Results 5,861-5,880 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Climate Change Strategy: Climate Change Strategy (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: In my recent contribution to the Environmental Protection Agency's lecture series on climate change, I said — in a reference to the new Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security — that the "Committee will be extremely important in forging the vital cross-party consensus, not just on targets but also on measures required to tackle climate change.". In my own presentation to the...

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: The information requested in relation to advertising campaigns carried out by my Department in each of the past five years is set out in the table. Advertising Campaign Year Cost of Advertising Consultancy/ Other Awareness/ Production Costs Total Costs â'¬ â'¬ â'¬ Anti-Litter Initiative 2003 7,343 0 7,343 Register of Electors Awareness Campaign 2003 133,217 26,390 159,607...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: The Ballyvaughan, Corofin and Doolin Sewerage Scheme is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 as a scheme to start construction in 2008. I approved funding of up to €6.025m for the scheme in August 2007 following my Department's examination of Clare County Council's Water Services Pricing Policy and Economic Review Reports. I understand that the...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 438 and 439 together. As mentioned in the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 638 of 27 November 2007, the Environmental Protection Agency is currently considering submissions received during the public consultation phase of the preparation of a comprehensive Code of Practice on Waste Water Treatment Systems. The EPA intends to publish the document as a Code...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: No such funding was provided by my Department in the period.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 441 and 442 together. Ireland has made significant progress over the past decade in recovering and recycling waste. Overall recovery rates have increased from 9% in 1998 to 36% in 2006. These increases in the proportion of waste diverted from landfill have been driven by a combination of factors, including increased awareness through the Race Against Waste...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 443 and 444 together. The total cost incurred to date in the development and roll-out of the electronic voting and counting system is €51.3 million (including some €2.6 million in respect of awareness and education initiatives). In addition, information provided by returning officers to my Department indicates that the total annual storage costs incurred...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: I refer to my first carbon budget statement on 6 December 2007 in which I presented an overview of greenhouse gas emissions to date and how they are expected to develop over the next five years. I related these to the programme for Government commitment of an annual average reduction of 3% in emissions, which would equate to a target of 64 million tonnes for our average emissions over the...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: I made it clear in the carbon budget that what I was announcing would reduce it by approximately 600,000 tonnes. We have a range of issues across all Departments, which is precisely the reason we put in place the committee, chaired by a member of the Opposition, on climate change. That is a good progressive measure. At Government level we have the energy security and climate change...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: With the realities of peak oil, we must make these changes in any case and reduce our carbon footprint.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: The Deputy is well aware of them and I have outlined them a number of times, but I will go through them again if the Deputy so wishes. With regard to energy, we have the renewable energy electricity tariff support scheme, which is facilitating the connection of more renewable energy to the national grid. It will enable Ireland to meet its EU target to generate 13.2% of its electricity from...

Water Quality. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: The Government's commitment to ensure drinking water supplies are in full compliance with statutory quality standards is reflected in the €4.7 billion in capital funding for water services infrastructure in the National Development Plan 2007-2013, an increase of 27% on the previous plan. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency has, under new drinking water regulations made in June...

Water Quality. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: That we have such a comprehensive report is testament to the fact that we have empowered the EPA to do excellent work. I commend the body on doing it. We have also given the EPA not just a 43% increase in its budget but 50 extra staff. If one looks at the newspapers, it is advertising for those staff now. I always welcome comprehensive reports, warts and all. It is important we know the...

Water Quality. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: The Deputy referred to the specific example of Galway city. I had the opportunity to visit the new Terryland plant recently and I spoke to the engineers there who confirmed that not only will the quality of drinking water in Galway be good as a result of the initiatives my Department has taken, it will probably be the best quality of drinking water in the country. Moving from a position...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: I welcome the recent statement by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in which she addressed potential opportunities for Ireland's agricultural sector and the various ways in which the sector is reducing greenhouse gas emissions. She pointed out, for example, that farmers are now using less fertilisers and more efficiently, which cuts nitrous oxide emissions. She also noted...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: CAP reform will reduce emissions by 2.4 million tonnes per annum. About 2 million tonnes of emissions will be removed annually from the atmosphere by Irish forests. These are significant reductions. From his work on the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security, the Deputy will be aware that the Environmental Protection Agency has also done significant work in this regard. I...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: Yes. As I said in my opening remarks, there is a recognition now among all parties and members of parties, including Ministers, that this is the defining issue and challenge of our age. Therefore, everyone must step up to the plate. Everyone knows there is an obligation so everyone must bring something to the party. We will all have to contribute. There is an acknowledgement that...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: The beef is in the many herds of cattle, as the Deputy knows. I have recognised the difficulty, which is that we now have growing markets. The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food may herself have referred to this when she addressed the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security. There are huge increases in population around the world, along with unprecedented economic...

Climate Change Strategy. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: I was pleased with the constructive first meeting I had with the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security. As I said in my statement then, the committee is a welcome addition to our national parliamentary structure, which clearly reflects the importance the Oireachtas attaches to the climate change agenda. I look forward to further engagements with the committee on national, EU...

Climate Change Strategy. (22 Apr 2008)

John Gormley: I did not say that.