Results 5,501-5,520 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Late in 2004 the Blackberry was selected as the standard PDA for use in my Department. There have been 17 Blackberry personal digital assistants provided to staff members since then at a cost of €4,028.30. The most expensive device purchased to date cost €249.01. Blackberry personal digital assistants are issued to staff on a case by case basis subject to a recommendation by the relevant...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: My Department does not operate a formal system of exemption from duties in relation to any of its staff. Its published human resources strategy seeks to promote a positive working environment based on the equal treatment of all staff while respecting their individual differences and needs. The strategy aims also to foster teamwork and collaboration and to support the achievement of work-life...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (18 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: My Department has not engaged these consultants in any year since 2000.

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (18 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Following an open procurement process, my Department appointed consultants in July 2005 as part of a programme of further assessment, testing and validation of the electronic voting and counting system. The brief is to undertake a security and risk assessment of all aspects of the system and to devise a programme of additional testing. This is intended to address issues raised by the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (18 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The current output of the water production plants in the greater Dublin area, including Kildare, Meath and Wicklow, is approximately 560 million litres per day. A range of projects to further expand capacity is being advanced under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2004-2006. These include Kildare Wellfield development, Leixlip water treatment plant extension, Navan water...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (13 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Before the local authority playground grants scheme 2004, my Department did not operate a specific scheme of grants for playground projects. The 2004 scheme provided up to 50% funding for the development of new playgrounds or the renovation of existing ones throughout the country. While the scheme was administered by the National Children's Office, the grants were paid out of my Department's...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (13 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Work is continuing in my Department on the transposition of Directive 2003/35/EC on public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment. The directive amends Directives 85/337/EEC (Environmental Impact Assessment) and 96/61/EC (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control). The work will be completed as soon as possible.

Written Answers — European Court of Justice Actions: European Court of Justice Actions (13 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: To date Ireland has not had to deal with any costs arising from cases mentioned in the Deputy's question. The Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor's office provide the legal service to the State in the conduct of European Court of Justice litigation.

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (13 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Asbestos cement piping formerly used in local authority water mains was required to meet the specifications defined in Irish Standard 188 and, in common with international practice, to include bitumen lining and coating. There is no health risk associated with drinking water supplied through asbestos cement pipes. Local authorities are responsible for the operation and maintenance of their...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (13 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The extension of the Tuam regional water supply scheme to Clarenbridge has been approved for construction in my Department's water services investment programme 2004-2006. I approved Galway County Council's contract documents for the scheme in July and my Department awaits submission of the council's tender recommendations. As regards the proposed waste water scheme for Clarenbridge, I...

Written Answers — Litter Pollution: Litter Pollution (13 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Responsibility for enforcement of the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2003, including the enforcement of on-the-spot fines, is a matter for local authorities. Local authorities submit data to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government every six months on anti-litter enforcement action, including the number of litter wardens employed, prosecutions taken, convictions secured...

Written Answers — Register of Electors: Register of Electors (12 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The compilation and publication of the register of electors is a matter for each local registration authority in accordance with electoral law and includes the carrying out of house-to-house inquiries, delivery of registration forms and running local awareness campaigns. It is the duty of registration authorities to ensure as far as possible the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the register;...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (12 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: As part of an overall EU commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8% during the Kyoto Protocol period 2008-12, Ireland is committed to limiting emissions to 13% above 1990 levels. The latest available greenhouse gas emissions figures from Ireland's national inventory report, compiled by the Environmental Protection Agency, show overall emissions in 2003 to be 66.57 million tonnes C02...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (12 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The Shannon Callows special protection area for birds is approximately 6,000 hectares in area and comprises three main habitat types, corncrake habitat, wet grassland, and wet grassland with waders. Numerous meetings between officials from my Department, the Department of Agriculture and Food and farming representatives have taken place seeking to agree management prescriptions for these...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (12 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: I understand that the land offered for sale by the persons referred to is situated within a natural heritage area and that an offer to purchase is expected to issue shortly from my Department.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (12 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: In this case a payment is anticipated within the next four weeks.

Written Answers — Architectural Heritage: Architectural Heritage (12 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The building at No. 16 Moore Street has been attributed special historical interest as the location of the final headquarters of the leaders of the 1916 Rising, and the building where the decision to surrender was made. Because of its significant historical and cultural interest, in accordance with the provisions of section 53 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 I recommended on 25...

Written Answers — Local Authority Schemes: Local Authority Schemes (12 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Under section 48 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, each planning authority was obliged to draw up, by 10 March 2004, a development contribution scheme which would state the basis for determining the contribution to be paid in respect of public infrastructure and facilities provided by, or on behalf of, the local authority that benefit development in the area. It is a matter for the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (12 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: No proposal to extend the sewerage system in Kilmacanogue was included by Wicklow County Council in the most recent list of schemes submitted by the council in response to the Department's request to all local authorities to undertake a fresh assessment of the needs for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessments. The assessments were taken...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (12 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.