Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

499 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 500[Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin.]supply improvement scheme; when he proposesto issue approval; and if he will make a statementon the matter. [5705/05]Minister for the Environment, Heritage andLocal Government (Mr. Roche): The Kenmarewater supply scheme has been included in myDepartment’s water services investment programme2004-2006 as a scheme to commence constructionthis year. Kerry County Council’s preliminaryreport for the scheme is underexamination in my Department and is being dealtwith as quickly as possible.370. Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Ministerfor the Environment, Heritage and LocalGovernment the status of the application byKerry County Council for funding towards theupgrading of the sewerage scheme in Kenmare,County Kerry; and if he will make a statement onthe matter. [5706/05]Minister for the Environment, Heritage andLocal Government (Mr. Roche): The Kenmaresewerage scheme upgrade has been included inmy Department’s water services investment programmefor 2004 to 2006 as a scheme to enterplanning at an estimated cost of \1.3 million. MyDepartment is awaiting the submission of adesign brief for the scheme by Kerry CountyCouncil.Departmental Communications.371. Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for theEnvironment, Heritage and Local Government ifhis Department had identified difficulties inexternal communications prior to the Governmentassuming office in 2002. [5718/05]Minister for the Environment, Heritage andLocal Government (Mr. Roche): My Departmenthas on a number of occasions prior to 2002 identifiedspecific communication requirements whichcould not be met by the resources available inthe Department. On some of those occasions, theshortfall was met by contracting specialistcommunications expertise.In 2000, my Department awarded a contract forassistance in devising and implementing thenational spatial strategy, NSS, communicationscampaign. Included in that campaign were arange of marketing and advertising initiatives, topromote awareness and interest in the NSS, todisseminate information, identify and engage thetarget audience for the consultation process andsupport that process through organising consultationforums at regional level at various stagesduring the strategy’s preparation.In 1998, my Department awarded a contract forassistance with advertising campaigns in connectionwith the draft register of electors and the referendumson the Good Friday Agreement andthe Treaty of Amsterdam. For a number of yearsprior to 2002, specialist assistance was contractedfor anti-litter awareness campaigns. A non-establishedtemporary civil servant acted as communicationsco-ordinator to my Department for theperiod from October 1999 to June 2002.Planning Issues.372. Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for theEnvironment, Heritage and Local Government ifhe is aware that a decision was made by BrayTown Council in December 2004 when draftingits town development plan for 2005 to 2011 toadopt a town centre zoning on the most sensitivepart of the flood plain on golf club lands immediatelyadjacent to the Dargle River in Bray, that amajority of elected members on Bray TownCouncil made this zoning decision without havinghad access to the findings of a flood risk studybeing carried out by University College Dublinon behalf of the prospective developers of thesegolf club lands and that this zoning decision doesnot comply with the guidelines issued by theOffice of Public Works for development that isappropriate on flood plains; and if he will makea statement on the matter. [5747/05]Minister for the Environment, Heritage andLocal Government (Mr. Roche): The proposedamendments to the draft Bray development planhave been on public display with a view to facilitatingsubmissions from interested persons. It isa matter for the elected members of Bray TownCouncil to adopt the final plan in accordance withthe provisions of the Planning and DevelopmentAct 2000.The question of zoning land for different usesis a matter for each planning authority to addressin the context of its development plan. Under thePlanning and Development Act 2000, planningauthorities may include in their developmentplans objectives regulating, restricting or controllingdevelopment in areas at risk of flooding.Development plan objectives may also includepolicies indicating that developers will berequired to support the funding of flood defencesneeded for particular developments, either partiallyor fully, depending on the circumstancesinvolved.The Office of Public Works, as a prescribedconsultee on all draft development plans underthe Planning and Development Act 2000, has theopportunity as appropriate to ensure that itsviews are considered in the making of developmentplans with particular reference to its statutoryresponsibilities in respect of river drainage,flood relief and localised flooding problems. Irefer also to the reply to Question No. 72 of 9February 2005.Housing Grants.373. Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister forthe Environment, Heritage and Local Government, further to information which has been submittedto his Department recently, the positionregarding a social housing scheme application