Results 7,241-7,260 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley
- Election Management System. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: I need further evidence. I will not be bounced into a decision on this matter or give a knee jerk reaction to it. I would like electronic voting to work. After the recount of my votes in 1997, I was very clear that I wanted electronic voting.
- Election Management System. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: Electronic voting has the capacity to deliver more efficient voting. The Deputy is well aware how surplusesââ
- Election Management System. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: There are advantages and there are also possibilities of added value, for example, that people could vote from anywhere in the country and would not necessarily have to be in their own constituency. I would like to explore these possibilities. However, it may not be possible to do all of this. If I find that nothing can be done about these particular machines, we will have no alternative...
- Election Management System. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: I hope we will do it as quickly as possible.
- Political Donations. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: The Agreed Programme for Government contains a commitment to the establishment of an independent electoral commission which will take responsibility for a range of electoral matters including, inter alia, the functions currently exercised by the Standards in Public Office Commission relating to election spending. The electoral commission will also examine the issue of financing of the...
- Political Donations. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: Deputy Tuffy appears to be obsessed with the Green Party. I am anxious to get on with the business of government. It would be disappointing if Deputy Tuffy dismissed the electoral commission. Its establishment will be a huge advance. An electoral commission would deal with the issues she raises. There is a problem regarding expenditure limits at local elections. No limits currently...
- Political Donations. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: It is not only Mr. Justice Smith who calls for scrutiny and transparency. The Warsaw-based Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights was invited by the Department of Foreign Affairs to observe this year's general election. It concluded that the Electoral Act, which governs election spending, was rendered obsolete by its narrow scope. I am aware of that. Much spending takes place...
- Political Donations. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: The Deputy's supplementary is unrelated to the question.
- Political Donations. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: If he submits a parliamentary question I will be happy to answer it.
- Political Donations. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: Deputy Tuffy is correct in saying the electoral commission is not a Minister. Last evening I heard much talk about the establishment of quangos. On the one hand she asks me to set up a national fire authority â I do not exclude that possibility â while on the other she seems to pour cold water on the idea of an electoral commission. It involves the Minister giving away power to a...
- Political Donations. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: People have tried and failed. I hope I will succeed.
- Social and Affordable Housing. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: The needs of 14,686 households were met through the full range of social and affordable housing measures in 2006. The total number of social housing units completed by local authorities and the voluntary and co-operative housing sector in the first six months of 2007, at 3,167 units, is up 33% on the first six months of 2006 and represents the strongest level of activity on the programme...
- Planning Issues. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 142 together. The Planning and Development Act 2000 sets the statutory framework within which planning authorities must take in charge estates. In addition to the legal framework, my Department has also issued comprehensive policy guidance on the taking in charge of estates. In circular letter PD1/06, planning authorities were reminded of their...
- Planning Issues. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: I have spoken to Deputy Hogan's colleague, Deputy Varadkar, about this matter. I know he is genuinely concerned about this. I am aware that as a councillor he experienced at first hand many of the difficulties involved in dealing with management companies. I would like to reassure the Deputy that I received confirmation from my Department before coming into the Chamber that the working...
- Planning Issues. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: As I stated in reply to Deputy Hogan, this is a matter of great concern and I want to ensure is sorted out. These difficulties arose, as the Deputy will be aware, in the context of the unprecedented building programme which took place here. Estates were springing up like mushrooms all over the place, without, I acknowledge, proper facilities and where the management companies in place were...
- Waste Disposal. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: I have seen the newspaper report which appears to be the basis for this question. The report makes it clear that the data includes the landfilling of unsegregated municipal waste which cannot be recycled. The most recent national waste report, published by the Environmental Protection Agency states that the recovery rate for municipal waste in 2005 was 34.6%. This was almost four times the...
- Waste Disposal. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: The story on which the Deputy bases her information is incorrect. The issue is unsegregated waste. It could be inferred from the newspaper article that 40% of waste is now being recycled. It gave the impression that materials which could be recycled were going to landfill and this is not the case. This is the crucial point which I bring to the Deputy's attention and which she needs to...
- Waste Disposal. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: I will not be political.
- Waste Disposal. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: It is unfortunately the case. Consistency is required because the principle of the polluter pays actually works. We know now that more people are using the green bin. The waste to which Deputy Tuffy and I are referring is waste that goes into the grey or black bin.
- Waste Disposal. (10 Oct 2007)
John Gormley: I will be happy to continue because there is an important point to be made.