in autumn 2008 regarding the control of postering for elections and referenda. There were 117 submissions made, containing a variety of recommendations, including measures to restrict the proliferation of...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (23 Jun 2009)

John Gormley: There are no proposals for the provision of wastewater treatment in Burncourt included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007 – 2009 nor has any such proposal been received from South Tipperary County Council.