Results 6,201-6,220 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley
- Environmental Policy. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: They are doing well in keeping an eye on the environment. I observe all of their reports and compliment their staff on doing difficult work well. The EPA and NPWS required the resources because of the key issues of enforcement of and compliance with environmental law. Ireland's full compliance will probably require further resources and I do not for a moment underestimate the extent of...
- Waste Management. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: The EU landfill directive sets challenging targets for the diversion of biodegradable waste. It requires the attainment of specific diversion rates projected to equate to 59% for 2010, 73% by 2013 and 80% by 2016 for this waste stream. The recent National Waste Report for 2006, published in January 2008, by the EPA presents the scale of the challenge in sharp focus. While the recovery rate...
- Planning Issues. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: I published for public consultation the draft guidelines for planning authorities on sustainable residential development in urban areas on 10 February, together with an accompanying best practice urban design manual, which illustrates how these guidelines can be implemented. The 12 week public consultation period finishes on 6 May 2008 and I encourage all interested parties to submit their...
- Planning Issues. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: Will I take the other questions?
- Planning Issues. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: I am trying to recall the question Deputy Bannon put to me.
- Planning Issues. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: I recall a reference to capital gains tax on land. The Government has no such proposal. The Deputy mentioned villages and towns. The draft guidelines state that in villages and towns of between 400 and 5,000 people, which are not designated as growth towns in the county development plan, the number of existing dwellings should not be increased by more than 15%. That makes sense. For...
- Planning Issues. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: I will take Deputy Tuffy's question first. The new guidelines on sustainable residential development in urban areas will be issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which states that local authorities must have regard to them in carrying out their function. I am also looking at what further steps might be needed to strengthen the decision-making process by local...
- Waste Management. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: I will sort out the matter on the question referred to by Deputy Hogan. The programme for Government includes a commitment to a review of waste management planning. The procurement process for such a review is under way. While respecting the statutory position of local authorities under the Waste Management Acts to make and review waste management plans, the review will inform the...
- Waste Management. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: I have given the preliminary figures on this to the Deputy and have made them known outside the House. These preliminary figures are based on waste of 3.2 million tonnes arising nationally. This can be reduced by 1.7 million tonnes through a recycling rate of 50%. I am confident we can reach such a recycling rate, if not beyond that, particularly in Dublin. Some 800,000 tonnes of this can...
- Waste Management. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: Fine Gael sure has changed its position. On reading its manifestoââ
- Waste Management. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: I have seen how Fine Gael voted in the past on the 1996 Act. It voted for the 1998 waste plan for Dublin. The Dublin assistant city manager recently stated that this gave him the legal imprimatur to go ahead with a 600,000 tonnes incinerator in Dublin city. Fine Gael needs to get its own line straightened on this.
- Waste Management. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: I made my views known. If the Deputy looks at the planning Acts, they state the Government's policy. I stated my policy clearly. I will meet the Environmental Protection Agency next Monday to discuss MBT. There are several complex issues surrounding MBT such as the moisture content of actual residual product and at what stage it can be regarded as landfill material or inert. I am...
- Waste Disposal. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: The review referred to is the nationwide review of pay-by-use domestic waste collection charges in Ireland, prepared for the EPA by the Department of Geography, Trinity College, Dublin. Waste management services have traditionally been provided at local level, with individual arrangements being locally determined and tailored to local circumstances. The present legal framework, as determined...
- Waste Disposal. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: The Deputy has highlighted inconsistencies among local authorities. I am aware of inconsistencies across the board, in planning, waste management and a range of other areas. We are introducing efficiency criteria and considering how to obtain greater efficiencies and consistency in all areas. The most recent legal advice suggests that in an area serviced by the private sector the local...
- Waste Disposal. (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: Waste charges and waivers are recurring issues that have been raised in the context of social partnership. My Department has engaged with the Department of Social and Family Affairs to explore all of the issues involved. These discussions, unfortunately, did not identify a role for the social welfare system in providing income support for waste charges. However, there were further...
- Seanad: National Waste Strategy: Statements (Resumed) (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: The Senator is also correct that new technologies come on stream regularly and the waste review will seriously examine these because they are changing all the time. Other Senators raised important issues. Senator Glynn referred to people in the private sector who are making an important contribution. Some people in the private sector are making important contributions. When the interaction...
- Seanad: National Waste Strategy: Statements (Resumed) (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: That is an important issue. Most local authorities operate weight or volume based systems and, where a service is farmed out to another provider, it is usually done on the basis of one of those systems. It makes sense to do so because the more one produces, the more one pays. I can find out for the Senator where the exemptions exist and which local authorities do not have these systems in...
- Seanad: National Waste Strategy: Statements (Resumed) (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: I have asked my officials to find out which local authorities do not operate weight or volume based systems.
- Seanad: National Waste Strategy: Statements (Resumed) (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: Yes.
- Seanad: National Waste Strategy: Statements (Resumed) (27 Feb 2008)
John Gormley: I can collate that data to give Senators Coffey and O'Toole a better idea. We could speak about consistency in respect of many areas. We are trying to introduce new efficiency criteria and league tables across a range of issues in order that we can see how local authorities perform. Senator McFadden strayed somewhat from our brief and in answering questions I have ranged beyond the issue of...