Results 1,601-1,620 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Nuclear Plants: Nuclear Plants (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 156, 210 and 532 together. I refer to the reply to Question No. 208 of 22 February 2007.

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 158, 160, 172, 173 and 179 together. I refer to the replies to Question No. 4 of 8 November 2006 and Question No. 126 of 12 December 2006. Ireland will deliver fully on its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. While the relevant EPA report shows that the downward trend in greenhouse gas emissions was interrupted in 2005, this was expected and in line with...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: Under the Habitats Regulations, 1997, a landowner may seek review of a proposed designation of land as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) by making an objection in writing, and based on scientific grounds, to my Department along with a clear map of the land in question. The Regulations provide that such objections must be made within a three-month period of the site being notified and it is...

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

Dick Roche: Ireland has been very successful in recent years in meeting both national and international targets for recycling across a number of specified waste streams. Almost 35%, or a remarkable 964,367 tonnes, of our municipal waste (i.e. household and commercial waste) was recycled in 2005 indicating that our national recycling target of 35% for 2013, as set out in the 1998 Changing Our Ways policy...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: The Government has already committed significant funding to research and development into topics related to climate change, including €6.9 million through the Environmental Research, Technological Development and Innovation Programme (ERTDI), funded under the National Development Plan 2000-2006. Further funding is proposed for climate change related research under the Science, Technology...

Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 212 together. The total number of licensed cars increased by 7% in 2006 and 5% in 2005. This growth is being driven, inter alia, by increasing population and rising employment and this is contributing to higher transport emissions. On Budget day (6 December, 2006) I announced proposals which will provide an incentive through the motor tax system for...

Written Answers — Dog Licences: Dog Licences (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 require the owner or other person in charge of a dog to ensure that the dog at all times wears a collar bearing the name and address of the owner on an attached plate, badge or disc. The regulations contain penalties for non-compliance with this requirement or for defacing or rendering illegible the above particulars. These requirements followed...

Written Answers — Archaeological Sites: Archaeological Sites (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: The route of the proposed M3 road development has been archaeologically assessed through geophysical surveys and test trenching and all of thus identified areas of archaeological interest are being fully excavated and recorded in accordance with directions given by me under the provisions of the National Monuments Acts. Excavation and recording at some of the identified areas of interest has...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: Draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Design Standards for Apartments were published by my Department for public consultation on 9 January 2007, with a closing date for comments and submissions of 5 March 2007. Following consideration of the comments and submissions received, it is intended to finalise the guidelines for publication as soon as possible thereafter. The primary aim of...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: In August last year, my Department published a consultation paper on options for future regulation of the waste sector. Submissions were invited on whether there is a need for a regulator for the sector, if so on what model of regulator might be most appropriate and on what powers any such regulator should be given. Over fifty, many very detailed, submissions were received addressing the...

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

Dick Roche: Local authorities are required to recover from all non-domestic water consumers the full costs incurred in the provision of water services to those consumers. The application of the polluter pays principle, as required by Article 9.1 of the EU Water Framework Directive, entails the metering of non-domestic consumers so that a volumetric charge can be applied, with the cost of meter...

Written Answers — Nuclear Plants: Nuclear Plants (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: I met with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, in the Custom House on 16 February. Dr. El Baradei who had met the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs separately earlier that day, was in Dublin at the invitation of the Trinity College Philosophical Society. I took the opportunity to emphasise Ireland's opposition to nuclear...

Written Answers — Nuclear Plants: Nuclear Plants (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together. There are two fuel reprocessing plants at Sellafield. The Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant (THORP) reprocesses uranium oxide fuel used in nuclear reactors in UK, Europe and Japan, while the Magnox reprocessing plant reprocesses spent fuel from Magnox reactors primarily in the UK. The current stated position of the UK Government is that...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: National waste statistics for all waste streams are published by the Environmental Protection Agency with the most recent National Waste Report being in respect of 2005. As outlined in successive National Waste Reports, the general situation in Ireland is that we rely significantly on foreign based materials recycling infrastructure, which dealt with 83% of recycled waste in 2005. Europe...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: The North Bull Island is recognised as being of national and international significance for nature conservation. The Island, and the surrounding intertidals flats, are variously designated as a candidate Special Area of Conservation, as a candidate Special Protection Area for birds and as a Statutory Nature Reserve. The Island therefore forms part of Ireland's contribution of sites to the...

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

Dick Roche: My Department is examining the provisions in the European Commission proposals for a directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law. We will be engaging in detailed discussions on the proposal in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform. The Government is fully aware of the importance of effective...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: I assume that the Question refers to general purpose grants from the Local Government Fund. I allocated some €948m in general purpose grants to local authorities for 2007. This represents an increase of 8% over the record amount provided in 2006 and is almost three times the amount provided in 1997. General purpose grants are my Department's contribution towards meeting the cost to local...

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

Dick Roche: Statutory responsibility for the making and implementation of regional waste management plans, including in respect of the provision of recycling infrastructure, rests with the local authority, or local authorities, concerned. Since 2002 my Department has allocated almost €100 million in capital grants to assist local authorities in the provision of recycling and recovery services. The...

Written Answers — Public Play Facilities: Public Play Facilities (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: Ready, Steady Play: A National Play Policy, which was published in 2004, provides a framework for the development of public play facilities in Ireland, with the overall aim of ensuring that children have access to a range of quality play opportunities to enrich their childhood. As part of the implementation of this policy, my Department has allocated funding of over €8 million to County...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (27 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: Ireland's housing stock is comparatively the newest and fastest growing in Europe. Building regulations have represented an important policy instrument for ensuring satisfactory standards of thermal insulation and other energy performance features in new housing stock. Part L Building Regulation insulation standards for new dwellings have been in operation since 1 June 1992 with revisions...