Results 6,361-6,380 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: Details of the non-property cost of decentralisation incurred by my Department by end Quarter 3 2007 are set out in the table below. These costs, which have been incurred in relation to the establishment of an advance office in Wexford in June 2007, cover training, travel and subsistence, IT facilities and office administration. Year â'¬ 2005 Q3 4,622 Q4 4,400 2006 Q3 1,657 Q4...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 1317, 1413, 1417 and 1418 of 30 January 2008 which provides the requested details in relation to the decentralisation of my Department.

Written Answers — Special Amenity Areas: Special Amenity Areas (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: Grantstown Wood and Grantstown Lough are State-owned nature reserves, managed by my Department, which undertakes routine management and maintenance works in the area. With the support of funding from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under the Native Woodland Scheme works will begin shortly involving the replacement of non-native species with native species such as oak and the...

Written Answers — Special Amenity Areas: Special Amenity Areas (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Question No. 1357 of 30 January 2008 which noted that a special amenity area order for the Liffey Valley from Lucan Bridge to the city boundary was confirmed by the Minister on 8 March 1990. That order offers extensive protection to the area, under the planning code, from inappropriate development. The Liffey Valley site is important because of the diversity of the...

Written Answers — Hunting Licences: Hunting Licences (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: Section 26(1) of the Wildlife Act 1976 provides that I may grant to the master or other person in charge of a pack of stag hounds, a licence authorising the hunting of deer by that pack, during such period or periods as is or are specified in the licence. The Ward Union Hunt applied to my Department for a hunting licence for the 2007/2008 season. In my consideration of the licence...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: Work is underway in my Department on the preparation of regulations to implement the majority recommendations of the Working Group to Review the Management of Dog Breeding Establishments. The question of whether or not to provide exemptions for specific types of organisations, or breeding establishments, from the requirements of the proposed regulations is being considered in the context of...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: The Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000 defines a Natural Heritage Area (NHA) as "an area which is worthy of conservation for one or more species, communities, habitats, landforms or geological or geomorphological features, or for its diversity of natural attributes". I do not propose to designate Spike Island as a Natural Heritage Area as there is no scientific basis on which to do so. In...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: Grant aid in respect of 161 playgrounds has been awarded to local authorities by my Department under the 2004, 2005 and 2006 playground schemes. Progress with the completion of these projects is a matter for the individual local authorities and time scales have varied considerably due to a range of planning and procurement issues locally. Consideration of a scheme in 2007 was deferred to...

Written Answers — Departmental Strategy Statements: Departmental Strategy Statements (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: The Action Plan on Green Public Procurement is still in preparation and will be published later this year.

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: I signed the Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulations 2007 on 24 December 2007, thus meeting my commitment under the Programme for Government in full. These new regulations amend Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Energy) of the Building Regulations to provide for a minimum of a 40% improvement in energy efficiency and a 40% reduction in CO2 emissions in new dwellings. The Regulations...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: I refer to the reply to Question No. 1339 of 30 January 2007. I intend to issue a public consultation draft of Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas in the very near future: the public consultation period will last 12 weeks. These draft guidelines will update and replace my Department's 1999 Residential Density Guidelines for Planning...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: Details of the sewerage schemes in County Mayo for which recoupments were made by my Department to Mayo County Council under the Water Services Investment Programme in the period 2002 to 2007 are set out in the following Table. In addition, my Department made block grant allocations to Mayo County Council in each of these years in respect of small public water and sewerage schemes under the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: Details of approved sewerage schemes in County Mayo, including estimated costs and timeframes, are set out in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 which is available in the Oireachtas Library. Details of schemes funded from the annual block grants allocated by my Department to Mayo County Council may be obtained from the Council.

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: Part M of the Building Regulations deals with Access for People with Disabilities. In accordance with the commitment given in my Department's Outline Sectoral Plan published under Section 36 of the Disability Act 2005, a comprehensive review of Part M and the related Technical Guidance Document, TGD-M, was initiated. Comments were invited from the public/disability bodies on necessary...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: My Department's Sectoral Plan made under section 36 of the Disability Act 2005, which covers Local Government, provides for accessibility audits and implementation plans to be drawn up by local authorities. These plans would include measures to facilitate access by persons with disabilities to public roads, other public places and to other services provided by local authorities. It is a...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: Parliamentary questions are dealt with by staff in the line sections responsible for the particular issues raised in the questions. The number and level of staff, and time spent, on an individual draft reply depends on a number of factors including the complexity of the issues raised in the question, the volume and accessibility of information required for the proposed reply and the form of...

Written Answers — Animal Welfare: Animal Welfare (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: In the light of concerns raised about the absence of regulation of commercial dog breeding establishments, my predecessor established a Working Group to consider regulating such establishments under the Control of Dogs Acts. The majority report of the Working Group contained a number of recommendations, including the introduction of statutorily enforceable standards for the dog breeding...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (5 Feb 2008)

John Gormley: My Department issued a circular to housing authorities on 27 June 2007 dealing with revised arrangements for the procurement of public works projects and for the engagement and payment of construction consultants. The conditions of contract applying to all public works contracts include a provision that the rates of pay and conditions of employment are no less favourable than those for the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (31 Jan 2008)

John Gormley: Kerry County Council is undertaking a strategic study with a view to optimising the delivery of wastewater infrastructure in up to 90 towns and villages in the county, including Tarbert. The Council's Preliminary Report for the Tarbert Sewerage Scheme will be further considered by my Department in light of the study recommendations.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (31 Jan 2008)

John Gormley: The cost incurred to date in respect of the purchase and adaptation of the electronic voting machines is €43.9 million. In addition, information provided by returning officers to my Department indicates that the total annual storage costs incurred by them in respect of the electronic voting machines and ancillary equipment in 2007 is some €528,000, with figures for 2004, 2005 and 2006...