Results 1,921-1,940 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

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

Dick Roche: I have approved Mayo County Council's Contract Documents for the extension of the Lough Mask Regional Water Supply Scheme from Shrah to Westport and for the upgrading of the Tourmakeady Treatment Plant under my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005 –2007. The value of the local contribution toward the overall capital cost of the works will be determined when Mayo County...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: In August last year, I 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. Among the possible powers discussed in the paper is the power to impose a public service...

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

Dick Roche: The Achleam Sewerage Scheme has been ranked as fifteenth priority by Mayo County Council in the list of water services schemes submitted by the 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 — Road Network: Road Network (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: The improvement and maintenance of non-national roads in county Kerry is a matter for Kerry County Council to be funded from its own resources supplemented by State Grants provided by my Department. The initial selection and prioritisation of projects to be funded from these grants is a matter for the Council. In 2007, the initial non-national roads grant allocation to Kerry County Council...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: Article 4 of EU Council Directive 91/271/EEC requires secondary treatment of urban wastewater discharges arising after 31 December 2005 from agglomerations above a population equivalent of 2,000 in the case of fresh or estuarial waters and 10,000 in the case of coastal waters. All remaining infrastructural schemes required in this context are approved for funding in my Department's Water...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: The operation and management of local authority landfill and wastewater infrastructure is a matter for the local authority concerned, in this instance Mayo County Council. Landfill operations are subject to compliance with the conditions in the relevant waste licence issued by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: In general the Government welcomes the proposal of the EU Commission for a Directive establishing a framework for the protection of soil. We agree that it is appropriate to have an EU-wide initiative but, given the diverse nature and conditions of soils in Member States, policies need to be flexible and adaptable. This proposal for a directive is part of a package adopted by the Commission...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: The issue referred to in the Question will be considered in the context of amendments to the Natural Habitats Regulations which I intend to make later this year.

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

Dick Roche: In April 2005 my Department conveyed approval to Westmeath County Council to proceed with the Castletown-Geoghegan Sewerage Scheme as an independent project. This scheme is being funded under my Department's devolved Rural Water Programme and it is, accordingly, a matter for the Council to arrange for the invitation of tenders and the commencement of work.

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

Dick Roche: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, planning authorities may provide, in their development plans and local area plans, general planning standards to be met in the provision of neighbourhood facilities. When granting planning permission for a neighbourhood shop, planning authorities may impose conditions relating to the standard and upkeep of shop fronts and landings. Furthermore,...

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

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1871 and 1872 together. Enforcement of planning control is a matter for the appropriate planning authority, which can take action if a development does not have the required permission, or where terms of permission have not been met. The Planning and Development Act 2000 gave substantial additional powers to planning authorities in the enforcement area: for...

Written Answers — Comhfhreagras Ranna: Comhfhreagras Ranna (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: Tá sé mar aidhm ag mo Roinn gach comhfhreagras, as Gaeilge nó as Béarla, a fhreagairt laistigh de 15 lá oibre, mar atá leagtha síos i gCairt Sheirbhísí Chustaiméirí na Roinne. I gcás nach féidir seo a dhéanamh, eisíonn mo Roinn freagra eatramhach ina mínítear an chúis leis seo agus cén uair a mbeidh freagra níos iomláine le fáil.

Written Answers — National Parks: National Parks (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: The Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS), operated by the Department of Agriculture and Food is designed to encourage farmers to carry out farming activities in an environmentally friendly manner. Most of the land that is under the responsibility of my Department is in the form of National Parks and Nature Reserves and as such it is managed for nature conservation purposes rather than...

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

Dick Roche: The Kilmaine and Shrule Water Supply Scheme is approved for funding in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005-2007 at an estimated cost of €5.41m. Mayo County Council's first claim for recoupment of expenditure incurred on this scheme was submitted to my Department on 8 November 2004. Further consideration will be given to Mayo County Council's Design Review Report and...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: My Department has a dedicated unit dealing with requests for information under various national and European legislation, including the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 — 2003; the European Communities Act 1972 (Access to Information on the Environment) Regulations 1998 and the European Communities (Re-Use of Public Sector Information) Regulations 2005. There is a dedicated officer...

Written Answers — Special Areas of Conservation: Special Areas of Conservation (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: To date, Ireland has identified over 585 areas as special areas of conservation or special protection areas, covering in excess of 1.4m hectares including marine sites. This includes 11% of the terrestrial area of the State. The final main tranche of designations of candidate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) relate to salmon rivers. In December 2006 some 17,500 landowners were notified....

Written Answers — Special Areas of Conservation: Special Areas of Conservation (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1883 to 1885, inclusive, together. The Designated Areas Appeals Advisory Board has received a total of 260 appeals to date. Of these, 51 remain to be determined, including 38 relating to special areas of conservation and special protection areas. An analysis of the recommendations of the Board indicates that 32 appeals were successful, 57 were partially...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: Proposals for designation of Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) were originally published in 1994, and that the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 provided a statutory basis for the designation of NHAs. 155 sites have been formally proposed as NHAs and 148 of these have already been designated for the conservation of raised and blanket bog under individual Statutory Instruments. The other seven...

Written Answers — Special Areas of Conservation: Special Areas of Conservation (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: Sufficient funding has been provided in my Department's estimates of expenditure for the NPWS to carry out its functions in 2007, including work in relation to the designation of nature conservation sites. The resource requirement of NPWS and other services of my Department are however kept under ongoing review to ensure adequate service provision.

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (31 Jan 2007)

Dick Roche: I am fully committed to meeting Ireland's legal obligations under the Habitats Directive. In that regard, I have already made substantial additional provisions to the Habitats Regulations 1997 in the Habitats (Amendment) Regulations 2005. I envisage making further amending regulations in this active area of EU law.