Results 4,921-4,940 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: The website of the Government's climate change awareness campaign, www.change.ie, provides a carbon calculator which enables people to work out their own carbon footprint. Using this tool, it is estimated that the carbon emissions from air travel undertaken in the course of my ministerial functions amounted to 7.87 tonnes in the year to 30 June 2008. This amount is accounted for...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: Section 48 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 provides that planning authorities may levy development contributions in respect of public infrastructure and facilities provided by, or on behalf of, the local authority that benefit development in the area. Development contribution schemes are drawn up by each planning authority and approved by the elected members following a public...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: My Department issued Circular Letter SP 5/08 on 30 September 2008 to all County Managers, advising them of the outcome of the discussions with the European Commission regarding the implementation of local need policies in cases where there is an application to build a dwelling from which a full-time business will operate. Local authorities were asked to examine their development plans in...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: My Department is currently examining options to strengthen legislation on noise pollution, with a view to meeting the Programme for Government commitment to publish comprehensive legislation on noise pollution as a matter of priority. A consultation paper was published on 27 August 2008 which outlines possible future measures which could be introduced to further alleviate noise nuisance....

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: An application was received last month from Limerick City Council for funding towards the cost of eliminating common lead services and my Department is examining this. Under Water Services legislation, the owner of a premises is responsible for ensuring that the internal water distribution system is sufficient to ensure that drinking water quality requirements are complied with. In addition...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 377 and 387 together. The Oughterard Sewerage Scheme is included for funding under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009. Galway County Council's amended Brief for the appointment of consultants for the design, procurement and construction of the scheme is being examined in my Department and is being dealt with as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: The cost incurred to date of the Government's communications and awareness campaign on climate change, the Change Campaign, is €4,151,146 (exclusive of VAT), which will be funded from the Environment Fund. The anticipated costs for the remainder of the year will be of the order of €2,187,722 (exclusive of VAT). The over-riding goal of the campaign is to drive significant behavioural...

Written Answers — Local Government Expenditure: Local Government Expenditure (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: I understand that the Tap Tips campaign is part of a water conservation strategy for the Greater Dublin Area in respect of which Dublin City Council is acting as lead local authority. Apart from limited part-funding provided by my Department for the initial year of the campaign, 2005, it is being funded by the local authorities themselves. Accordingly, any value for money audit would be a...

Written Answers — National Monuments: National Monuments (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: On 7 March 2008, in accordance with the provisions of Section 8 of the National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended), I placed a preservation order on the national monument known as Rath Lugh in the townland of Lismullin, County Meath. To assess the stability of the esker on which the monument is located, I commissioned a report from a firm of independent consultants with relevant expertise in...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: The Liffey Valley is one of a large number of sites throughout the country that have been proposed for designation as Natural Heritage Areas. The area of the site is 165 hectares and it is located along the River Liffey, running from Leixlip in County Kildare to Chapelizod in Dublin. It is currently protected by its inclusion in the Local Authority Development Plans covering the area — in...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: €4.7 billion has been provided for my Department's Water Services Investment and Rural Water Programmes in the National Development Plan 2007 — 2013, an increase of 27% on the previous NDP. The water supply schemes approved for funding under the Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009, (which is available in the Oireachtas Library) are derived from assessments of needs undertaken...

Written Answers — Energy Resources: Energy Resources (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: Earlier this year the OPW, who have responsibility for maintenance work in the Custom House, conducted a comprehensive survey of all the light fittings in the building. The results show that there are 2,368 individual light fittings in the building installed with a total of 5,426 lamps. 93.4% of these lamps are energy efficient.

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: The Nitrates Directive and Ireland's Nitrates Action Programme are given legal effect by the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2006 and 2007. These Regulations provide for a review, by the EPA, of progress made in implementing the Regulations. The Agency is required to submit a report to me by 31 December 2008 with the results of the...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: The 2007 Annual Planning Statistics are currently being finalised and I expect to make them available on my Department's website www.environ.ie within two weeks.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: No application for planning permission for a waste treatment plant at Tara has been brought to my attention. I understand that a number of applications have been made to Meath County Council for waste permits for the use of recycled material on road construction operations along the route of the M3 motorway. These are a matter solely for the local authority concerned.

Written Answers — Turbary Rights: Turbary Rights (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: Turf cutting may continue as normal on the vast majority of bogs in 2009. A small number of bogs are protected because they are nature conservation sites of European importance under the EU Habitats Directive and as such have been nominated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). For 32 raised bog SACs, which were nominated for designation in 1999, turf cutting is due to come to an end at...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: The combined Athea, Askeaton, Foynes, Glin and Shanagolden Sewerage Scheme is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 as a scheme to start construction in 2009. Limerick County Council's Preliminary Report for the scheme was received in my Department last month and is being examined.

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: In 2007, my Department reviewed the Planning Regulations with regard to exempted developments and carried out research into the planning implications of exempting renewable energy technologies in the industrial, business and agricultural sectors, with a view to providing specific exemptions wherever possible to encourage uptake of such technologies. On foot of this work, a consultation paper...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: As outlined in the reply to Questions Nos. 438 and 439 of 22 April 2008, it is the responsibility of planning authorities to monitor the degree to which those carrying out approved developments meet their obligations to comply with the terms of the planning permission granted and to enforce such terms where necessary. I also refer to the comprehensive reply to Question No. 1423 of 24...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (7 Oct 2008)

John Gormley: My Department is participating in the Ad Hoc Working Group on GMOs established under the French Presidency of the Environment Council. Two meetings of the group have taken place to date. I am supportive of the initiative taken by France to promote better practice in the assessment, and control at the level of the individual member state, of GM crops intended for cultivation in the European...