Results 7,341-7,360 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (27 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Proposed waste incinerators must obtain planning permission from a local authority or An Bord Pleanala and a waste licence from the Environmental Protection Agency under regulatory processes from which Ministerial involvement is precluded. The EPA must, at a minimum, ensure compliance with the stringent standards set by the EU Incineration Directive, standards which represent best...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (27 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Primary responsibility for the monitoring, management, protection and improvement of water quality is currently assigned to local authorities under the Local Government (Water Pollution) Acts and related legislation. The EPA, through its Office of Environmental Enforcement, exercises general supervision in relation to the performance of these functions by local authorities. In addition,...

Written Answers — Water Charges: Water Charges (27 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Metering is an essential pre-requisite to the introduction of consumption based water charges for non-domestic users and the proper application of the polluter pays principle as required by the Water Framework Directive. Accordingly, I do not propose to review metering policy and I welcome the fact that the metering programme should be substantially completed by local authorities by the end...

Written Answers — Housing Estate Completions: Housing Estate Completions (27 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 and 198 together. The non-completion of any development in line with the planning permission for that development is unauthorised development, which is an offence under the Planning Acts. Enforcement of planning control is a matter for the planning authorities, which have substantial enforcement powers and duties under the Planning Acts, including the new...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (27 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: The Legan and Kenagh areas are to be serviced by the Ballymahon Regional Water Supply Improvement Scheme which is included in my Department's recently published Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 as a scheme to begin construction next year. My Department is currently examining Longford County Council's Design Review Report for the scheme. The Council will be in a position to...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: The Planning and Development Regulations 2007, which provide exemptions from planning permission requirements in respect of certain classes of micro-renewable technologies for use in the home, came into effect from 28 February 2007. The exemptions apply to solar panels and other micro-renewable technologies such as wind turbines, heat pumps and biomass, subject to certain conditions in each...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: The Programme for Government provides for a Revision of the Building Regulations to "introduce new national building standards in 2007 to ensure that new housing has 40% lower heat energy demand than existing buildings standards and revise them again in 2010 to achieve a 60% target in further years". In keeping with that commitment, I published draft Building Regulations under Part L of the...

Written Answers — Local Government Elections: Local Government Elections (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1076 to 1078, inclusive, 1131 and 1170 together. On 26 April 2007, a Constituency Commission was established under the Electoral Act 1997 to review and report on Dáil and European Parliament constituencies. The Commission is required to report to the Ceann Comhairle as soon as may be and, in any event, not later than 6 months from its establishment. Unlike...

Written Answers — Litter Pollution: Litter Pollution (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Statistics on local authority enforcement action, including the number of on-the-spot litter fines issued, are submitted by local authorities to my Department every six months. These figures are collated on a local authority functional area basis and are available in the Oireachtas Library. A more detailed geographic breakdown of the data is not collected by my Department.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1081 and 1145 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 283 of 5 July 2007. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1083 and 1163 together. My Department is awaiting submission by Kildare County Council of Contract Documents for the expansion/upgrading of the Osberstown Wastewater Treatment Plant as part of the Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme. The Scheme is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007-2009 to start construction next year at an...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Under section 202 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 a planning authority can make a Special Amenity Area Order or be directed by the Minister to make such an order. The legislation does not specify that an area proposed as a Special Amenity Area Order should be zoned for a particular purpose prior to its designation. The making of a Special Amenity Area Order by a planning authority...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: All beverage containers are packaging. Directive 94/62/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on packaging and packaging waste is based on the concept of producer responsibility, which effectively requires producers to contribute to the waste management costs of products which they have placed on the market at end-of-life. Under the Directive, Ireland was required to achieve a 25%...

Written Answers — Water Supply Contamination: Water Supply Contamination (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Asbestos cement piping formerly used in local authority watermains was required to meet the specifications defined in Irish Standard 188 and, in common with international practice, to include bitumen lining and coating. The main health risk associated with asbestos products relates to inhalation of airborne asbestos particles. The potential exposure to such risk has led to a decline in the...

Written Answers — Housing Aid for the Elderly: Housing Aid for the Elderly (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Specific state support for the accommodation needs of older people or people with special housing needs ranges from grant schemes which allow people to remain in their homes to the provision of specific sheltered housing options. Both the local authorities and the voluntary and co-operative housing sectors are providing an expanded range of social housing options and a wide range of...

Written Answers — National Parks and Wildlife Service: National Parks and Wildlife Service (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1091 and 1092 together. The final report of the Status of Hares in Ireland — Hare Survey of Ireland 2006/07, is available and may be downloaded from the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department [www.npws.ie/en/media/Media, 5119,en.IWM30]. The survey was carried out nationwide over two years and the results confirm that hares are...

Written Answers — National Parks and Wildlife Service: National Parks and Wildlife Service (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Section 26(1) of the Wildlife Act 1976 provides that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 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. I sought and obtained advice from the Attorney General as to the view that...

Written Answers — Environment Fund: Environment Fund (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Copies of the Environment Fund's Annual Accounts up to and including 2005 are available in the Oireachtas library. The Annual Accounts in respect of 2006 are being prepared at present. They will be lodged in the Oireachtas library once they have been audited by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. The Fund was established by the Waste Management (Amendment) Act 2001, to be...

Written Answers — Noise Pollution: Noise Pollution (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: There are various legislative provisions applicable to noise nuisance, as well as a number of practical arrangements to reduce the instances of unnecessary noise from alarms and to tackle persistent incidence of such noise. Section 107 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 provides local authorities with powers to require measures to be taken to prevent or limit noise. In the case...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: In January 2007, Dublin City Council gave public notice under Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 of the proposed development of a medico-legal centre, to provide urgently required City Morgue and State Pathology Service facilities located on local authority owned lands adjacent to the site of the Casino at Marino in Dublin. The Casino itself is a national monument in the...