Results 1-18 of 18 for epa speaker:Denis Landy

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Denis Landy: Then along came the EPA. Previously, the local authorities, which were self-regulating, gave licences to companies such as Aughinish Alumina and Merck Sharp & Dohme and monitored them annually. Then the State decided that we needed an agency to do the monitoring and take it from the local authorities. At the time, I thought it was a very good idea, given that it would remove local...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Denis Landy: ...our chats over cups of tea, and cups of other things, is ráiméis. There was a little bit of that in his contribution, but I agree with him, and I have said it in the House previously, that the EPA will have to be tackled and dealt with. There should be no more messing around with it.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Denis Landy: ...in my community going back almost 30 years. I refer to what happened in Hanrahan v. Merck Sharp & Dohme, which ended up in the Supreme Court. The body charged following that case is now the EPA, and it is not doing its job under legislation that was put in place in 1992. There were 11 prosecutions in one year by the EPA across the country, and every one of them was against a...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (8 Jul 2015)

Denis Landy: ...367 kg of waste per year, compared to an EU average of 438 kg. We have come a long way in this regard. The Bill also deals with the issue of air pollution and enforcement. I have raised concerns about the EPA on a number of occasions. The previous speaker was more polite than I intend to be. The EPA is charged with controlling air pollution but in 2013 it only brought 11 prosecutions...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Denis Landy: ...are being rubber-stamped by councillors without a full debate in the council. This is wrong and we must put a stop to it. We must open up the issue and have a proper debate. We must question the EPA on what it is doing. Currently, we are questioning the EPA on many issues in this House, including the issue Senator Whelan raised concerning Portlaoise.One of these days, it will have to...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Waste Management (10 Feb 2015)

Denis Landy: ..., not least in regard to the delay. I was not asking the Government or the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to interfere unduly with the functions or operations of the EPA, but the agency made a commitment to conducing a report as far back as July of last year and to make that report public. Eight months later when there is still no sign of a report, or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Role and Functions: Environmental Protection Agency (4 Nov 2014)

Denis Landy: ...have been given some detail on it. Will the witnesses clarify whether the visits to which the report refers are the same as inspections? Are inspections notified in advance of the attendance of EPA staff on sites? Is it correct that the 1,370 visits or inspections carried out by the EPA resulted in only 13 prosecutions? What proportion of monitoring activity is done by private...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Role and Functions: Environmental Protection Agency (4 Nov 2014)

Denis Landy: Thank you, Chairman. I welcome the representatives from the EPA here today. I invited the EPA here a number of months ago to discuss a number of the issues with which we are dealing today. I welcome its report. Would the EPA agree with me that the confidence of the public in its role as the protectors of the environment is paramount to the success of the organisation? On the number of...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Denis Landy: ...of State has demonstrated that Fianna Fáil is a broad church. I support him in allaying concerns about this part of the Bill. I am hopeful that the ethic of the RPII can improve the ethic of the EPA in regard to the issues I raised earlier. When I criticised the lack of response by certain organs of the EPA it was based solely on the evidence. I was not criticising public servants...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Denis Landy: The Minister of State’s last word was “transparent”. He gave the EPA a ringing endorsement today.

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Denis Landy: They raised three cases in Limerick, Clare and Portlaoise involving the EPA in which it has failed dismally to act as the environmental watchdog of the State and the citizen. Coming from County Louth and the issues concerning Sellafield, I accept no one is better versed and experienced with environmental issues than the Minister of State. It is important, however, his endorsement stands up....

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Denis Landy: On Second Stage yesterday, we discussed the entity that will be the merged Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, RPII, and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. I made the point in that debate, and repeat it now, that it is important the role of the RPII is not lost but the research material provided to us indicates that a working group was set up to ensure the merger works...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Denis Landy: .... We are on a watching brief with regard to this matter but if we do not see results from what was committed to last night, we will revisit it. As far as I am concerned, much of the work the EPA is charged with doing on behalf of the citizens of this country is not being done in the way it should be done.

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency: Motion (9 Jul 2014)

Denis Landy: ...the Supreme Court in which Mr. Hanrahan, who lives three miles from my home, won a very important judgment against the US company. That set the scene and was the backdrop to the setting up of the EPA. The EPA was established in 1992 under the Environmental Protection Agency Act. It was strengthened by the Waste Management Act 1996 and by the Protection of the Environment Act 2003. It...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Denis Landy: .... I sympathise with the previous speaker on his fears as to whether this legislation could dilute the role of the RPII by merging it with the. However, I am also concerned about the role of the EPA generally and I will speak on that issue later today in other business before the House. The role of the RPII is very important, especially for people in my part of the country around County...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Standards of Service in Water Supply: Irish Water and CER (11 Feb 2014)

Denis Landy: ...with poor water quality. I know the CER has made no decisions and I am prefacing everything I say on that basis. The delegation from the CER said earlier that the CER would be liaising with the EPA on this matter. There has been a boil notice on a continuous basis in Roscommon. Does the delegation not accept that it would be very difficult to start people off on a metering system where...

Seanad: Water Fluoridation: Motion (30 Jan 2013)

Denis Landy: ...The fluoridation levels are tested every month, notwithstanding the requirement of the local authority under the Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Act 1960, and also on a monthly basis by the EPA. Fluoridation is doing a good job. There is no need for concern in respect of this matter. It is important that we have had a debate as the genuine concerns I have received needed a...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (16 Nov 2011)

Denis Landy: ...applied to older properties? Section 70B relates to database compilation and indicates registration by a householder. Will householders be required to register, or will they be caught by the Department in setting up a register? The legislation is not clear on this point. Section 70E states the EPA will appoint staff, but will they come from the EPA or local authorities? Section 70H...