Results 5,361-5,380 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The Freedom of Information, FOI, Acts currently apply to the following nine bodies under the aegis of my Department: —An Bord Pleanála —An Chomhairle Leabharlanna —Environmental Protection Agency —Fire Services Council —Heritage Council —Housing Finance Agency —Irish Water Safety Association —Local Government Computer Services Board —Rent Tribunal. The Freedom of...

Written Answers — Nuclear Plants: Nuclear Plants (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The B30 building at Sellafield is a fuel storage pond for spent magnox fuel and has been in use since the 1950s. Although the European Commission have been inspecting this plant regularly since the 1980s, both the physical condition of the plant and the high radioactivity in the area have made it impossible for the Commission to accurately verify the quantities of material held in the...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The Office of Environmental Enforcement's report, The Nature and Extent of Unauthorised Waste Activity in Ireland, which was published last month, noted that due to increased regulatory vigilance on both sides of the Border, the practice of illegal waste trafficking to Northern Ireland has become more sporadic. I intend that the excellent co-operation between our enforcement authorities and...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The question of encouraging the voluntary installation of energy efficient and renewable energy technology in newly-built dwellings is being actively considered in a current review of Part L, Conservation of Fuel and Energy, of the building regulations and the related technical guidance document, TGDL. This would be achieved by structuring the method of showing compliance with Part L in such...

Written Answers — Planning Regulations: Planning Regulations (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Planning legislation allows for the imposition of planning conditions requiring the payment of a contribution in respect of public infrastructure and facilities, provided by or on behalf of a local authority, which benefit development in the area of the planning authority, including the provision of open spaces, recreational and community facilities and amenities and landscaping works. I am...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 670 together. In common with all projects funded under my Department's water services investment programme, the Achill Sound scheme is subject to water services pricing, polluter pays policy. Local authorities must ensure that the design and scale of individual schemes takes account of the implications of the pricing policy framework. In broad terms,...

Written Answers — Planning Regulations: Planning Regulations (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The guidelines for planning authorities on sustainable rural housing came into effect on 13 April 2005. They provide that reasonable proposals on suitable sites in rural areas for persons who are part of, contribute to, or have links with the rural community must be accommodated. The guidelines thus affirm a presumption in favour of quality one-off housing for rural communities, provided...

Written Answers — EU Legislation: EU Legislation (25 Oct 2005)

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 seven directives in my Department's area of responsibility which are outstanding for transposition. These are: — 2000/53/EC — End-of-life vehicles: this directive was due...

Written Answers — EU Legislation: EU Legislation (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: This matter arises from an application by the European Commission to the European Court of Justice in July 2003 seeking the imposition of a daily fine of €21,600 against Ireland to enforce a previous judgment by the Court made on 21 September 1999 against Ireland. That judgment centred on the environmental impact assessment, EIA, directive, as amended, in relation to the exemption...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: I am not aware of comments by the chief executive of the Heritage Council to this effect. Local authorities fund expenditure on services, including maintenance of green spaces, from a variety of sources including specific State grants, commercial rates, fees and charges for goods and services and general purpose grants from the local government fund. Increased funds are also becoming...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The first report on service indicators in local authorities, published in July 2005, details the performance of local authorities in 2004 with regard to 42 indicators of service. This is a significant innovation for the local government sector and will be a valuable baseline against which future performance can be assessed. I have asked each authority to review its performance across the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The codes of conduct for councillors and employees of local authorities were published in June 2004 under Part 15 of the Local Government Act 2001, and form an integral part of the ethics framework for the local government service. The implementation of the codes is being kept under review in light of experience since their introduction and as part of an assessment of the effectiveness of the...

Written Answers — Architectural Heritage: Architectural Heritage (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The scheme of architectural protection grants available to owners of protected structures is administered by local authorities and resourced by my Department. Funding for the scheme was increased from €3.9 million in 2004 to €6.85 million in 2005. This scheme is one of a number of supports for the built heritage. The conservation grants programme under the urban and village renewal scheme...

Written Answers — Planning Regulations: Planning Regulations (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: I assume the question relates to Article 29(1)(a) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001. This article provides that any person or body, on payment of the prescribed fee, may make a submission or observation in writing to a planning authority in relation to a planning application within the period of five weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application....

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The Ballina main drainage scheme is approved for construction in my Department's water services investment programme, 2004 to 2006. In July 2005, I cleared Mayo County Council's tender recommendations for upgrading of the treatment plant and the expansion and improvement of the sewage collection system. It is now a matter for the council to make arrangements with the successful tenderers for...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, and regulations made under it, the demolition of a building is an exempt development unless it is a habitable house, a building which forms part of a terrace of buildings, or a building which abuts on another building in separate ownership, or under section 57, a protected structure or proposed protected structure. The latter section also provides...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The Oughterard sewerage scheme is approved for construction in my Department's water services investment programme 2004 to 2006. Galway County Council's preliminary report for the scheme is being examined in my Department and is being dealt with as quickly as possible. Once the preliminary report has been approved, the council will be in a position to prepare contract documents.

Written Answers — Regional Road Network: Regional Road Network (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Details of the total grant payment to each county council and city council in each of the years 2000 to 2004 are set out in the following table: Non-national road grant payments to county and city councils 2000 to 2004. 2000 payment 2001 payment 2002 payment 2003 payment 2004 payment â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ County Councils Carlow County Council...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: I refer to the replies to Questions Nos. 106, 126, 114, 152, 160, 138, 157, 171, 197, 622, 655 and 682 of 25 October 2005. I understand the pledge referred to in the question was an initiative for energy efficiency week and is now closed. Ireland has ratified and fully supports the Kyoto Protocol. Our commitment to meet our greenhouse gas emission limitation target for the purpose of the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Members: Local Authority Members (25 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 595 and 596 together. The financial support framework for councillors has been significantly improved in recent years. The representational payment, RP, was introduced with effect from 1 January 2002 and included a once-off payment to councillors in respect of the period 4 May 2000 , which was the date of publication of the Local Government Bill 2000, to 31...