Results 7,021-7,040 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: I am not aware of any proposals for EU regulations regarding the disposal of unsold newspapers as suggested in the question. The EU Landfill Directive sets challenging targets for the diversion of biodegradable waste, including paper, from landfill. The Directive requires that no later than 16 July 2016, biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill must be reduced to 35% of the total...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: The Cranford Regional Water Scheme, which includes proposals to supply the Rathmullan area, is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 as a scheme to advance through planning. My Department is awaiting submission by Donegal County Council of a Brief for the appointment of consultants to prepare a Preliminary Report for the scheme. Donegal County Council has...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: There are no provisions in planning legislation for the establishment of community planning fora. Extensive public consultation by planning authorities in relation to the making and variation of development plans and local area plans is provided for under Part II of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended by the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2002. It is open to any...

Written Answers — Dog Licences: Dog Licences (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: From information supplied to my Department by local authorities, I understand that 197,779 individual dog licences were issued in 2006. An additional 395 general dog licences were also issued in that year. A general dog licence authorises a person to hold an unspecified number of dogs. Returns from local authorities indicate that the amount of money raised in 2006 through the issue of...

Written Answers — Local Government Expenditure: Local Government Expenditure (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: County/City Development Boards (CDBs), led by local government, were established in early 2000 in each county and city area and are representative of local development bodies, State agencies and the social partners operating locally. A key function of the Boards is to bring about the more integrated delivery of public services at local level via their Strategies for Economic, Social and...

Written Answers — Departmental Communications: Departmental Communications (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: The greetings for my Department's main telephone number are recorded in both the Irish and English languages.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: The information requested in relation to my Department and non-commercial state sponsored bodies under its aegis is set out in the following tables. Staffing in the commercial state sponsored bodies under the aegis of the Department is a matter for the body concerned. Grade Number of female staff in grade (expressed in whole time equivalents) Number of male staff in grade (expressed in...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: I am satisfied that there are sufficient resources within my Department to deal with requests for information made under national and European legislation. The majority of such requests are met within the statutory timeframes. In cases where it becomes apparent that there will be difficulties meeting these timeframes, for example due to the large volume of records involved in the request, it...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: Conservation Management Plans have been completed for 45 Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and 4 Special Protection Areas (SPAs). Most of these plans are posted on the website of my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service, www.npws.ie. I envisage that a further 56 SAC plans will be the subject of public consultation before the end of this year. Draft plans for another 94 sites...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: My Department operates a range of schemes to pay landowners and farmers for direct losses incurred through restrictions caused by designation of land for natural heritage reasons or to pay for certain agreed actions benefiting nature. My Department's five year Farm Plan Scheme, operated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). is available to farmers/ landowners who are not in...

Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: The information requested is set out in the following table. My Department also operates a Travel Pass Scheme for staff under which they purchase an annual bus or rail pass in a tax efficient manner approved by the Revenue Commissioners; some 255 staff availed of the scheme in 2007. Car Mileage Expenses Rail & Bus Expenses Quarter 3 2007 â'¬324,293 â'¬16,559 Quarter 3 2006...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 520 to 522, inclusive, together. The information requested is available in my Department's Annual Planning Statistics (2004, 2005 and 2006) and Quarterly Planning Statistics (Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 2007), which are published on the Department's website, www.environ.ie.

Written Answers — Electricity Generation: Electricity Generation (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: Section 34 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides planning authorities with the discretionary powers to grant planning permission subject to conditions as appropriate to the individual project. Under the Strategic Infrastructure Act, 2006, An Bord Pleanála has powers to attach conditions in respect of applications made to it under the new strategic consent process. In relation to...

Written Answers — Noxious Weeds: Noxious Weeds (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: Nuttall's pondweed (Elodea nuttallii) has long, leafy underwater stems that are initially rooted in the substrate, but which subsequently become detached. Reproduction in Ireland is exclusively by fragmentation. It is tolerant of disturbance and can grow in moderately saline water. It forms very dense submerged stands, occupying the water column from top to bottom, posing a serious...

Written Answers — Wildlife Policy: Wildlife Policy (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: Mink found in the wild in Ireland are descended from animals that escaped from fur farms. They have been breeding in the wild since the 1950s and are now found throughout the country. As wild mink are not protected under the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000 my Department has no function in relation to them, and therefore there are no population figures available to me. My Department carries out...

Written Answers — Hunt Licences: Hunt Licences (6 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: My Department wrote to the Ward Union Hunt on 22 October 2007 seeking further clarification on a number of issues of serious concern to me. I am now considering the Hunt's response and I will make my decision on the licence application as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Water Supply: Water Supply (1 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: Responsibility for ensuring that an adequate water supply is available to, and planned to meet the needs of, consumers in the Dublin area rests primarily with the local authorities in the Dublin region. The current demand in the Greater Dublin Water Supply Area, which consists of Dublin City, Fingal, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin, and parts of Wicklow, Kildare and Meath, is 540 million...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (1 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: In accordance with sections 21 and 22 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, the Dublin Regional Authority and the Mid-East Regional Authority, in May 2004, jointly made Regional Planning Guidelines for the whole of the area of their two regions, i.e. the area known as the Greater Dublin Area. These guidelines replaced the non-statutory Strategic Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (1 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: The Glenamaddy Sewerage Scheme is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 as a scheme to start construction in 2008. My Department approved Galway County Council's Preliminary Report for the scheme in December 2006 and further progress is a matter for the Council.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (1 Nov 2007)

John Gormley: I have not made any statement in regard to the number or location of any future incinerators. I have, however, signalled a move away from an over-reliance on incineration towards alternative technologies such as mechanical and biological treatment. This would greatly reduce residual waste requiring thermal treatment, which may include use as refuse derived fuel as a further alternative to...