Minister for Sustainable Transport Ciaran Cuffe has welcomed the opening of a new section of rail line at Dunboyne, Co. Meath, connecting commuters to Dublin city centre, for the first time in over 60 years.

Minister Cuffe said: “This first phase of the Navan rail line offers a real alternative to people living in Dunboyne but working in Dublin city and surrounds. Commuters can now choose rail, and reach the city centre in only half an hour.

“The park and ride facilities at the M3 Parkway, which can accommodate 1200 cars, and the 300 spaces at Dunboyne, will see thousands of car journeys removed from the roads. As well as easing traffic congestion in the city, this will go some way to reducing carbon emissions along the commuter route.”

Minister Cuffe said he looked forward to the completion of the full rail line which will connect Navan to Dublin; planning permission for the line is due to be submitted to An Bord Pleanála in May 2011. Today’s new rail line opening follows the opening of the Ennis to Athenry line on the Western Rail Corridor earlier this year and the Cork to Midleton line last year.

The Green Party has welcomed the announcement that Harland & Wolff has been awarded a multi million pound contract to design and build two platforms for an offshore wind development.

Green Party MLA Brian Wilson said: “I am delighted that Harland & Wolff have been awarded this contract. Harland & Wolff has been one of the few good news stories during this recession and that is clearly due to their foresight in entering the ever expanding green economy as well as their expertise and facilities, which are unique.

"This is an example of the Green New Deal in action. It is not enough to say that we are focussing on the economy; we must go further and focus our energy and investment on the new technologies that are required to help us move to a low carbon economy which is not reliant on imported fossil fuels but is instead based on sustainable forms of energy, transport and food production. A success story like this should not be an isolated incident - it should be a common occurrence."

In recent decades, H&W has been involved in building offshore and marine projects for the oil, gas and shipbuilding industries. The offshore wind substations will be located off the coast of North Wales.

Green Party Horticulture Minister Ciarán Cuffe has launched National Organic Week, which takes place this year from the 13-19 September. Now in its sixth year, the week-long campaign aims to raise consumer awareness of organic food and increase the consumption of locally produced organic food.

The Green TD for Dún Laoghaire said at the launch: “National Organic Week is a great opportunity to raise consumers’ awareness of organic food and increase the consumption of locally produced organic food. There are over 70 events nationwide, including organic farm walks, cookery demonstrations, picnics, complimentary in-store sampling and allotment tours.

“Given the challenges posed by climate change and the increasingly limited availability of oil, we must make our food production systems more resilient and organic farming methods offer such a resilience. Organic week provides the ideal opportunity to get together with family and friends to cook and taste local in-season organic produce” he added.

Event highlights during National Organic Week 2010 include Darina Allen's cookery demonstration promoting good value organic meat cuts in the Nano Nagle Centre, Ballygriffin, Co. Cork on Wednesday 15th; Peter and Jenny Young, Castlefarm Shop, Athy, Co. Kildare will host a farm walk and vegetable harvesting day on Saturday 18th September, while Peter Ward from Country Chioce, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary is organising the annual Blas an Fhomhair organic lunch on Sunday 19th September. Teagasc will also hold its National Organic Conference entitled 'Challenges and Opportunities for Organic Producers' in Birr, Co. Offaly on Thursday 16th September.

For a full listing of National Organic Week events visit http://bit.ly/OrganicWk

The Green Party has described claims that one thousand jobs will go at George Best Belfast City Airport due to the pull out of Ryanair as "misleading" and “ludicrous”.

Brian Wilson, Green Party MLA for North Down, stated; "The decision by Ryanair to pull out of Belfast City Airport highlights the need for a strategy for air travel in Northern Ireland.

"Mr O’Leary’s claims are misleading and highly exaggerated. They are concerned solely with the profitability of Ryanair and take no account of the economic, social and environmental impact on Northern Ireland as a whole.

