Results 4,061-4,080 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Architectural Heritage: Architectural Heritage (10 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: Consultations on an appropriate land management regime for the site are taking place between my Department and the Office of Public Works, prior to further contact with Roscommon County Council.

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (10 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: The information requested in respect of my Department is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: Civil service posts at the levels of Assistant Secretary and Deputy Secretary are covered by a scheme of performance related awards. It does not apply to Secretaries General. Details of the procedures, the numbers covered by the scheme, the range of awards and the total amounts paid in Departments are outlined in the annual reports of the Committee for Performance Awards (available on the...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Question No. 1 on today's Order Paper. Under the Carbon Fund Act 2007, the National Treasury Management Agency has been designated as purchasing agent for the State. In 2008, the Agency purchased some 3.5m certified emission reduction units at a cost of €53m; these units were generated under the Clean Development Mechanism provided for in Article 12 of the Kyoto...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 43 and 213 together. Blanket Bogs and Raised bogs are important natural habitats and are home to unique ecosystems containing rare flora and fauna. Both are protected habitats under European and Irish Law and representative samples have been designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) under the Habitats Directive or Natural Heritage Areas (NHA) under...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Question No. 350 of 3 February 2008. Salaries of Directors of Service are set out in the City and County Managers (Remuneration)(No.2) Order 2008. The salary scale for a Director of Service, from September 2008 is €93,231 increasing by annual increments to €110,183. The Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector (Part 2 of Report No.38 of September...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: Individual site management plans are not a legal requirement under the EU Habitats Directive and the EU Natural Habitats Regulations, 1997; however, individual site conservation plans are an important instrument of conservation and in total, 140 such plans have been prepared, 21 of these since 2007. There are plans therefore for one third of the 423 Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) in...

Written Answers — Energy Ratings: Energy Ratings (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 32 together. I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 1041, 1042, 1061 and 1111 of 27 January 2009. In order to encourage the development of a competitive cost environment, and in line with other EU Member States, no standard fee for Building Energy Rating (BER) assessments has been set. There are currently almost 1,700 BER assessors registered with...

Written Answers — Site Investigation: Site Investigation (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 38 together. My Department is finalising a Memorandum for Government which will provide an update on the outcome of the extensive site investigation and the interim works carried out since 2003 at Haulbowline and will detail options for future use of the site which will determine the levels and extent of further works and remediation that may be...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: There are two basic elements in the planning system — the determination of planning applications by planning authorities, and the determination by An Bord Pleanála of planning appeals and other matters referred to it. There were an unprecedented 92,650 planning applications in 2006, and some 86,800 in 2007. These levels of activity clearly had implications for the operation of the...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 34 and 228 together. The total expenditure on the development and roll-out of the electronic voting system to date is some €51.3 million, the bulk of which has been incurred in purchasing the voting machines and ancillary equipment. These costs are set out in the following table. Electronic Voting and Counting Project — Expenditure to Date...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: Under the Planning and Development Acts, and other relevant legislation, a local authority may, for the purposes of performing any of its functions, compulsorily acquire land, including any structure or derelict site.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 42 together. I am committed to putting in place the necessary measures to ensure compliance with the EU landfill diversion targets that will apply from 2010 onwards. Following extensive consultation, the National Strategy on Biodegradable Waste was published in April 2006 and is aimed at diverting 80% of biodegradable waste from landfill through...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: The programme for Government includes a commitment to undertake an international review of waste management policy. In February 2008, a procurement process was initiated to appoint consultants to undertake comprehensive research on the waste sector in Ireland and to cover a wide range of issues to help identify how best to proceed with further efforts to reduce waste levels, improve...

Written Answers — Register of Electors: Register of Electors (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: In law, the preparation of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local registration authority. It is their duty to ensure, as far as possible and with the co-operation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the register. In working to compile the register for 2007/8, local authorities undertook and completed, with assistance from my Department, the most extensive...

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: The 2007 National Waste Report shows that some 32,000 tonnes of refuse derived fuel was utilised for waste to energy abroad in that year. The composition of this RDF material is not available. Information for 2008 will not be available until the publication of the National Waste Report for 2008 in early 2010. The issue of the diversion of low grade recyclates to co-firing in cement kilns...

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: Tens of thousands of tonnes of domestic recyclables are collected by local authorities or treated at civic amenity sites each year. The cost to local authorities for the collection, transport and separation of these materials prior to recycling ranges from €35 to €300 per tonne depending on the types of material involved. While the setting of waste charges is a matter for individual...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Priority Question No. 2 on today's Order Paper. I intend to bring forward proposals in the near future for legislative change to allow for the introduction of spending limits at local elections. It is my intention to have the limits in place for the local elections to be held this year. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to examine spending limits at...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: The Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for compiling the national inventories of greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland and for reporting these to the European Union and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). These inventories are compiled on an annual basis using the good practice guidelines established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (5 Feb 2009)

John Gormley: In response to the Programme for Government and the National Climate Change Strategy commitments, I have developed the principles of a scheme to offset greenhouse gas emissions from official air travel by Ministers and civil servants. There are some logistical and administrative arrangements to be finalised, but I am confident that the scheme will be fully operational by the end of the first...