Results 5,881-5,900 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Recycling Policy: Recycling Policy (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 111 together. Under the Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001, producers — that is, manufacturers and importers — of farm plastics, 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...

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The Government's water services pricing policy framework requires the metering of all non-domestic customers by December 2006. The metering of the non-domestic sector is essential to ensure a transparent and equitable process for the full recovery of non-domestic water services costs. All relevant local authorities have indicated that metering of non-domestic customers will be achieved within...

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

Dick Roche: I expect to issue the draft development management guidelines for public consultation shortly.

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

Dick Roche: Under the provisions of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, planning authorities must prepare housing strategies which take account of existing and likely future needs for housing. Any development plan made by a planning authority must include a housing strategy for the area of the development plan. In exercising these functions it is a matter for each planning authority to...

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

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 311 of 22 June 2005.

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

Dick Roche: Outline proposals for the development of a links golf course at Inch, County Kerry, were presented to my Department in 2003. Having regard to the Department's responsibilities under the EU habitats directive, the implications for the conservation of the site were thoroughly assessed. After careful consideration of the matter, my Department's response was that the development of a golf course...

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The Government's water services pricing policy framework provides for the full recovery of water services costs from all non-domestic customers on the basis of average operational and marginal capital costs and, to this end, the metering of the non-domestic sector by December 2006. The policy framework also reaffirms the prohibition on charging for domestic water services provided under the...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: It is a matter for the relevant individual local authorities and the Office of Environmental Enforcement to investigate any instances or reports of illegal disposal of waste and consider appropriate action in such cases. While I have no direct function in regard to these matters, I have recently issued a policy direction under section 60 of the Waste Management Act which inter alia seeks to...

Written Answers — Local Government Modernisation Programme: Local Government Modernisation Programme (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The local government modernisation programme provides an enhanced role for elected members in policy formulation and review, in partnership with representatives of the social partners and sectoral interests through the establishment of strategic policy committees. The role of the elected member is further strengthened through the operation of the corporate policy group which comprises the...

Written Answers — Public Private Partnerships: Public Private Partnerships (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: Public private partnerships, PPPs, represent an important additional procurement option for local authorities in providing important infrastructure in areas such as water, wastewater, waste and housing. To date, more than 100 PPP projects, with an estimated capital cost of €2.1 billion, have been completed or are at various stages of progress in the local government sector. Most of these...

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

Dick Roche: While the concept of site value taxation has been raised in other contexts, it has not previously been considered as a viable alternative to commercial rates. Independent consultants were engaged by my Department last year to carry out a wide ranging review of local government financing. The consultants are assessing, inter alia, the totality of local authorities' current funding requirements...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: As part of a programme of further assessment, testing and validation of the electronic voting and counting system, tenders have been sought from suitably qualified consultants to undertake a security and risk assessment of all aspects of the system and to devise a programme of additional testing. This work is intended to address issues raised by the commission on electronic voting and...

Written Answers — Departmental Strategy Statements: Departmental Strategy Statements (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The Department's Statement of Strategy 2005-2007 was presented to the Government on 24 May 2005. The printed bilingual version of the strategy statement will be available within days and will be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus) is listed on Annex V of the EU habitats directive in addition to being protected under the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000. The directive provides that if member states deem it necessary, in the light of surveillance of Annex V species, they shall take measures to ensure the taking in the wild of specimens of such species as well as their exploitation is...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The improvement and maintenance of non-national roads in its area is a statutory function of each road authority in accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Roads Act 1993. Under section 50 of the Roads Act 1993, as amended, road authorities are responsible for the preparation of environmental impact statements in respect of any relevant road development. Section 51 of the Act, as...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: My Department is not aware of any reliable data on the number of domesticated or wild cats. Funds are not available to my Department to resource a national feral cat neutering programme. However, where a local authority considers it appropriate, it may assist a body which is endeavouring to reduce, in a humane manner, the problems caused by feral cats. A number of local authorities have...

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis, NIRSA, at NUI Maynooth was commissioned by my Department in late 2004 to prepare a study on spatial trends and related issues in rural areas. NIRSA has an extensive database which, inter alia, contains data on house numbers and their locations, farm numbers and their locations and construction statistics. The data will allow for...

Written Answers — European Council Meeting: European Council Meeting (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 126 together. A full report of the Environment Council meeting of 24 June 2005, held in Luxembourg, is available on the Council website http://europa.eu.int/pol/env/index_en.htm. The most significant outcomes of the meeting were: agreement on a draft directive on the protection of groundwater against pollution; agreement on a draft directive...

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 127 of 18 May 2005. The fire services change programme involves a series of measures designed to bring about direct improvements in key areas of the fire services. I expect to see significant progress in community fire safety in particular in a relatively short time but other measures are likely to be developed on a phased basis over a longer period.

Written Answers — Official Languages Act 2003: Official Languages Act 2003 (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: My Department has been included in the first tranche of public bodies required to produce an Irish language scheme under the Official Languages Act 2003. Our scheme, which has been recently approved by the Minister for Community, Rural andGaeltacht Affairs, will take effect from August 2005. Specific costs incurred by my Department in the implementation of the Act to date amount to €11,277...