Results 3,621-3,640 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: Details of the number of expense account credit cards paid by my Department are set out below. Number of cards Credit Limit 1 €5,000 2 €6,350 4 €7,000 The total amount spent on expense account credit cards from January 2004 to date in 2009 was €230,232.45. The following table sets out the instances where the annual expenditure on a single card exceeded €5,000 during that time:...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (23 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: My Department currently exceeds the Government's 3% target for the employment of people with disabilities. Fifty four people with disabilities are employed, representing 3.9% of staff. The Department adheres to the guidelines contained in the Code of Practice for the Employment of People with Disabilities in the Civil Service. Recruitment of civil servants, including the recruitment of...

Written Answers — Communications Masts: Communications Masts (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: The issue of potential health effects of mobile phone masts was comprehensively covered by the Expert Group Report published by Government in March 2007 entitled "Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields", which is available for download from my Department's website (www.environ.ie/en/publications/). Mobile phone transmitters found in Ireland comply with the ICNIRP (International Commission...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: As previously advised, the facility in question is provided for in the Dublin regional waste management plan for which the four Dublin local authorities have statutory responsibility under the Waste Management Acts. Section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act 1996 precludes me, as Minister, from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance in particular circumstances by a...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: The provision of accommodation by approved voluntary and co-operative housing bodies is an integral part of my Department's overall response to delivering on social housing need. Local authorities and approved housing bodies are working in close co-operation to deliver an expanded range of social housing options and a wide range of accommodation types to meet the needs of low-income families...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: The civic structures conservation grant scheme, which is administered by my Department, provides grants for the restoration and conservation of buildings of significant architectural heritage merit and which are in civic ownership or occupation and generally open to the public. The deadline for the receipt of applications under the 2009 grant scheme was 27 February 2009, and I understand...

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, the provision of a premises and the making of such other provisions as it considers necessary or desirable, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. The Department's role is one...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 565 and 566 together. I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 373, 374, 384 and 385 of 31 March 2009, setting out the position in relation to the management and maintenance of dwellings provided under the terms of voluntary housing funding schemes. Approved housing bodies are responsible for the proper management and maintenance of dwellings provided under the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: The Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector (Part 2 of Report No.38 of September 2000 dealing with Rewarding Exceptional Performance) recommended the introduction of a performance related awards scheme for Managers, Assistant City Managers and Directors of Service of local authorities. Accordingly, a scheme was introduced in 2003, with the pool for performance awards set at...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 591 together. The EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings, which was transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006 - 2008, introduced a requirement for a Building Energy Rating (BER) system. The Regulations clearly and unambiguously specify that any person who offers a building for...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: South Tipperary County Council's Preliminary Report for the Clonmel Town and Rural Water Supply Scheme proposes the abstraction of water from the River Suir, which will allow the Council to discontinue the use of boreholes that are the source of the hard water currently supplied to the town. The Scheme is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007 – 2009 at an...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: A Conservation Grants Scheme is administered by local authorities with funding from my Department. The scheme is aimed at assisting owners and occupiers to carry out conservation works on structures of architectural significance, which are listed in the Record of Protected Structures contained in the Local Authority Development Plan. It is a matter for each local authority to assess and...

Written Answers — Coastal Protection: Coastal Protection (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 571 to 573, inclusive, together. At my request, the Dublin Regional Authority established the Dublin Bay Task Force in May 2008, essentially to prepare a draft Master Plan for Dublin Bay and make recommendations in relation to institutional arrangements for coastal zone management in the Bay. The Task Force operates under the aegis of the Regional Authority...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: I assume the Question refers to Water Services infrastructural projects. Details of all major water and sewerage schemes included for funding by my Department are set out in the Water Services Investment Programme 2007 – 2009 which is available in the Oireachtas Library. Additional information in relation to progress on individual contracts under this Programme, or in relation to...

Written Answers — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: Second hand car imports are liable to motor tax on the same basis as cars first registered in Ireland, as follows: · A private car first registered abroad or in the State prior to 1 January 2008 is taxed on the basis of engine size (c.c.). · A private car first registered abroad between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2008 inclusive, and subsequently registered in Ireland, will be taxed on...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: To date my Department has not received an application for funding for a project at this location. However, I understand that Cluid Housing Association have prepared a submission and are engaging with Cork City Council on the matter. If an application is submitted to my Department, it will be considered in the context of available resources and the existing high level of commitments under the...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: Responsibility for the operation of the affordable housing schemes is primarily a matter for individual housing authorities. I have no function in relation to the valuation of affordable housing units. Moreover, as this is determined by prevailing market value at any given time, it would not be possible to provide a definitive total value for all unsold affordable units. Estimates obtained...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 578 to 580, inclusive, together. It is acknowledged that there are deficiencies in section 261 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, concerning the control of quarries and revised legislative provision to address these deficiencies is under consideration in the context of the proposed Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009. I am not aware of any...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 581 and 582 together. The total Exchequer provision for social and affordable housing programmes for 2009 will be published shortly in the Revised Estimates for Public Services. Individual allocations to local authorities are currently being finalised and will be notified to each authority shortly thereafter.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Apr 2009)

John Gormley: The functions of each of the 7 Business Units in my Department's Housing Division, and the staff numbers currently working in each, are set out in the Table. Business Unit Functions Staff (FTE) Affordable Housing and Homelessness Policy and funding on homelessness; affordable housing policy and delivery 9.5 staff Housing Legislation and Programme Development Development of housing...