Results 8,341-8,360 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is on page 6. The Deputy will see the Minister has provided a definition in amendment No. 11. It will be a matter for the professional conduct committee to assess any complaints lodged. In response to Deputy Finian McGrath, we are, by and large, taking into account the issues the IWA raised regarding this Bill. The registration body will adopt the code of conduct, and issues raised by...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The registration body itself will clearly define and adopt a code of conduct. It will then be a matter for the professional conduct committee to assess any complaints made to it. Obviously, it must ensure absolute fair play for everyone in his or her final assessment.

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I move Amendment No. 12: In page 6, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following: ""professional misconduct", in relation to a registered professional, means any act, omission or pattern of conduct of the registered professional that— (a) is in breach of the code prepared by the relevant registration body, or (b) if the registered professional has been granted by a body established in a...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I move Amendment No. 13: In page 7, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: ""World Trade Organisation" means the organisation established under the Agreement establishing the World Trade Organisation.".

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I move Amendment No. 14: In page 7, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: 4.—Section 3 of the Act of 1990 is amended in subsection (2)— (a) in paragraph (e), by substituting "practice;" for "practice; and", and (b) by inserting the following paragraph after paragraph (e): "(ea) making provision for building practices that would assist in preventing or detecting crime; and"....

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: I thank the Deputy for his intervention and I assure him that we will take all those points into account when making the regulations.

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The amendment proposes that public consultation should take place before construction commences on all major public developments. Ireland's planning system is one of the most open and transparent in Europe. Members of the public are already afforded significant consultation rights under the Planning and Development Acts 2000-06, and more specifically under the Planning and Development...

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: We are committed to a major updating of regulations on access for people with disabilities. Hopefully therefore we will be able to take much of what the Deputy has said into account in that updating process.

Building Control Bill 2005: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Mar 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: This subsection provides for the introduction of a disability access certificate for access to a building. The building control authority would grant such a certificate if, in its opinion, the design of the building as submitted was in compliance with the relevant requirements of the building regulations, which is Part M — access for people with disabilities. This amendment would require...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (28 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Dublin City Council sought sanction to extend the fire station in Tallaght and this was approved in principle in the 2006 Fire Services Capital Programme. However, the Council are now of the view that a new replacement station is the most cost effective option and this proposal has been approved in principle under the 2007 Programme. Funding for the project will be determined following...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is important that the plastic bag regulations should be rigorously enforced. I recognise the need to ensure that the efforts and commitment of the vast majority of retailers are not undermined by the non-compliance of a few. Therefore, my Department has written to local authorities asking them to carry out inspections of retail outlets with a view to improving current practices in...

Water and Sewerage Schemes. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Some 239 waste water schemes have been completed since 1997 under my Department's water services investment programme at an Exchequer cost of around €2.3 billion. This investment has transformed the quality, scale and coverage of our national waste water infrastructure. It has resulted in major progress in preserving and improving environmental standards and facilitated the unprecedented...

Water and Sewerage Schemes. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Minister will roll out the national sewage and water scheme on Thursday.

Water and Sewerage Schemes. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Naturally, there will be significant investment. In March 2006, we asked each of the local authorities to give us an assessment of their needs. We have received these assessments, are taking them into account and will ensure that the major financial input now available to us will be included as part of the overall scheme in terms of further significant investment.

Water and Sewerage Schemes. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: From the Department's point of view, any scheme under €5 million comes before us only once for approval before being sent back to the local authority to be carried out. The Department has also given a commitment that any scheme that has been before it for six months must be dealt with and returned to the local authority. I suggest the Deputy ask her local authority to seriously examine how...

Housing Grants. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: For many years, the Government, through the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, RPII, has committed significant resources to assessing the incidence of radon gas, highlighting public awareness of it and the health risks associated with prolonged exposure to high concentrations. During the 1990s, the RPII carried out a nationwide survey of radon gas in domestic dwellings. Based on...

Housing Grants. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Obviously, the more often a Deputy asks a question, the more likely it is that he will get an answer to his liking.

Housing Grants. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: We have a very open mind on the matter, since we have serious concerns, and we want to ameliorate the situation as much as possible. However, I temper my answer by saying this.

Housing Grants. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: In countries where a grants system has been established, for example, in Northern Ireland, Great Britain and Denmark, it has not improved the take-up. Even where people are aware that radon levels are high and that assistance is available, it is surprising how low uptake has been. Denmark in particular, having examined its scheme's cost-effectiveness, decided that a far better mechanism to...

Housing Grants. (27 Feb 2007)

Batt O'Keeffe: Regarding the figures that I quoted, we tell people to shop around, and we have a list of contractors. Our evidence is that the general norm is €2,000 to €3,000. If a contractor is charging €8,000 or €9,000, we would like to see evidence of those charges, and we will deal with them and inform customers where they might secure much better value for money. I do not want to...