"Mr O’Leary admits that the flights Ryanair operated from the City Airport were profitable so there will be no shortage of airlines willing to step in to take Ryanair’s place.

"If his concern is to provide new routes for the people of Belfast then Mr O’Leary could easily do so at the International Airport where the runway is sufficient to meet his requirements, there is spare capacity and where there isn’t the same level of impact on local residents.

"When this story broke the claim was that fifty jobs would be lost. Within twenty four hours it had risen to one thousand. This is a ludicrous figure which bears no resemblance to reality. Ryanair has only one plane based in Belfast and as a ‘no frills’ airline they use the minimum number of staff possible. While the loss of any number of jobs is a major concern Ryanair have a promised to redeploy the staff elsewhere.

"There will be no economic benefit for the Northern Ireland economy if the extension of the runway is granted. Any new jobs at the City Airport will be matched by a loss of jobs at the International Airport with no net benefit for Northern Ireland PLC. The real cost however will be the impact on the lives of people in East and South Belfast and North Down,” he said.

The Green Party has described claims that one thousand jobs will go at George Best Belfast City Airport due to the pull out of Ryanair as "misleading" and “ludicrous”.

Brian Wilson, Green Party MLA for North Down, stated; "The decision by Ryanair to pull out of Belfast City Airport highlights the need for a strategy for air travel in Northern Ireland.

"Mr O’Leary’s claims are misleading and highly exaggerated. They are concerned solely with the profitability of Ryanair and take no account of the economic, social and environmental impact on Northern Ireland as a whole.

"Mr O’Leary admits that the flights Ryanair operated from the City Airport were profitable so there will be no shortage of airlines willing to step in to take Ryanair’s place.

"If his concern is to provide new routes for the people of Belfast then Mr O’Leary could easily do so at the International Airport where the runway is sufficient to meet his requirements, there is spare capacity and where there isn’t the same level of impact on local residents.

"When this story broke the claim was that fifty jobs would be lost. Within twenty four hours it had risen to one thousand. This is a ludicrous figure which bears no resemblance to reality. Ryanair has only one plane based in Belfast and as a ‘no frills’ airline they use the minimum number of staff possible. While the loss of any number of jobs is a major concern Ryanair have a promised to redeploy the staff elsewhere.

"There will be no economic benefit for the Northern Ireland economy if the extension of the runway is granted. Any new jobs at the City Airport will be matched by a loss of jobs at the International Airport with no net benefit for Northern Ireland PLC. The real cost however will be the impact on the lives of people in East and South Belfast and North Down,” he said.

Green Party Leader John Gormley has extended his condolences to the family and friends of actor, Mick Lally, who sadly passed away today.

The Environment Minister said: “Mick Lally represented a very real part of Irish culture. He had an amazing ability to connect with the audience and to tell a story, whether on stage or on television. As a passionate Irish speaker, he was often to be heard singing a sean nós song or telling a folk tale.

“The much-loved television series, Glenroe, brought Mick into all Irish homes. But his work ranged far beyond this, onto the stage and onto the big screen. He was a true artist and his death at such a young age leaves a huge void.

“He will be sadly missed by generations of fans, and I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to his wife Peggy and his three children, Saileog, Darach and Maghnus.

"Ar dheis De go raibh a anam croga, dhilis."

1. There is no change to the commercial motor tax regime.

2. Contrary to what is being claimed in some media, existing commercial vehicles owners will NOT have to go to a Garda station to make a declaration. The only people who have to do this are those who want to CHANGE their registration from private to commercial and THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A REQUIREMENT.

3. There is no clamp down, no change in rates and no changes to the motor tax inspection regime

On the circular sent out to Local Authorities, earlier in August:

1. There has always been a requirement for a declaration to be made the first time a commercial motor tax application is made for a vehicle. The declaration is not required for any renewals etc.

2. The circular was sent out by Department officials to remind local authorities about the requirements for vehicles applying for the commercial rate for the first time, following an increase in the number of vehicles from private motor tax classes to commercial vehicle classes.

