Results 5,521-5,540 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Constituency Commission Report: Statements (28 May 2008)

John Gormley: Did the Deputy not hear what I said in my speech? I quoted that judgment.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 99 together. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently finalising a revised edition of their Code of Practice on Wastewater Treatment Systems serving Single Houses in consultation with all interested parties, including my Department. Part H of the Building Regulations (Drainage and Waste Water Disposal) sets out the requirements for the...

Written Answers — Register of Electors: Register of Electors (27 May 2008)

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 cooperation 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 — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: As announced in my Carbon Budget of 6 December 2007, a fundamental change is being made in the manner in which motor tax is charged for new cars to give effect to the commitment in the Programme for Government to introduce measures to rebalance motor tax in favour of cars with lower CO2 emissions. The Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Act 2008, giving effect to the changes was enacted in...

Written Answers — Electoral Commission: Electoral Commission (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to establish an independent Electoral Commission which will take responsibility for electoral administration and oversight, implement modern and efficient electoral practices, revise constituency boundaries, take charge of compiling a new national rolling electoral register, take over the functions of the Standards in Public Office Commission...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 107 together. Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste sets challenging targets for the diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill. In the case of Ireland, the diversion rates required are projected to equate to 59% for 2010, 73% by 2013 and 80% by 2016 for this particular waste stream. The recent National Waste Report 2006...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 118 together. Guidelines for planning authorities are issued by my Department as statutory guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which requires planning authorities to have regard to them in the performance of their functions. In September 2007, I issued Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Urban Housing:...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: This year I am providing €999.2m in general purpose grants from the Local Government Fund to local authorities. These grants are my contribution to local authorities to meet the difference between the cost to them of providing an acceptable level of day to day services and the income available to them from local sources and specific grants. The amount being made available for general...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: The European Court of Justice has delivered judgments in fourteen cases relating to EU environmental laws in areas for which my Department has responsibility. In one case, case C-216/05, the Court dismissed the action by the Commission. In thirteen cases, the Court found fully or partly against Ireland. Five of these cases have now been closed. My Department is working to meet the...

Written Answers — State Bodies: State Bodies (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: Arising from the Budget Day announcement by the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, an efficiency review of all administrative spending has been conducted by my Department including agencies under the aegis of the Department. The results of the review have been communicated to the Department of Finance. My Department has also commenced a review of the Local Government Management Services...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 124 together. The Green Paper, Stronger Local Democracy — Options for Change, presents a set of options which share a common theme of strengthening local democratic leadership. In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, Stronger Local Democracy proposes a Regional Mayor for Dublin to address the strategic challenges the city faces....

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 134 together. Section 144 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 provides powers of direction in respect of a tenancy that is not registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) but which, in the opinion of the Board, ought to be registered. The improper use of licensing arrangements in order to avoid tenancy registration is an offence...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 126, 137 and 139 together. My Department's Report on the Status of Habitats and Species in Ireland is the first comprehensive compilation of the status of those habitats, animals and plants in Ireland which have protected status under national and EU law. The Report highlights the pressures and threats that habitats and species face in Ireland including...

Written Answers — Boundary Committees: Boundary Committees (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: On 8 January 2008, I announced that I had established two boundary committees to review local electoral areas. The committees, which are independent in the performance of their functions, are required to report as soon as possible and, in any event, not later than 20 June 2008. The committees' website is www.electoralareacommittees.ie.

Written Answers — Register of Electors: Register of Electors (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117, 451 and 452 together. 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 cooperation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Register. In working to compile the Register for 2007/8, local authorities undertook and completed,...

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: It is a matter for each local authority to deal with requests for access to information by a parliamentary representative as expeditiously as possible and in accordance with a proper level of customer service. In this regard local authorities are required to put in place arrangements to ensure that systems, procedures and time frames equivalent to those used by them in relation to...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Question No. 510 of 11 March 2008.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 131 together. Ireland, by letter dated 16 May 2008, has responded to a letter from the European Commission dated 31 January in regard to matters concerning the transposition of elements of the Landfill Directive. The concerns of the Commission have been substantially addressed in the Waste Management (Registration of Brokers and Dealers) Regulations...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: General purpose grants from the Local Government Fund are structured to bring about equalisation, over time, so that each authority will have sufficient resources, either from central grants or from its local income base, to provide an acceptable level of day to day services to its customers. In determining these grants I take into account a number of factors including the overall funding...

Written Answers — Water Charges: Water Charges (27 May 2008)

John Gormley: Local authorities are required to recover from non-domestic water consumers the costs incurred in the provision of water services to those consumers in accordance with the polluter pays principle and the requirements of Article 9 of the EU Water Framework Directive. The requirement for non-domestic consumers to pay for water services supplied to them applies regardless of the use to which...