Results 5,641-5,660 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: Creggs sewerage scheme was fourth on the list of sewerage schemes submitted by Galway County Council in response to my Department's request to local authorities in 2003 to produce updated assessments of the needs for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessments. The assessments were taken into account in the framing of the water services...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: Roscommon County Council has been asked to submit additional information required by my Department to facilitate a decision on the design review report, water services pricing policy report and implementation strategy for these water supply schemes which will serve Arigna, Boyle-Ardcarne and central and south Roscommon. The information will be examined as quickly as possible on receipt of the...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: I have accepted a recommendation from the nature conservation designations appeals advisory board to exclude the area under appeal from both the special protection area and the natural heritage area. Following digitising of the boundary revisions by my Department, the appellant was advised by letter dated 20 September 2005 of the successful outcome of the appeal, and was provided with maps...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: Ireland signed the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters on 25 June 1998. Progress towards ratification of the convention is closely aligned with work at EU level. To date, the European Union has adopted two directives as part of the ratification process for the convention. These deal with public...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: The Environmental Protection Agency's report on water quality in Ireland 2001 to 2003 stated that the overall condition of Irish waters remains satisfactory and compares favourably with the position in other European countries. The report indicates that there is a further decline in the extent of serious pollution in rivers, a decline in the level of bacteriological contamination of...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: The Costelloe regional water supply scheme, which will provide a new water supply source for these areas, and Carraroe sewerage scheme which protects the existing Carraroe water source are both approved for construction in my Department's water services investment programme for 2004 to 2006. I have approved Galway County Council's preliminary report for the first phase of the regional water...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: The question as to whether a particular development requires planning consent or not is primarily a matter for the planning authorities, or An Bord Pleanála on referral. They are empowered under section 5 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 to reach a determination as to whether a particular development falls to be considered as exempt. In making their determination, consideration would...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: The Kilmallock sewerage scheme is approved for construction in my Department's water services investment programme for 2004 to 2006. My Department approved Limerick County Council's brief for the appointment of consultants to prepare detailed design and contract documents for the scheme last July. The Dromcollogher sewerage scheme, which is being procured in conjunction with a number of other...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1399 and 1411 together. These schemes, which are being advanced as a grouped project, have been approved for construction in my Department's water services investment programme for 2004 to 2006. Further consideration will be given to Limerick County Council's fee proposals for the consultants selected to prepare the preliminary report on receipt of the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: In May 2005, I announced proposals for a pilot project for the provision of a number of skateboard facilities. My Department wrote to all city and county councils at that time enclosing details of the initiative, including the selection criteria, and invited councils to submit an application to participate in the pilot project. All applications received are currently being examined in my...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1402 and 1408 together. The initial allocation to each county council under the local improvements scheme, or LIS, in each of the years 2001 to 2005 is set out in the following table. Information regarding waiting lists in individual counties is not available in my Department. Information on the operation of the LIS in each county council area is sought from...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: I assume that the parliamentary question refers to the decision of the European Commission on 31 August 2005 to authorise genetically modified oilseed rape GT73. Member states discharged their involvement in this matter at the Environment Council of 20 December 2004 where there was, under the qualified majority voting procedures, insufficient agreement to either accept or reject the proposal....

Written Answers — Environmental Policy. : Environmental Policy. (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: Thermal performance and insulation standards for new dwellings under Part L of the building regulations have been progressively increased since their introduction in 1992 and are due for further upward adjustment by 2008. The national climate change strategy, or NCCS, proposed that Part L standards be significantly increased in two phases, in mid-2002 and 2005. The NCCS stated that the...

Written Answers — Litter Pollution: Litter Pollution (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: Under the Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001, producers, that is manufacturers and importers, of farm plastics such as silage bale wrap and sheeting are required to take steps to recover farm plastics waste which they have placed on the market or alternatively to contribute to, and participate in, compliance schemes to recover the waste in question. The Irish farm film...

Written Answers — Special Areas of Conservation: Special Areas of Conservation (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: The boundaries of this candidate special area of conservation were re-examined by my Department, for two reasons. The first reason was a revised national approach to the designation of marginal areas along rivers, introduced in August 2004, following an agreement with the farm organisations under Sustaining Progress. A nationwide survey to revise SAC boundaries along rivers was undertaken....

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: Planning permission is required for the construction by any electricity operator of overhead transmission or distribution lines for conducting electricity at a voltage higher than 20kV. Issues such as impact on surrounding development or on the landscape would be considered when applications for permission for such lines are made. The laying underground of such lines or the connection of any...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: The Rochfortbridge sewerage scheme has been approved for funding in my Department's water services investment programme for 2004 to 2006 under the serviced land initiative, at an estimated cost of €4.28 million. Westmeath County Council's original contract documents for the scheme were approved by my Department in June 2004. Revisions to the contract documents submitted by the council in...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: The Milltownpass sewerage scheme has been approved for funding in my Department's water services investment programme for 2004 to 2006 under the rural towns and villages initiative at an estimated cost of €4.28 million. My Department approved Westmeath County Council's proposal to appoint a client's representative to prepare contract documents for the scheme in June 2005. The contract...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: My Department provides compensation, by way of purchase at standard rates, for persons who are owners of land or turbary rights in bogs that have been proposed for designation as special areas of conservation or natural heritage areas, and where it is necessary for conservation reasons to phase out cutting of turf for domestic purposes. The scheme is applicable primarily to any person who...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (28 Sep 2005)

Dick Roche: Section 81 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides the statutory basis for the local improvements scheme, or LIS, and my Department's local improvements scheme memorandum, which issued in February 2002, sets out the current terms and conditions for the payment of LIS grants. Under the scheme, grants are provided to county councils for the construction and improvement of non-public roads...