Results 1,381-1,400 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Special Areas of Conservation: Special Areas of Conservation (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: The EU Habitats Directive requires Member States to propose areas for designation as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), in order to conserve important flora and fauna and their habitats. The sites are selected using scientific criteria set out in the Directive. The SACs formally proposed for Ireland cover approximately 10% of the country. While separate figures are not available for...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: Information on the total number of playgrounds provided by local authorities is not available in my Department. However, Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2005, published last year by the Local Government Management Services Board, reported on performance across 42 indicators covering the broad range of local authority activities. Two of the indicators relate to playgrounds and these...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: My official visit to Mayo on 1 March, comprised the following engagements; a "sod turning" ceremony for the new €3.8m visitor centre for Ballycroy National Park in Ballycroy, the official announcement of the €142m National Rural Water Programme for 2007 in County Buildings, Castlebar; a visit to Beleek woods to inspect preparations for the proposed introduction of the Red Squirrel, and a...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: Prior to the Local Authority Playground Grants Scheme 2004, my Department did not operate a specific scheme of grants for playground projects. The 2004 Scheme provided up to 50% funding for the development of new, or renovation of existing, playgrounds throughout the country. While the scheme was administered by the National Children's Office, the grants were paid out of my Department's vote....

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: While responsibility for the prioritisation and approval of individual projects under the Rural Water Programme has been devolved to local authorities, in August 2006 Donegal County Council requested my Department's observations on the replacement of the pipes referred to. My Department's response (of 15 August 2006) advised the Council that funding from the Department's block grant...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: On 28 February, 2007, I signed 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. 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 case. The...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: Responsibility for enforcement of the Building Regulations is a matter for the 37 local building control authorities. Half-yearly statistics on enforcement of the Regulations, furnished by local building control authorities to my Department, do not give a breakdown of the prosecutions initiated for non-compliance with the 12 Parts (A to M) of the Regulations. However, the statistical returns...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: I have no proposals to review or amend the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 and 1992. However, as indicated in the reply to Questions Nos. 128 and 191 of 27 February 2007, my Department is reviewing the control measures in the Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 which were made under the above Acts.

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: There is no restriction in law in relation to the day of the week which the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government may specify as polling day for a general election. The appointment of a Saturday would require careful consideration of a range of matters, including people being away from home, the large numbers employed in service industries at weekends, the likelihood...

Written Answers — Special Areas of Conservation: Special Areas of Conservation (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: As indicated in reply to Question No. 162 of 27 February 2007, exceptions can no longer be made to the application of the statutory three-month limit for submitting objections to proposed SAC designations. Amendment of the regulations in this regard is not contemplated.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: My Department paid €1,480,239 in mileage expenses in 2006. A further amount of €74,959 was expended on bus and rail expenses. 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 250 staff are currently availing of this.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 946 and 948 together. As I indicated in reply to Question No. 89 of 27 February, 2007, my Department is fully committed to the effective management of our consumption of energy resources. This is a critical element of our ongoing accreditation to ISO 14001 which we achieved for our headquarters offices in 2003. We are working towards achieving this...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: I am aware of concerns regarding sequencing difficulties between expiration of planning permissions and timing of grid connections. Firstly, I should point out that, as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, I am precluded, under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, from exercising any power or control in relation to any individual planning application...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: The information requested in relation to my Department and non-commercial state sponsored bodies under its aegis is set out in the 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 whole time...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: The Kilbehenny Sewerage Scheme was ranked as forty fourth priority in the list of water and sewerage schemes submitted by Limerick County Council in response to my Department's request to local authorities last year to undertake fresh assessments of the needs for capital works in their areas and to prioritise their proposals on the basis of the assessments. The priorities adopted by the...

Written Answers — Carbon Taxes: Carbon Taxes (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: The public consultation process which I announced on Budget day 2006, inviting interested parties to make submissions in relation to the rebalancing of annual motor tax charges to take account of CO2 emissions concluded on 1 March, 2007. A total of 34 submissions have been received and may be viewed on the Department's website www.environ.ie. The submissions are currently being examined and I...

Written Answers — Farm Waste Management: Farm Waste Management (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: To address the issue of accumulated backlogs of farm plastic, designated facilities are being provided on a temporary, once-off basis by local authorities where farmers may deposit stockpiled farm film plastic and silage wrap. These special arrangements operated on a pilot basis in the first instance in counties Clare, Galway, Mayo, Offaly and Waterford during June and July of last year....

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: I am fully aware of the importance of timely transposition of EU environmental legislation, some 200 items of which, including more than 140 Directives, have by now been transposed in this country. There are currently seven Directives in my Department's area of responsibility which are outstanding for transposition. A further three Directives are due for transposition between April 2007 and...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: Unlike the abstraction, treatment and distribution of water by a group water scheme, group sewerage scheme activity is confined to the provision of significantly less costly collection systems and this is reflected in the relative values of the grants currently available. My Department is funding a pilot programme, proposed by the National Rural Water Monitoring Committee, to test a range of...

Written Answers — Public Private Partnerships: Public Private Partnerships (20 Mar 2007)

Dick Roche: The State Authorities (Public Private Partnership Arrangements) Act 2002, makes provision in relation to the functions and powers of certain state authorities to enter into Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements. All state authorities engaging in PPPs must comply with guidance issued by the Department of Finance and available on its website — www.ppp.gov.ie. As regards the...