Results 1,861-1,880 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Planning Gain: Planning Gain (1 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: Planning gain or community gain can arise in a variety of ways, including in the course of decisions by the new Strategic Infrastructure Division of An Bord Pleanála and under planning permissions granted by local authorities. The concept is generally taken to refer to provisions to be made by developers which are not strictly integral to a development, but which are of benefit to the...

Written Answers — Local Electoral Boundaries: Local Electoral Boundaries (1 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: Unlike for Dáil constituencies, there are no constitutional or statutory requirements in relation to the frequency of local electoral area reviews. The last review of local electoral areas was carried out in 1998. The June 2004 local elections took place on the basis of the existing local electoral areas. The next local elections are due to take place in 2009. Consideration can be given to...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (1 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: In 2005, I introduced a special grant for the provision and improvement of footpaths in town council areas which were former town commissioners. These grants are paid to the county council who are road authorities for the area. The grants allocated in 2006 and 2007 are outlined in the table below. The grants fund of the cost of works with county councils providing the balance. More...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (1 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: On 18 January, 2007, I announced the 2007 grant allocation for non-national roads, which at over €607.5 million represents an increase of 9%, or almost €50 million, on the 2006 allocation. Details of the specific 2006 maintenance grant payments and the 2007 maintenance grant allocations to county councils are given in the following table below. County Councils Total 2006 Maintenance...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (1 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: General purpose grants from the Local Government Fund are provided to supplement the income available to local authorities from local sources and from specific grants to enable them to provide an acceptable level of day to day services. Calculating an appropriate distribution of general purpose grants is complex because of the significant variations between the cost and income bases of...

Written Answers — Local Government Act: Local Government Act (1 Feb 2007)

Dick Roche: I refer to the reply to Question No. 1909 of 31 January 2007. I am continuing to keep this matter under review, while consolidating progress on quality customer service measures, with the aim of ensuring good accessible local government service delivery for all towns.

Written Answers — Sustainable Development: Sustainable Development (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: Comhar — the Sustainable Development Council is a forum for national consultation and dialogue on all issues relating to sustainable development. The members of the Council are drawn from fiver pillars; the State sector, economic sectors, environmental NGOs, social/community NGO's and the professional/academic sector. Comhar has as its mandate to advance the national agenda for...

Written Answers — Control of Dogs: Control of Dogs (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: The Control of Dogs Acts 1986 and 1992 place statutory responsibility for dog control and licensing services on local authorities. The implementation of these Acts is vested in local authorities who have power to appoint dog wardens, to provide shelters for stray and other dogs, to impose on-the-spot fines for a number of offences and to take prosecutions. Information supplied by local...

Written Answers — Overgrazing of Livestock: Overgrazing of Livestock (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1781 and 1782 together. Overgrazing of livestock has given rise to environmental problems, particularly loss of vegetation and soil erosion in commonages. In this regard, damage to the habitat of the Red Grouse in the Owenduff/Nephin Beg Complex Special Protection Area (SPA) in County Mayo, has been the subject of a continuing infringement case, under the...

Written Answers — Control of Dogs: Control of Dogs (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1783, 1811 and 1835 together. The Control of Dogs Acts 1986 and 1992 place statutory responsibility for dog control and licensing services on local authorities. The implementation of the Acts is vested in local authorities who have power to appoint dog wardens, to provide shelters for stray and other dogs, to impose on-the-spot fines for a number of offences...

Written Answers — Licensed Vehicles: Licensed Vehicles (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: The total number of licensed vehicles at the end of the years in question were: Year Number 1970 558,403 1980 911,031 1990 1,054,259 2000 1,682,221 2006 2,296,393

Written Answers — Archaeological Sites: Archaeological Sites (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take to Questions Nos. 1786 and 1864 together. The route of the proposed M3 road development has been archaeologically assessed through geophysical surveys and test trenching and all of the identified areas of archaeological interest have been or are being fully excavated and recorded as required under directions given in accordance with the provisions of the National Monuments...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1787 and 1838 together. Stage 2 of the Castleisland Sewerage Scheme is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005-2007 as a scheme to commence construction in 2007 at an estimated cost of €5.57 million. Further consideration will be given to Kerry County Council's Preliminary Report for the scheme on receipt of the additional...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: There have been a number of key developments in the area of landscape character assessment since the publication of the draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Landscape and Landscape Assessment for public consultation in 2000. These include Ireland's ratification of the European Landscape Convention in 2002, which aims to promote landscape protection, management and planning, and to...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: The Draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Development Plans were published for public consultation in April 2006, and 49 comments and submissions have been received. The consideration of these comments and submissions is nearing completion I intend issuing the finalised Guidelines to planning authorities before the end of the first quarter of 2007. The guidelines will be issued as...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Burial Grounds: Burial Grounds (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: Local authorities, acting in their capacity as burial boards, are responsible for the management, regulation and control of burial grounds provided by them, and it is their responsibility to ensure that the regulations in relation to the depth of graves and the number of interments therein are adhered to. I have no proposals at this stage for amendment of the legislation or associated...

Written Answers — Urban Renewal Schemes: Urban Renewal Schemes (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: It is generally recognised that cities and urban areas can make a major contribution to the achievement of the objectives of the EU's renewed Lisbon Strategy, which focuses on attaining increased growth and competitiveness, higher productivity and employment, and strengthened social cohesion, in a general context of balanced regional development and sustainability. A range of factors...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: The Kilmacow Sewerage Scheme is approved for funding in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005-2007 under the Rural Towns and Villages Initiative at an estimated cost of €2.84 million. My Department has approved the Preliminary Report and construction stage budget for the scheme. Under new streamlined procedures I have introduced to speed up progress on the Investment...

Written Answers — National Minimum Wage: National Minimum Wage (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: There are no staff serving in my Department, or in agencies under the aegis of my Department, earning the national minimum wage, less than the national minimum wage, or at a rate of one euro in excess of the national minimum wage. Supported work placements in the National Parks and Wildlife Services area of my Department are, however, provided for five individuals with special needs. The...