Results 5,701-5,720 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: Directive 94/62/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on packaging and packaging waste is based on the concept of producer responsibility, which effectively requires producers to contribute to the waste management costs of products which they have placed on the market at end-of-life. Under the directive, Ireland was required to achieve a 25% recovery rate of packaging waste by 1...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I am not aware of any view expressed by the European Commission concerning the application of environmental impact statements, EIS, to strategic development zones, SDZ. Section 168 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 makes provision for the inclusion of information on the likely significant impact on the environment in a draft planning scheme for a SDZ. Article 11 of the Planning and...

Written Answers — Sustainable Development Strategy: Sustainable Development Strategy (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The local agenda 21 environmental partnership fund scheme promotes sustainable development by assisting, at a local level, environmental awareness projects that involve partnership arrangements between local authorities and local community groups, schools and environmental NGOs. The scheme is co-funded on a 50-50 basis by the Department and the local authorities. The scheme was introduced in...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The cap on local authority staffing levels results from a Government decision in December 2002 to cap public service numbers at the existing authorised level and to reduce numbers by 5,000 across all sectors by end 2005. Numbers in the local authorities are to be reduced by 1,000 over that period. Local authorities were informed of the reduction required in the overall local government sector...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The company in question wrote to my predecessor in November 2003 offering a briefing on biotechnology issues. This offer was declined in writing in December 2003.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I assume that the question refers to the recently issued policy direction under section 60 of the Waste Management Act 1996. The most recent waste management policy statement, Taking Stock and Moving Forward, published in April 2004, recognised that a prohibition on inter-regional movement of waste could be unduly restrictive in terms of securing the development of waste infrastructure and...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The EU directives on waste electrical and electronic equipment, WEEE, and on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, RoHS, involve challenging requirements for all relevant stakeholder groups, particularly producers. In accordance with the terms of the WEEE and RoHS directives implementation will commence on 13 August 2005 and 1 July...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 708 and 709 together. The Heritage Council has one vacancy following the resignation of a council member on appointment to An Bord Pleanála. It is anticipated that this vacancy will be filled in the context of the appointment of the new Heritage Council following the expiry of the term of the present council on 9 July 2005. In appointing persons to the boards...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The Government's decentralisation programme involves the relocation of my Department's functions to four locations — Wexford, Waterford, New Ross and Kilkenny — in the south east. The Local Government Computer Services Board is the only body under the aegis of my Department to be relocated to Drogheda. A total of 61 applications had been received at the central applications facility, CAF,...

Seanad: Planning and Development Regulations 2005: Motion. (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I thank Members for their contributions. On the issue of alcohol sales, I have introduced these controls to deal with the change in the use of a shop where a substantial part of the trade is in the off-licence sector. It will have the impact Senator Terry and Senator Brady desire. No one wants to be a killjoy or interfere with consumer choice, but there must be control in this area. My long...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: If the election is held earlier, this debate would not be pertinent. If the election is held in May 2007, we will at best have the preliminary report from the 2006 census. Two documents will be published. The preliminary report was mentioned in The Sunday Tribune article, which, while I queried some of the issues raised therein, represented a good piece of journalism. The preliminary report...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I will return to the point I made earlier. This is essentially an issue of nomenclature and does not interfere with the principles of the commission. I must admit to the House, being a truthful man and a novice in office, that when this issue first arose I was disposed to agreeing. I then received advice as to why I should not, which is why I mentioned the nomenclature earlier. If we had...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: ——of the title of the county but it would also have got rid of much of this debate. I understand the point made about Cork North-East. It seems to be a common sense geographical definition. Carlow and Wicklow are mentioned. What would we call that? Would it be Wicklow North-East Carlow? Then there would be Kilkenny and the rest of Carlow. It becomes odd as we go down the list. Part of...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I suggest to Senator Bradford if this causes offence locally a submission should be made to the next commission. At that stage the population will have changed and he might be worried about more than nomenclature.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: No doubt if he gets there——

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: ——it will be deserved because he made a distinguished contribution when he was there. He has been a good and constructive representative both there and here. If we were to make this change in one or two constituencies we would have to make it in quite a few others. I am not in a position to accept the amendment. I am not unsympathetic. When I thought it was simply north-east Carlow and...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: That issue is between Senators. I will not enter into discussion.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I think the Senator is right.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: That is a convention speech.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (30 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: If one wants to discover anything about the geography of Ireland, even interesting events like the Battle of Tang, the place to come is Seanad Éireann. On the last point, to be fair, the commission did not have that option. If one considers the judgment in the O'Donovan case and the constitutional law provisions, Mr. Justice Budd suggested a figure of plus or minus 5%. To go beyond that...