Results 3,641-3,660 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Noise Pollution: Noise Pollution (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: Section 107 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 provides local authorities with powers to require measures to be taken to prevent or limit noise. These powers are generally exercised in preventing and limiting noise from commercial and industrial premises within their functional areas. Under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 (Noise) Regulations 1994, a local authority...

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

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 105 together. The 15 cent levy on plastic bags, as provided for in the Waste Management (Environmental Levy) (Plastic Bag) Regulations 2001 — which took effect on 4 March 2002 — applies to all plastic bags supplied to customers at the point of sale to them for the conveyance of goods or products. Prior to the introduction of this levy, an estimated...

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

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 88 and 93 together. There are a number of provisions in the Planning and Development Act 2000 relating to the finishing of estates and the taking in charge of estates. Section 34(4)(g) allows a planning authority to attach a condition to a planning permission requiring the giving of adequate security for the satisfactory completion of the development....

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: I am aware that environmental sections of local authorities are required to discharge a wide range of functions and responsibilities. However, a wide range of measures have been put in place in order to assist local authorities in the execution of their functions in relation to water quality. For example, the local authorities acting jointly are designated as competent authorities for the...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 241 together. The total cost incurred to date in the development and roll-out of the electronic voting and counting system is some €51.3 million. In addition, information provided by returning officers to my Department indicates that the total annual storage cost for the electronic voting machines and ancillary equipment is some €696,000. A...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: As required under the Disability Act 2005, my Department's sectoral plan will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas no later than 28 July 2006. The finalised plan will build on the outline sectoral plan, published in September 2004, and subsequent consultations with people with disabilities, representative organisations and other Government Departments with linked sectoral plans. The...

Written Answers — Local Authority Playgrounds: Local Authority Playgrounds (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: Information regarding the number of local authority playgrounds is not available in my Department. However, Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2004 published by the Local Government Management Services Board reported on performance across 42 indicators covering the broad range of local authority activities. Two of the indicators relate to playgrounds and these enable comparisons to be...

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

Dick Roche: The Government adopted Sustainable Development: A Strategy for Ireland in 1997. In preparation for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, the Government reviewed progress on this strategy and published Making Ireland's Development Sustainable: Review, Assessment and Future Action. In June 2001, the European Council agreed a European Union Sustainable Development Strategy (EU...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 60, 76 and 243 together. I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 948, 949, 951, 952, 973 and 980 of 25 April 2006 and No. 181 of 27 April 2006. Consideration of the issues arising from recent scientific advice on the implementation of the Nitrates Action Programme is being advanced by my Department, the Department of Agriculture and Food and Teagasc with a...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 98 together. Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Energy) of the national Building Regulations prescribe minimum thermal performance and insulation standards for new buildings which are designed to, inter alia, minimize heating requirements. These standards have been progressively increased since they were first introduced in 1991. Amended Part L...

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

Dick Roche: Since the establishment of An Bord Pleanála in 1977, planning legislation has clearly assigned final responsibility for decisions on planning appeals to the Board and not to inspectors making reports and recommendations to the Board. The details sought in the Question are set out in the table. Formal Board Decisions -v- Inspectors' Recommendations Year Number of formal decisions with...

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

Dick Roche: In 2003, consultants engaged by my Department carried out a study that, among other things, considered factors affecting the supply of land to the housing market, including the possible hoarding of building land. The study considered previous analyses of the housing and land markets, and sought possible evidence of hoarding, based on case studies of three areas, including Fingal and Dún...

Written Answers — Litter Pollution: Litter Pollution (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: Statistics on local authority enforcement action on litter, including the number of on-the spot fines issued by them, are submitted by local authorities to my Department every six months; these figures are available in the Oireachtas Library. Based on information received from local authorities to date, over 25,000 on-the-spot fines were issued in the twelve months ending 31 December 2005....

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

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 540 of 3 May 2006.

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

Dick Roche: I assume that the Question refers to electrically propelled vehicles. Under motor tax law electrically propelled vehicles already enjoy concessionary rates of motor tax, which are lower than the minimum rate levied in respect of other propelled vehicles. I do not propose to extend the exempt tax class, which, other than State-owned vehicles, primarily relates to emergency and disabled drivers...

Written Answers — Exotic Animals: Exotic Animals (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: It is an offence under section 52 of the Wildlife Act 1976 as amended to turn loose or allow any species of exotic animal to escape into the wild unless a licence has been granted for that purpose. My Department very rarely receives applications for such licences. The release of any exotic animal into the wild is highly inadvisable as it may pose a threat to native species, and is also likely...

Written Answers — Departmental Press Facilities: Departmental Press Facilities (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: It is appropriate that statements issued through my Department's Press Office and on its website should relate fully to the business of the Department and that party political statements should be issued through other suitable channels. This is without prejudice to the need for any Minister in office, as occasion may demand, to provide a political defence of the policies and positions of...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: The Code of Conduct for local authority employees published in June 2004 under Part 15 of the Local Government Act 2001 includes disclosure requirements concerning employment outside the local government sector and addresses situations concerning a conflict of personal and public interest. However, the question of local government officials accepting outside appointments or consultancies...

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

Dick Roche: The Government's international legal proceedings against the United Kingdom under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in relation to the Sellafield Mox Plant were suspended in 2003 pending resolution of jurisdictional issues in the dispute raised by the European Commission. These issues were the subject of proceedings by the European Commission against Ireland before the...

Written Answers — House Prices: House Prices (4 May 2006)

Dick Roche: Development contributions attached as a condition of planning permissions provide a mechanism by which developers can contribute to the cost of providing public infrastructure and facilities that benefit development in the area. They are paid by the person carrying out the development in advance of construction starting. House prices are not determined solely by the cost of building, but by...