3. The RF 111A Goods Declaration, which requires applicants to make declaration the vehicle will be used for commercial purposes, has always been a requirement when first taxing a small commercial vehicle. One change has been made to Form RF 111A - it now requires an applicant who is applying for a vehicle to be taxed at the goods rate to provide a Revenue registration identity number.

When a commercial vehicle owner goes to renew their tax at their local office, will they be asked for further certification such as a VAT cert, or tax clearance certificate?

The Department of Environment has not asked motor tax offices to seek additional documentation on renewal. It is expected that the declaration, physical checks etc and provision of documents would be carried out on change of ownership/first-time taxing as goods. When it comes to renewal, the applicant must then sign to say that the particulars have not changed. However, it is incumbent on a motor tax office to seek the necessary documentation in order to be satisfied that the vehicle is being used in the course of trade or business and this could include a VAT or tax clearance cert. It would be at the discretion of the authorised officer to seek such documentation on renewal.

Green Party foreign affairs spokesperson Mark Dearey has echoed the calls of United Nations general secretary Ban-Ki Moon for a display of solidarity and compassion for the stricken people of Pakistan, particularly in the Punjab and Sindh regions, following the devastating floods that followed an intense monsoon season.

The Louth Senator said: "The affected regions have been absolutely devastated and peoples capacity to supply their own food and shelter needs have been destroyed. The numbers involved are staggering, seven million people are in need of immediate shelter, food and medicine and a further 15 million will require longer term development assistance. I am heartened that the person leading the UN response is John Holmes, the man in charge of the Haitian earthquake response.

"There have been efforts in some quarters to politicize the tragedy but it is critical that we remain focused on the humanitarian disaster that this is, and get behind our own Irish aid agencies who enjoy the highest level of trust in the way that they disperse the resources purchased by the donations of the general public, and the €2 million given to date by the Irish government.

"If the global community fails to respond in a coherent manner to the humanitarian needs of the millions of these desperate people, then the circumstances may exist for others to take advantage. In this sense there is a political dimension but it only serves to highlight the need for a humanitarian response followed by a long-term development strategy for the regions affected.

"I urge the general public to be as generous as the can be in these difficult times as out aid agencies seek to relieve the suffering being experienced by the people of Pakistan.

"Ban-ki Moon pointed out in his speech that a feature of climate change will be more frequent, intense weather events such as this monsoon season.

"So not only must we respond to the immediate needs but we must again face the dangers posed by climate change on vulnerable communities around the world by facing up the causes of a warming world. This is the long-term imperative that the developed world faces, if we are avoid climate change related disasters such as this year on year," he said.

Green Party Senator Mark Dearey has criticised Irish rugby chiefs for hiking the prices of tickets at the new Aviva stadium. The Louth Senator questioned the justification for the rises at a time when the IRFU was generating considerable profits and players were taking salary cuts. He said it would discourage people from poorer backgrounds from getting involved in rugby, and perpetuate the image of the sport as elitist.

Senator Dearey said: "I am disappointed at the new ticket prices and afraid that the rugby chiefs are completely out of touch with regular fans. The jump in ticket prices was bad enough with the move to Croke Park when Lansdowne closed for renovation, but at least ordinary fans could still get to see a game at a reasonable cost. With the latest price hike, only those with considerable disposable income will be able to buy tickets to the games in 2010 and 2011. It will also particularly affect families, which is a bad thing for any sport.

"The cheapest tickets to the last games in Lansdowne Road were a quarter of the price of the new cheapest tickets in the Aviva stadium. Does access to more bars and fast food outlets justify this jump? I don't think so.

"All Irish taxpayers have contributed to the development of Lansdowne Road – to the tune of €191 million – and I don't think the Government allocated this money for an activity that would be exclusively for higher earners. The rugby bosses might argue about supply and demand and market forces, but I think, following such a large public investment, there should be certain social obligations for events at the new stadium.

