Results 201-220 of 7,278 for speaker:Dick Roche

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (2 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: A full report of the Environment Council meeting of 28 June 2004 is available on the council website (http://europa.eu.int/pol/env/index_en.htm). The overriding objective of the Irish Presidency of the Environment Council was to continue to promote the EU's progressive approach to environmental protection and sustainable development. We pursued this objective in a number of ways including, in...

Written Answers — Housing Levies: Housing Levies (2 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: The Planning and Development Act 2002 came into force on 24 December 2002; accordingly, 2003 is the first year for which figures in relation to section 4 of that Act are available. Based on information supplied to my Department by local authorities, the total amount collected by local authorities under section 4 of the Act was €236,316 in 2003 and €392,090 in the first six months of 2004....

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (2 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: My Department has received no proposals from Kildare County Council in relation to a sewerage scheme at Kilberry, Athy, County Kildare. Neither were such proposals included in the list of schemes submitted by Kildare County Council in November 2003 in response to my Department's request to all local authorities to undertake fresh assessments of the needs for capital works in their areas and...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (2 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: Grants are not available for connections to local authority waste water collection systems and there are no proposals to introduce such a scheme. The arrangements relating to individual connections are a matter for the individual and the local authority concerned.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (2 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: The Tuam main drainage stage 2, Ballygaddy Road, scheme has been approved for construction in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme2004-2006 under the serviced land initiative. Contract documents for the scheme were approved in August 2003 and my Department is now awaiting submission of Galway County Council's tender recommendation. Details of the areas proposed to be served by...

Written Answers — Social and Affordable Housing: Social and Affordable Housing (16 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: Annual planning statistics are published by my Department which provide information on the number of planning applications granted each year etc. by local authority area. However, the statistics do not contain the detailed information sought in the question.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (16 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: Details of the decision informing local authorities of the devolution of the rural water programme, including group sewerage scheme grants, are set out in circular L6/97 which is being sent to the Deputy and is being made available to the Oireachtas Library.

Written Answers — Mayo Landslide: Mayo Landslide (16 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: Mayo County Council has submitted the final report of the Pollathomas implementation working group, together with the relevant reports prepared by their consultants, to my Department. The report estimates the cost of outstanding work at €1.685 million. In 2003 and 2004, my Department allocated two grants, totalling €2,030,500, to Mayo County Council for immediate remedial works and for...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (16 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: The Killaloonty element of the Tuam main drainage, stage 2, has been approved for construction under the serviced land initiative in my Department's water services investment programme 2004-2006. I approved Galway County Council's contract drawings for the scheme last week and it is now a matter for the council to arrange for commencement of the works. Details of the area proposed to be...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts: Motion. (17 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: The purpose of the motion is to allow an amendment to enable the tribunal to complete its work by 2007. This is significantly earlier than would be the case if the amendment were not made. Under the existing terms of reference for the tribunal, it is mandated to investigate any allegation of corruption associated with the planning process. The fourth interim report issued by the tribunal on...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts: Motion. (17 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: I thank Members for their contributions. Senator Bannon made the point that the Government should have involved the Opposition in the discussions with Judge Mahon. This matter arose in the other House as well. It is simply not possible to do that because the two Houses of the Oireachtas passed legislation in 1998 that prohibits such an approach.

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts: Motion. (17 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: The Senator should check the Act.

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts: Motion. (17 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: The Act makes it clear——

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts: Motion. (17 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: The Senator should listen for once, and he will hear the truth. The Act makes it clear that the appropriate person with whom to interface or make contact is the Attorney General. That is the way the legislation was drawn. For the record, on the day I received the final draft of these agreements and put them to Government, I contacted the Opposition parties and the Attorney General and spent...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts: Motion. (17 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: I am being frank with the Senator. I met four people. He can check with his party leader. There were other contacts which I will not discuss here. The Senator also suggests that when the tribunal ends there will be nothing to replace it. That is not true. On the point raised by Senator Maurice Hayes, the existing power to establish a tribunal will continue to be on the Statute Book and it is...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts: Motion. (17 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: If another issue were to be discovered, that would be one approach. The second approach, which Senator Bannon seems to have overlooked but which was mentioned by Senator O'Rourke, relates to the legislation introduced last year by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to establish commissions of investigation. This legislation draws on our experience of tribunals and allows for a...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (23 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: Guidelines for planning authorities on tree preservation were issued by my Department in 1994. The guidelines draw attention to the opportunities open to planning authorities to influence and control the contribution which trees can make to the quality of life. Copies of the guidelines are available in the Oireachtas Library.

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (23 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: The extension of the Lough Mask regional water supply scheme from Shrah to Westport is included in my Department's water services investment programme 2004-2006 to commence construction in 2005. My Department approved the design report for the scheme last June and the submission of contract documents by Mayo County Council is now awaited. The Louisburgh water supply scheme is also included in...

Written Answers — Community Warden Service: Community Warden Service (23 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: The pilot community warden service was launched in February 2002 in five local authorities: Galway, Leitrim and Wexford County Councils, Galway City Council and Naas Town Council. My Department has commissioned an independent evaluation of the pilots and a final report is due very shortly. This will provide a basis for further consideration of the future of the service

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (23 Nov 2004)

Dick Roche: I propose to take Questions Nos. 625, 628 and 629 together. I am keenly aware of the importance of timely transposition and effective implementation of EU environmental legislation. Some 200 pieces of EU environmental legislation, including more than 140 directives, have by now been transposed and, more recently, external legal and drafting expertise has been utilised in order to expedite...