Results 1,041-1,060 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Water Charges: Water Charges (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: Article 9.1 of the EU Water Framework Directive requires Member States to take account of the principle of water services cost recovery, including environmental and resource costs, in accordance with the polluter pays principle. The Directive is being implemented in Ireland in relation to the non-domestic sector on the basis of recovery of all non-domestic water services costs from...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: Waste management services have traditionally been provided at a local level, with individual arrangements being locally determined and tailored to local circumstances. The present legal framework, as determined by the Oireachtas, reflects this. In accordance with section 52 of the Protection of the Environment Act 2003, the determination of waste management charges, and any associated waiver...

Written Answers — EU Regulations: EU Regulations (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: The advice of the Office of the Attorney General is that the judgment in this case relates solely to the Animal Remedies Act 1993. Whether the judgment has implications for other legislation is under review. However, the case has no implications for the European Communities Act 1972 and regulations made thereunder or the European Communities Bill 2006, now in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 594 and 595 together. Ireland's obligations under the EU Urban Waste Water and Drinking Water Directives have been transposed into national law in a series of regulations made under the European Communities Act, 1972, and the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992. The statutory requirements in relation to monitoring and operational standards have been...

Written Answers — Local Government Funding: Local Government Funding (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: Correspondence has been received in my Department from Galway City Council in relation to the long closed unlicensed landfill at Southpark in Galway City. It is understood that a risk assessment is currently being undertaken by the Council, under the supervision of the Environmental Protection Agency, and that a formal submission, including costings, will be forwarded to the Department once...

Nuclear Plants. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 8 together. I met the Secretary of State for the Department of Trade and Industry, Mr. Alistair Darling, in London on 9 January last. I have no plans for a further meeting with him before the end of the current Dáil session — I say that without smiling. My meeting with the Secretary of State focused on issues relating to Sellafield and, in...

Nuclear Plants. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: I agree with the Deputy's latter point and I have taken steps in that direction. I have taken a number of opportunities to establish cross-community activity within the European Council of Environment Ministers. I spoke to almost all the other Environment Ministers in Europe, especially those who do not have nuclear plants. I recently convened a meeting in Dublin that was attended by...

Nuclear Plants. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: I fully agree there is a role for the IAEA. The EU also has a responsibility in this area. In addition to speaking with Dr. El Baradei, I have spoken on several occasions with Commissioners Dimas, Frattini and Piebalgs. The uniformity of views in this House is helpful in drawing their attention to our concerns. I also agree with the Deputy that the nuclear lobby, which I regard as cynical...

Nuclear Plants. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: The Ceann Comhairle has mentioned his anxiety in respect of Deputy Gormley several times.

Development Land (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: In 2003, Goodbody Economic Consultants were engaged by my Department to carry out a study that considered factors affecting the supply of land to the housing market, including the possible hoarding of building land. There have been many discussions on this topic. The study considered previous analyses of the housing and land markets and sought possible evidence of hoarding based on case...

Development Land (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: The Deputy is correct. This will be a radical move. The legislation is currently being drafted. We have a long way to go to perfect it. The legislation will radically alter the situation. One can subject land to compulsory purchase order for specific purposes but one cannot do so simply because people are sitting on it. Where it is perceived the land is being sat on, which is a handy...

Development Land (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: The Bill does not deal with the latter point but it certainly deals with the point raised by Deputy Catherine Murphy. In the lifetime of this Government we, that is, the taxpayers, have created equivalent water treatment capacity, for sewerage purposes, for an additional 3 million people. If my memory serves me correctly, drinking water capacity has been created for an additional 1.25...

Radon Gas Levels. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: I understand from the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland that it has issued almost 120,000 radon measurement detectors since the establishment of its radon measurement programme in the early 1990s. However, this does not indicate the full extent of measurements taken, as private companies also provide the service and detectors can be purchased from retail outlets. Radon...

Radon Gas Levels. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: The Deputy is correct and there is a responsibility on all of us to inform ourselves of the risks associated with radon. A study in the United States found that 90% of radon-related lung cancer deaths occur among smokers and I was not aware of that statistic.

Radon Gas Levels. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: That may be so but 10% of people do not fall into that category. I do not agree that the charging system put in place by the RPII is excessively onerous. This issue arose previously; remediation is relatively easy and I was surprised on examining its cost. I do not contest the figures presented by the Deputy and the vast majority of radon-related deaths occur among smokers and ex smokers....

Radon Gas Levels. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: The Deputy is correct but €55 to have a house tested for a lifetime is not a large amount either. The RPII website should be commended because it is clear and provides the relevant data. Every county is shown on the website along with becquerel background levels, areas of high concentration and the number of tests that have been carried out. The website shows that 2,800 houses in Kerry...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: The National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012, which I published earlier this week, includes limited provision for the purchase of Kyoto units by the State so as to assist compliance with the Kyoto Protocol in the period 2008 to 2012. Deputies will be aware that under the plan, 80% of the requirement will be met domestically. The strategy also sets out an explicit national policy framework...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: Underlying the Deputy's question is the fact that some dodgy forms of credit are available on the market. There is, in some of the declining eastern economies, what is known as "hot air". As Deputies will be aware, it is also generated in the House on occasion. The National Treasury Management Agency will not be involved in the purchase of this or of nuclear generated credits. It is...

Water Supply Contamination. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing this important question. Deputies have been caught off guard due to the changes to the Order of Business. I am very conscious of the inconvenience and hardship being caused by the parasitic outbreak of cryptosporidium in Galway. I have made my Department's resources and expertise available to the local authorities in Galway to help them to resolve...

Water Supply Contamination. (5 Apr 2007)

Dick Roche: The point raised by Deputies Grealish and O'Dowd pertains to the immediate problem. I accept they are both correct that there is a significant inconvenience for families in Galway and for large families in particular, who are obliged to haul water home from supermarkets. I raised this issue with the local authorities on Friday and indicated that I was willing to help them to overcome this...