Results 3,541-3,560 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Noise Regulations: Noise Regulations (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: The Environmental Noise Regulations 2006 transpose EU Directive 2002/49/EC, relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise. Environmental noise is defined in the Directive as unwanted or harmful outdoor sound created by human activities, including noise emitted by means of transport, road traffic, rail traffic, air traffic, and from sites of industrial activity. In defining...

Written Answers — Fire Service: Fire Service (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: The Fire Services Act 1981 as amended by the Licensing of Indoor Events Act 2003, is a modern and comprehensive legislative code providing the statutory basis under which fire authorities and fire services carry out their fire fighting and other emergency functions. There are no proposals for further primary legislation in this area at this time.

Written Answers — Fire Service: Fire Service (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: A new Framework for Major Emergency Management has been developed by the Inter-Departmental Committee on Major Emergencies. This Framework, when implemented, will provide a new and more comprehensive basis for the preparation of plans by An Garda Síochána, the Health Services Executive and Local Authorities to prepare for, and make a co-ordinated response to, major emergencies. The...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: I am fully aware of the importance of timely transposition of EU environmental legislation, some 200 items of which, including more than 140 Directives, have by now been transposed in this country. There are currently eight Directives in my Department's area of responsibility which are outstanding for transposition. A further four Directives are due for transposition between August 2006 and...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: â'¬6 million is available in 2006 for the new Social and Community Facilities Capital Scheme. This scheme, which will fund targeted capital developments, carried out through local authorities, is designed to enhance communities, address disadvantage and improve social cohesion at a local level. The scheme will be in addition to existing grants and supports allocated to local authorities to...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: I have made appointments to a single post of Special Adviser which is shared by David Grant who works four days per week and Stephen Kearon who works one day per week.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: The Water Framework Directive was transposed into Irish law in December 2003 by the European Communities (Water Policy) Regulations 2003. Ireland has to date met all implementation targets set out in the Directive. These include: transposition of the Directive into Irish law; identification of River Basin Districts (including International River Basin Districts in relation to waters shared...

Written Answers — Local Authority Accounts: Local Authority Accounts (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: In accordance with the Accounting Code of Practice issued by my Department under section 107 of the Local Government Act 2001, the Annual Financial Statement (AFS) of a local authority for a given year is required to be prepared by 1 April and published by 1 July, both of the following year. Section 108 of the Act requires that as soon as practicable following the preparation of the AFS, it...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: Senator Brady is correct. I explained on Committee Stage that this amendment is unnecessary. The amendment proposes to prevent the board making a decision on an application, where there is a live request to the Environmental Protection Agency to make observations on an application which, "comprises or is for the purposes of" an IPPC or waste-licensable activity. I do not propose to accept the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: On Committee Stage in response to an Opposition amendment submitted by Senator McCarthy and supported by Senator Bannon, I said I would consider amending the Bill to specify that the board shall consider the planning authority's report to it and take into account any recommendations by the elected members. It was always the intention that this would be the case. As I said in my Second Stage...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: Throughout my responses on Committee Stage and today, I repeated that the Government must rely on the advice of the Parliamentary Counsel on the correct and accurate expression of our intentions in this legislation. It has been on this basis that I have refused to accept most of the textual amendments put forward. However, I indicated that I had sympathy with this amendment when it was tabled...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: I thank Senators Bannon and Cummins. These amendments relate to the new power being given to the board allowing it to attach community gain conditions to a draft permission, a matter on which we had a long discussion earlier. The amendments would delete the subsection (8) that provides for the community gain condition to be proportionate; the subsection states that the financial contribution...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: I said earlier, on Committee Stage, that I very much shared Senator Bannon's ambition that decisions should be made as quickly as possible. The Senator is quite right. We are talking about strategic infrastructure, which is an enormous gain for the community as a whole. It is therefore important we make decisions quickly, certainly more speedily than at present. In my constituency there is a...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: I fully appreciate the points the Senator is making. I have voiced my feelings at the inappropriate use of the planning process simply to delay projects. He mentioned the southern bypass at Longford. As the Senator knows, I visited the town recently, and the frustration there is very real. One can discern there is a major impact on the quality of life on coming though the town, where one has...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: We discussed this matter at some length on Committee Stage and it is a very interesting proposition. However, it is not one I have sympathy with for the simple reason that it would leave the particular Minister of the day open to all types of challenges as regards abuse of power etc. The amendment proposes to empower the Minister to give direction to the board to prioritise a particular...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: I mentioned on Committee Stage that further consideration would need to be given to the electricity transmission consent procedures which are set out in sections 182A and 182B to ensure they would cover all of the infrastructural projects we have envisaged. At the request of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, we have decided to make a number of clarifying...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: In a sense, events have caught up with us. We have actually deleted the relevant section of the text to which the amendment applies. Obviously I cannot accept an amendment to deleted text. I am not being unkind. Disposed as I may have been to accept it, the relevant text no longer forms part of the Bill.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: I appreciate the Senator's arguments on the issue of thresholds but I think it is unwise at the outset of a new consent process to lower the thresholds down to the extent he proposed. For example, to take the thresholds for windfarms down from 50 to ten would cause difficulties. I have given consideration to these amendments but on reflection I must conclude that the proposed thresholds are...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: In responding to two Opposition amendments on Committee Stage, I agreed to give consideration, in consultation with the Parliamentary Counsel, to the clarification of the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and its ability to make orders when it determines a point of law arising from a judicial review. I have taken the comments made on board and hope Senators will support this amendment, which...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages. (16 May 2006)

Dick Roche: My amendment is in response to a proposal made by Senator Bannon. I did not accept his amendment on Committee Stage on the basis that the functions in question are, rightly, a matter for the board. It would not be appropriate, therefore, to include a reference to both the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the board. However, on further consideration, I have taken on...