Results 5,661-5,680 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (14 May 2008)

John Gormley: The Rathowen Sewerage Scheme is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 as a scheme to advance through planning at an estimated cost of €1.9 million. My Department is in communication with Westmeath County Council in relation the level of Exchequer funding for the scheme and a decision will be conveyed to the Council shortly.

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: While the sourcing of contractors to carry out works under the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability Scheme is primarily a matter for applicants themselves, in order to assist applicants, my Department has advised local authorities to advertise for interested contractors who wish to have their names included on a panel of contractors available for the carrying out of works...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: Section 10(2)(l) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 requires a development plan to include objectives for "the provision, or facilitation of the provision, of services for the community including, in particular, schools, crèches and other education and childcare facilities". This requirement is restated in my Department's Development Plan Guidelines for Planning Authorities, which was...

Written Answers — Housing Grants: Housing Grants (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Question Nos. 516, 536 and 537 together. The Government has undertaken a broad range of actions as part of a strategic response to enhance the range of housing supports and services available to the disadvantaged and vulnerable in our society, including people with a disability and older people. These actions range from the introduction of better-targeted financial supports...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), which is at the mid point in its initial implementation period, is now operational in all housing authorities. All authorities have transferred cases from Rent Supplement to RAS and since the commencement of transfers in September 2005 the pace of delivery has steadily increased. Local authorities actively source accommodation for people who are...

Written Answers — Water Charges: Water Charges (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Question Nos. 518 and 519 together. 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...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: Part G of the Building Regulations sets requirements for Hygiene. Among these is the requirement for a suitable installation for the provision of hot and cold water to baths or shower baths, washbasins and sinks in dwellings and to washbasins associated with sanitary conveniences in buildings. Technical Guidance Document G refers to standards that cover the design, installation, testing and...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: There are two elements to Groundwater Protection Schemes: land surface zoning or mapping and generic groundwater protection responses to particular issues. The mapping is undertaken by the Geological Survey of Ireland and, as of May 2008, the counties with full land surface zoning/mapping are as follows; Cavan, Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Meath, Monaghan, Roscommon,...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: I envisage that a comprehensive series of draft river basin management plans will be published for public consultation during 2008, in order to meet the Water Framework Directive requirement that river basin management plans be in place by 22 December 2009.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: In order to comply with Ireland's obligations and ECJ judgments following on the Birds Directive, my Department has been working with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to devise a prescription for the implementation of grazing restrictions in the Twelve Bens/Maumturks regions of Galway. My colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and I intend to implement...

Written Answers — Public Procurement Policy: Public Procurement Policy (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: In purchasing goods and services my Department seeks to comply fully with national and EU procurement rules, as set out in guidelines from the National Public Procurement Policy Unit of the Department of Finance, and in line with EU Treaty principles and EU procurement Directives, which provide for free movement and non-discrimination on the grounds of nationality in the provision of goods...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: The income eligibility and loan limits for the shared ownership scheme were reviewed and increased with effect from 1 January 2006. The income eligibility for a single income household increased to €40,000 while in the case of a two-income household, the income limit is based on the formula that 2.5 times the main income plus once the secondary income does not exceed €100,000. Income...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: My Department has no active proposal in respect of this project.

Written Answers — Energy Conservation: Energy Conservation (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 527 and 530 together. My Department has no function with regard to the standard conditions included in the leasehold purchase of apartments, which are a matter for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The issue of energy efficiency is more appropriate to the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: The reply to Question No. 220 of 23 April 2008 referred to the reply to Question No. 537 of 11 March 2008, which outlined the dates on which the Working Group has met to date. A further meeting of the Group is due to be held shortly.

Written Answers — Tribunals of Inquiry: Tribunals of Inquiry (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: Under paragraph J(2) of its amended Terms of Reference, the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments was required to decide, before 1 May 2005, upon matters additional to those specified in paragraph J(1) of the Terms of Reference that would be proceeding to a public hearing, and to record that decision in writing. The Tribunal prepared a document purporting to comply...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: My Department provides direct funding to local authorities for the provision of affordable housing under the 1999 Affordable Housing Scheme through the subsidisation of the site costs. A subsidy is available to local authorities to make houses affordable by covering all or part of the cost of the site so that the selling price of the unit is within the income range of the target group. To...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: Exchequer expenditure on the provision of local authority and voluntary & co-operative housing from 1997 to 2007 is set out in the table below: Year Total Expenditure €,000 1997 245,075 1998 277,515 1999 323,612 2000 459,370 2001 736,015 2002 886,004 2003 814,693 2004 813,217 2005 944,021 2006 1,076,993 2007 1,092,822 The 2008 provision for these programmes is €1.2 billion...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: My Department has approved the Council's brief for the appointment of consultants to prepare Contract Documents for the scheme, subject to some amendments. I understand that the Council is now finalising the brief with view to appointing consultants as soon as possible.

Written Answers — State Airports: State Airports (13 May 2008)

John Gormley: My Department is finalising draft planning guidelines on public safety zones around Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airports. It is intended shortly to issue the draft guidelines for public consultation under the Planning and Development Act 2000. All comments received during the consultation process will be considered before the guidelines are finalised and issued.