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The Green Party has called on the
Minister for the Environment to provide details of any lobbying
activity relating to the introduction of the Energy Ratings system
for new homes. It emerged today that the 2002 European Building
Performance Directive will not apply to all new homes, but will only
apply to new homes that receive planning permission from today 1
January 2007.
Green Party Environment spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe TD stated:
"Once again Dick Roche is long-fingering proposals designed to
improve the environment. The net result of this is that consumers
will not be entitled to know the energy rating of most new homes on
the market this year.
The implementation of this Directive has been five years in the
making, and yet we now find that there aren't enough inspectors to
do the work, and the Directive's implementation has been delayed.
This is a clear example of Fianna Fáil ineptitude leading to
consumers losing out.
Today I have written to the Minister to find out whether the
decision to delay the Directive's implementation was due to industry
lobbying, or through a lack of trained personnel. Either way, it is
another example of Dick Roche's inability to deliver environmental
improvements in a timely manner."
ENDS
Note:
Letter to Dick Roche TD enclosed.
2 January 2007
Dick Roche TD
Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Dublin 8
Re: Request under the provisions of the European Community Act, 1972
- Access to Information on the Environment Regulations, 1998,
(Statutory Instrument 125 of 1998)
Dear Minister Roche,
I write to request information under the provisions of the European
Community Act, 1972 (Access to Information on the Environment)
Regulations, 1998, Statutory Instrument 125 of 1998 European
Communities Act 1972 (Access to Information on the Environment)
Regulations 1998 ("S.I. 125/98").
Please provide me with a copy of all correspondence received by you
and your Department from interested parties in the State relating to
the time-scale for implementing the European Building Performance
Directive 2002/91/EC.
In addition, please provide me with figures for the number of
individuals in the State who have been received training in order to
implement the Directive.
I look forward to hearing from you and ask that you acknowledge this
correspondence in writing.
Sincerely,
Ciarán Cuffe
page last updated 02 Jan 2007 |
