David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 561: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 1022 of 24 April 2007, if his Department has sought expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced personnel in order to enable him to appoint additional authorised persons to whom applications for certificates of safety must be made in order that fairground equipment can be operated here; if so, the number of expressions of interest received by his Department; the number of certificates of safety which have previously been issued by his Department and which are due to be renewed in 2007; when he expects to be in a position to appoint these authorised persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18560/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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On 9 May 2007, my Department sought expressions of interest from persons experienced in the examination of fairground and/or amusement park machinery and structures for appointment as authorised persons under the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (Certification of Fairground Equipment) Regulations 2003, to carry out inspections and grant certificates of safety in respect of such equipment. Two persons currently authorised under the regulations to carry out these functions indicated their willingness to continue as authorised persons and a further six expressions of interest were received. I intend to make appointments of authorised persons as soon as possible when consideration of these applications is completed. Certificates of safety are issued by the authorised persons on foot of applications made directly to them. My Department has no direct role in the issue of certificates.