Results 6,861-6,880 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: On 26 November 2004, I published planning guidelines for regional and planning authorities on implementation of Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment — commonly known as the "SEA directive". A copy of the guidelines has been placed in the Oireachtas Library. The guidelines were finalised following a public consultation...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: The cross-Border waste awareness campaign referred to was launched on 14 September 2004 and was completed in December 2004. The cost of the campaign was €3.2 million of which 75% was provided from EU structural funds under priority 2, measure 2 of the INTERREG IIIA programme administered through the special European Union programmes body. The project was designed to support the...

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 272, 273 and 274 together. Since coming into office I have had a number of meetings with representatives of local government organisations — the General Council of County Councils, GCCC, Local Authority Members Association, LAMA, Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland, AMAI, and the City and County Managers' Association, CCMA. Details of those...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: In March 2004 guidelines for planning authorities on sustainable rural housing were published in draft form for public consultation to give all those interested an opportunity to comment before the guidelines are finalised. I expect to be in a position to issue the guidelines in final statutory form shortly. On the publication of the draft guidelines planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: A sewerage scheme to serve the Curragh, Brownstown, Cutbush and Suncroft areas of County Kildare has been approved for construction in my Department's water services investment programme 2004 to 2006 at an estimated cost of €8.2 million. The scheme is being funded jointly by my Department and by the Department of Defence. My Department conveyed approval to Kildare County Council's tender...

Written Answers — Architectural Heritage: Architectural Heritage (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: Donadea Castle and its associated buildings are an integral part of Donadea Forest Park, which is owned and managed by Coillte Teoranta. Any development proposals in respect of the property would, in the first instance, be a matter for that organisation. My Department has not been approached by Coillte Teoranta regarding the possible restoration of the castle.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: The lower Liffey valley sewerage scheme is included in my Department's water services investment programme 2004 to 2006 to commence construction this year. The scheme, under which the waste water collection systems in Leixlip, Kilcock, Straffan, Celbridge and Maynooth will be upgraded and improved, also includes measures to eliminate odours from the existing collection system in Leixlip's...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: Waste management infrastructure requirements in each region are identified in regional waste management plans by the relevant local authority or group of local authorities. These plans are under review at present and I expect that they will identify the range of waste management infrastructure required to deliver an integrated waste management strategy maximising the reuse, recycling and...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: The improvement and realignment of non-national roads and bridges in County Kildare is a matter for Kildare County Council to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State grants. In 2004, my Department sought applications from road authorities for funding under the 2005 EU co-financed specific improvements grant scheme. Kildare County Council submitted a number of applications but...

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: The improvement and realignment of non-national roads and bridges in County Kildare is a matter for Kildare County Council to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State grants. In 2004, my Department sought applications from road authorities for funding under the 2005 EU co-financed specific improvements grant scheme. Kildare County Council submitted a number of applications but...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: As part of the overall EU commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8% during the Kyoto Protocol period 2008-12, Ireland is committed to limiting emissions to 13% above 1990 levels. Greenhouse gas emissions figures from the Environmental Protection Agency show emissions in 2003 at approximately 25% above 1990 levels, down from approximately 29% in 2002 and 31% in 2001. These figures...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: The information requested is not available in my Department. The enforcement of the waste code is a matter for each individual local authority and the Office of Environmental Enforcement The office has consolidated environmental enforcement activity through the establishment of a national enforcement network. The initial focus of the network is on dealing with unauthorised waste activity. In...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 285 and 292 together. Average domestic water consumption in Ireland is estimated at 250 litres per person per day. The requirements for industry will vary due the nature of the industry. To meet anticipated demand for water for domestic and non-domestic consumption, the national development plan provides for investment of €4.4 billion in water services...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: The total cost to date of the electronic voting and counting project is €51.6 million. Apart from annual storage costs, details of which are given in the reply to Question No. 93 on today's Order Paper, it is not possible at this stage to quantify additional costs that may arise for the electronic system. Such costs are likely to be small relative to the capital investment already made.

Written Answers — Road Network: Road Network (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: An Bord Pleanála, which has an independent statutory mandate, is responsible under the Roads Act 1993 for the approval of motorway schemes following an assessment of the environmental impact of the proposal. In the case of the M3 motorway, the process involved a detailed environmental impact assessment, in which archaeological considerations and other factors were extensively addressed, and...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: I am satisfied, having regard in particular to the mid-term review of the national development plan overseen by the Economic and Social Research Institute, in co-operation with a number of consultancy firms, that progress on the various NDP programmes and measures falling within the remit of my Department has been generally satisfactory. I am determined that we will continue to make progress...

Election Management System. (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2004 confirms the policy objective of electronic voting and counting at Irish elections and that maintains the mandate to my Department from the Oireachtas to work towards implementation of this objective. In this context, my Department is developing, in parallel with the continuing work of the Commission on Electronic Voting, a programme for further assessment,...

Election Management System. (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: The Deputy is correct to suggest that until confidence is established in the system, I will not advocate testing it. The initial comments, however, are a tiny bit rich because one must remember that most of the political parties, if not all, had some positive things to say about this system.

Election Management System. (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: Deputy O'Dowd's party published a good leaflet on the issue in Meath. It is easy with hindsight to ask certain questions. The issue of a voter verifiable audit trail, VVAT, is not the only one. It is worth pointing out that there is no national system where VVAT is in operation. I concede this is an area where it is necessary to make haste slowly because it concerns the level of confidence...

Election Management System. (9 Feb 2005)

Dick Roche: The Deputy is quite right in that I will not forecast a date by which we can move to the next stage of trial. I do not agree with the hypothesis underlying the Deputy's question that a VVAT is an absolute sine qua non. It is not used elsewhere and, initially, it was not a key policy issue of concern arising in the context of electronic voting. As the Deputy and anybody who goes to the trouble...