Results 5,961-5,980 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed). (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I should learn a lesson from this not to recommit an amendment. Before we adjourned, I set out my concerns with the approach proposed in the amendment by Deputy Gilmore. After every census, the Central Statistics Office publishes the results on a phased basis. Volume 1, containing the population classified by area, has the necessary final data to enable a constituency commission to review...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed). (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I have listened at length to the arguments made by Deputy Gilmore. Whatever we know now, however, it is certain that if we proceed on the basis of preliminary figures we know to be imperfect and subject to revision, we will face a legal challenge. This is not the first time the issue has been dealt with by a Minister. On the previous occasion, Deputy Howlin was the Minister who steered the...

Radon Gas Levels. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The Deputy touched on a number of issues. Grant schemes announced by one Government in 1997 were never funded.

Radon Gas Levels. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: Grant schemes have been introduced elsewhere and have not been terribly successful. Regarding the Deputy's other points, there are statistics. Nobody can put a price on an individual life and we should ensure that people, including property owners, take due responsibility.

Radon Gas Levels. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I accept that is what the Deputy meant.

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 34, 112 and 114 together. I recently announced that the Government has approved my proposals to amend the Planning and Development Act 2000 to help fast-track major infrastructure projects. The Government's objective in advancing these proposals is to contribute to the delivery of a highly effective infrastructure that the public rightfully demands while,...

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: People will be able to make submissions to An Bord Pleanála. Deputy Gilmore must be the only person in the country who would dispute that infrastructure developments have been delayed in this country for an inordinate amount of time. He gave a highly questionable analysis of the M50. However, I draw his attention a little further down the road to the extraordinary delays that were...

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I am addressing the planning problem and not only the populist aspect. The citizens and taxpayers of this country have a right to understand and expect that planning will be handled in a timely way——

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I do not disagree with the Deputy. Undue bureaucratic delay must also be dealt with. However, it is simply nonsense for the Deputy to suggest there has not been undue delay and an abuse of the planning system.

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: There has been a rank abuse of the system in the cases of the N11, the Arklow sewerage scheme and others. I have outlined the points raised by An Bord Pleanála statistics. Some 32 of the board's decisions last year were challenged in the courts, which is an increase of eight since the previous year. Therefore there must obviously be an integrated approach and we must build on what has been a...

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: Until such time as the legislation is in place, it would neither be prudent nor normal to make the funding available up front. However, I and my Department are engaging with An Bord Pleanála to discover what it needs and with the Department of Finance to ensure the necessary resources are in place. Deputy McCormack should consider the alternative of a second board, an issue which was...

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I hope so. We have until 2007 to complete it and I certainly hope we can do so. Deputies McCormack and O'Dowd have planning and infrastructural issues in their constituencies, which I know are of concern to them. Given their concerns, I anticipate help from them in getting the legislation through when it is presented to the House.

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I am not sure if the Deputy heard me correctly, but I made a major point about improving the situation in terms of legal challenges. I reject the idea that a Minister should retrospectively interfere with any decision made by An Bord Pleanála.

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: I certainly did not.

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: That is simply untruthful.

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: That is simply untruthful and I will not engage in a debate on an untruthful statement.

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: To address Deputy Cuffe's point about political indecision, the Deputy knows that delays on issues like the N11 were caused by people using the planning system to create them. Sadly, his party was involved in that process.

Planning Issues. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: Deputy Cuffe's party was particularly culpable on the matter of the Glen of the Downs. He does not want to hear the truth of the matter and I can understand that. The activities of his party contributed to a loss of €42 million to the taxpayers and a delay of over two years.

Leaders' Questions. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: Legal advice.

Local Authority Housing. (28 Jun 2005)

Dick Roche: The Deputy has lost the argument so he should sit down.