Results 161-180 of 2,339 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Seán Power

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (17 Feb 2009)

Seán Power: Exploration for petroleum is an expensive and high risk activity usually carried out by the private sector under licence from States. The stability of the regulatory regime is an important factor in attracting exploration investment. The terms applicable to successful exploration are made known in advance and have varied from time to time. Variations, which can be upwards or downwards,...

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (10 Feb 2009)

Seán Power: The North West Mayo Forum is an initiative involving the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and myself. It was established in November last following Government approval. The forum is chaired by Mr Joe Brosnan, a former Secretary General of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Forum has, as...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (10 Feb 2009)

Seán Power: As part of the overall rationalisation of State agencies that the Minister for Finance announced in Budget 2009, a new national inland fisheries body will be established, which will replace the existing Central and regional fisheries boards. I have set an ambitious target for implementing the decision. A restructuring implementation group has been established and is developing the key...

Written Answers — Mine Rehabilitation: Mine Rehabilitation (10 Feb 2009)

Seán Power: The rehabilitation works at the Gortmore Tailings Management Facility are being carried out in phases. The first phase was commenced in July 2008 and successfully completed in December 2008 in accordance with the schedule and within the budget allocation. Associated reconstruction works to local roads are still ongoing. Design works for phase two are currently in progress and...

Written Answers — Exploration Licences: Exploration Licences (10 Feb 2009)

Seán Power: Details of the number of Mineral Prospecting Licences (PLs) issued in the last five years are contained in the following table. PLs Issued Years 2004-2008 Year Total issued Issued 1 Jan-30 June Issued 1 July-31 Dec 2004 26 25 1 2005 51 30 21 2006 165 77 88 2007 143 51 92 2008 91 31 60 No new economic deposits of minerals have been discovered onshore in recent years. However, there...

Written Answers — Corrib Gas Field: Corrib Gas Field (10 Feb 2009)

Seán Power: The developers of the Corrib Gas Project, Shell E&P Ireland Ltd, have stated their expectation that first gas will be available in the last quarter of 2010. Completion of the development works by the developers is the principal factor that will ultimately determine the date for first gas.

Written Answers — Regional Fisheries Boards: Regional Fisheries Boards (4 Feb 2009)

Seán Power: As part of the overall rationalisation of State agencies that the Minister for Finance announced in Budget 2009, a new national inland fisheries body will be established which will replace the existing Central and regional fisheries boards. A restructuring implementation group has been established and is developing the key features and structures of the new model. Primary legislation will...

Written Answers — Central Fisheries Board: Central Fisheries Board (4 Feb 2009)

Seán Power: In compliance with European Council Regulation No.1100/2007 establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel, a draft Eel Management Plan was submitted to the Commission for approval. Given the critical status of the eel stock, as demonstrated in the assessment contained in the Eel Management Plan, a number of management measures have been identified as necessary to reach...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (3 Feb 2009)

Seán Power: Recent scientific advice issued by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), indicated that the European eel fish stock is so depleted that it is now outside safe biological limits. Subsequently, the EU brought forward Council Regulation 1100/2007 establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel. The purpose of the Regulation is to put in place a...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (27 Jan 2009)

Seán Power: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1144 and 1145 together. The information sought by the Deputy in respect of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for salmon for 2007 is available in the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations (No.2) 2006 (S.I. No. 672 of 2006) and in respect of 2008 in the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 849 of 2007) and can be...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (27 Jan 2009)

Seán Power: I have been advised by the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board that there are plans to install a full fish counter at Clohamon on the Slaney River in County Wexford, to replace the existing partial fish counter. The technology in the new counter will provide more accurate and efficient information and is scheduled to be completed during 2009. Fish counters, however, represent only one of the...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (27 Jan 2009)

Seán Power: I have been advised by the Marine Institute that the fish counter on the river Boyne is located downstream of Navan at Blackcastle weir. This site was selected because it met with all of the criteria for installing fish counters. The site is described as an ideal experimental site to carry out scientific investigations into fish passage, stock dynamics, marine survival and fish behaviour as...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (16 Dec 2008)

Seán Power: I recently published, for public consultation, the draft Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations, which provide for the distribution of tags for the harvesting of both commercial and angling quotas on a river by river basis in the 2009 season. The entitlement to a total allocation of 10 tags for the entire 2009 angling season remains unchanged from 2008. The revision introduced...

Written Answers — Inland Fisheries: Inland Fisheries (16 Dec 2008)

Seán Power: I am advised that under the EU Habitats Directive, the River Laune is designated as a salmonid river. The river catchment is also designated as a Special Area of Conservation for salmon, which is included in the Castlemaine Harbour Special Area of Conservation. Consequently, exploitation of the salmon stock of the River Laune is provided for in the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (11 Dec 2008)

Seán Power: The payment of expenses is a day-to-day operational matter for each of the regional fisheries boards and I have no function in the matter.

Written Answers — Health and Safety Issues: Health and Safety Issues (4 Dec 2008)

Seán Power: I have no statutory authority to establish a redress board to provide for compensation to people suffering health problems as a consequence of working in mines and have no resources from which to fund such a scheme. The question of assistance to former miners, or any other type of employees, who suffer health problems as a consequence of working conditions in the past is, primarily, a matter...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (3 Dec 2008)

Seán Power: The Government decided in April of this year to release the building in question to the Affordable Housing Initiative. The Department and the Central Fisheries Board are currently in negotiation with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the transfer of the title of this building to the Initiative.

Written Answers — Health and Safety Issues: Health and Safety Issues (2 Dec 2008)

Seán Power: As I explained in response to a supplementary question on 29 October 2008, the functions of the mines inspectorate which relate to working conditions of miners are carried out by the Health and Safety Authority. The person with responsibility in this area was identified under the Mines and Quarries Act 1965 as the Minister for Industry and Commerce. The functions of said Minister have...

Written Answers — Offshore Exploration: Offshore Exploration (2 Dec 2008)

Seán Power: In 2008, five Petroleum Exploration Licences were issued. Four of these licences are Frontier Exploration Licences awarded under the 2007 Porcupine Licensing Round. The other licence is a Standard Exploration Licence over an area in the Celtic Sea. All these licences are active. To date in 2008 there have been 117 applications for prospecting licences for non-petroleum minerals and 86...

Written Answers — Fisheries Protection: Fisheries Protection (26 Nov 2008)

Seán Power: I refer the Deputy to the reply to his Questions Nos. 230 and 231 of Thursday 23 October 2008. I am advised that eel fisheries in both Ireland and France are currently unsustainable. I understand that scientific research conducted by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) indicated that the European eel fish stock is so depleted that it is now outside safe...