Results 5,581-5,600 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Sustainable Development Strategy: Sustainable Development Strategy (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 540 and 541 together. Ireland's national sustainable development strategy was published in 1997 and reviewed in the context of the world summit on sustainable development in 2002. It provides the framework for Ireland's response to Agenda 21, the world agenda for sustainable development agreed at the earth summit in Rio in 1992. A core objective in the...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The Department of Finance has responsibility for public procurement policy. The website www.etenders.gov.ie, maintained by the national public procurement policy unit of the Department of Finance, contains comprehensive information on all aspects of public procurement, including guidance and clarification for public bodies on how environmental considerations may be taken into account and...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Each planning authority is required under the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000 to make a development plan every six years. Section 15 of the Act provides that it is the duty of a planning authority to take such steps within its powers as may be necessary for securing the objectives of the development plan. It also provides that, no more than two years after the making of a...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The Green Government Guide — Promoting Environmental Management in Practice was published and issued to all Departments in August 1996. The guide encourages Departments to promote good environmental practice and to integrate environmental considerations into their operations. The action at work programme, launched in February 2005 as part of the Race Against Waste campaign, aims to improve...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 545 and 546 together. Section 25 of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority Act 1997 — the Act — requires the authority before preparing a planning scheme to consult with Dublin City Council, DCC, and such other statutory bodies as appear to the authority to have an interest in the area to which the planning scheme relates, and arrange for the making of...

Written Answers — Asbestos Remediation: Asbestos Remediation (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: The details of this case might be more appropriately raised with Dublin City Council. As a general rule, my Department understands that water supply service connections to individual dwellings do not use asbestos cement pipes, which are of large diameter. An information leaflet entitled Asbestos in your Home, AP6, is available from ENFO, my Department's public information service on...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Tax reliefs are available under the rural, urban and town renewal schemes, all of which expire on 31 July 2006. Under the 1999 urban renewal scheme, areas in Sligo town were designated for residential and commercial tax reliefs. For a project to avail of tax relief under this scheme, 15% of expenditure must have been incurred by 30 June 2003. Under the 2000 town renewal scheme, parts of...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Following receipt of instructions recently from the Department of Finance relating to pension rights of part-time public servants, detailed proposals to address the pension position of part-time employees of local authorities are being prepared by my Department. These proposals will be discussed with staff representatives as soon as possible and a circular letter will then issue to local...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 554 to 556, inclusive, together. The Ennis town water supply treatment scheme has been approved for funding in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2004-2006 with a view to work commencing as soon as possible. I recently approved Clare County Council's tender documents for the scheme. Subject to some necessary amendments to the documents and the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: Since 1998, my Department has allocated €31million to local authorities towards the development of one stop shops throughout the country. Of this amount, a total of €26.626 million has been paid to date. Details of the payments made to individual local authorities are at appendix 1 while a list of the one-stop-shop facilities involved is at appendix 2. Appendix 1 Local Authority...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 559 and 560 together. Local authority officials who were serving immediately prior to 1 April 2004 are generally required to retire at the age of 65 in accordance with a range of statutory provisions. The Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 introduced new superannuation and retirement provisions for new entrants appointed to the...

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: There is no grant assistance available for private sector recycling projects. When the capital grants scheme for waste management infrastructure projects was launched in 2002 it was intended that it be made available to both public and private sector applicants. However, private sector funding was conditional on obtaining the necessary State aid approval from the European Commission. In the...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (4 Oct 2005)

Dick Roche: As indicated in the reply to Question No. 1410 of 28 September 2005, the position in this matter is as follows. The boundaries of this candidate special area of conservation, SAC, were re-examined by my Department, for two reasons. First, there was a revised national approach to the designation of marginal areas along rivers, introduced in August 2004, following an agreement with the farm...

Written Answers — Archaeological Sites: Archaeological Sites (29 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together. My Department is arranging a meeting with representatives of Roscommon County Council in the near future on a number of issues of archaeological interest, including that of Rathcroghan.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (29 Sep 2005)

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

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (29 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: Article 28(1)(d) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 provides that where it appears to a planning authority that the area of another local authority might be affected by a proposed development for which a planning application has been made, it shall notify that local authority. Section 37(4) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides that, where any prescribed body...

Written Answers — Communications Masts: Communications Masts (29 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: Like all development which is not exempted development, planning permission must be sought for the erection of an antennae support structure or mast. Article 6 and Schedule 2, Part 2, Class 35 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 sets out certain exemptions in this area, including, subject to certain conditions, the attachment of additional antennae to an existing antenna support...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (29 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: As part of an overall response to Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions reduction target for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol, the Government has signalled an intent to purchase carbon allowances up to a total of 18.5 million allowances over the protocol commitment period 2008-12, or 3.7 million per annum. The cost of these allowances would be met by the Exchequer and would depend on a number...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (29 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: The wastewater treatment plant in Ringsend was procured by Dublin City Council under a design-build-operate contract. As the Deputy is aware, the management of public water services infrastructure is a local authority function and, consequently, any issues affecting the operation of the Ringsend plant are matters for the Dublin City Council and the contractor the council has appointed to run...

Written Answers — Retail Sector Developments: Retail Sector Developments (29 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: I have not received representations from the company referred to in this specific matter and when I was considering the issue of the retail planning guidelines last year, I made it clear that I did not meet representatives of any company which had expressed interest in the matter. The company did, however, make a submission to my Department in the course of the review of the retail planning...