"In November 2006 a fan could have watched Ireland play Australia in Lansdowne's North Terrace for €25. Tickets in Hill 16 for last year's Autumn Internationals and Six Nations games in Croke Park were, at the most, €35 each. Yet the cheapest ticket for a Six Nations game or for the New Zealand or South Africa games in Aviva is €100 – a 300% jump from the old stadium prices and a 180% increase on the cost of entrance to Croke Park last year.

"This is totally out of hand and will exclude thousands of fans that simply cannot afford to spend €100 on one ticket. Combining tickets for all four games into one single package is also questionable.

"Jumps in the price of schoolboy tickets are shocking. I don't know how the IRFU expects a child to find €135 to cover the costs of the only ticket package that is available to them for the autumn games.

"Fans elsewhere have a much better deal than their Irish counterparts. There are, of course, premium priced tickets in their stadiums, but at least fans have access to some category of cheaper tickets. Tickets to see Scotland play New Zealand and South Africa in Edinburgh this Autumn start at €24 (£20).

"The Arcade Fire gig that went on sale this morning is just another example of high ticket prices here. Irish fans will pay a minimum of €73 to see the band in the 02 this December, while English fans in Birmingham and London will only pay €38 and €42 for dates on the same tour.

"There are no shortage of examples, but these two cases makes me question whether we have a serious problem with the costs of organising events in Ireland, or whether we have a serious problem with event organisers who are simply being too greedy," Senator Dearey concluded.

The Green Party has welcomed today's publication by the Central Bank and Financial Regulator of new proposals aimed at people in mortgage arrears. The news will be greeted warmly by struggling homeowners, Senator Mark Dearey said.

The Party's Enterprise spokesman added: "The Green Party insisted on new provisions for debt management in the renewed Programme for Government last October. The interim report of Expert Group on Mortgage Arrears and Personal Debt was published last month, with the Government deciding to implement its recommendations immediately.

"Thanks to this swift action, vulnerable people who are having difficulty making their mortgage payments will be better off.

"People with tracker mortgages and those who have agreed repayment schemes with the banks will be particularly relieved by today's news.

The Louth Senator added: "The Irish people stood by the banks in their hour of need for the good of the wider economy. Now it's time for the banks to step up to the plate and assist those in need.

"Minister Eamon Ryan has been pivotal in the Government's actions on mortgage arrears. I know that he will be working this Autumn to ensure that the other options mentioned in the Programme for Government are also progressed, including:

• Reduced rates
• Longer maturity dates
• The rolling-up of outstanding interest
• Banks taking equity in the house
• Banks taking ownership and leasing back the property to the resident with rent payments coming off the loan.

"Today demonstrates yet again how the Green Party’s presence in Government is making a real and positive difference to Irish people in their daily lives," Senator Dearey said.

The relevant section of the Renewed Programme for Government "Protecting the Family Home" can be found on page 19 at the following link: http://scr.bi/dyIbxO

The Green Party's Equality Minister Mary White today said: "Since becoming Minister of State for Equality I have been listening to the voices of separated and single fathers. Their stories of the family law courts in Ireland, their quest for access to their children and their despair in many cases have prompted me to consider how we deal with this painful issue.

"I believe that the time is right to take another look at the issue of single fathers’ rights. We need to look at the workings of the family law courts and ask how this 30-year-old legal model matches modern Ireland’s needs.

"We should consider key issues such as: whether it would be appropriate to introduce compulsory joint registration of the birth of a child in Ireland; whether a non-marital father could provide his details independently to the Registrar, to be registered once it is confirmed that he is the father; and whether we should look at the appropriateness of introducing automatic guardianship/parental responsibility for all fathers in Ireland. These are the issues that need to be debated and which some of the separated fathers that I have met want implemented,” she said.

Minister White, who is TD for Carlow/Kilkenny, added: “When negotiating the Renewed Programme for Government the Green Party worked with our partners in Government to get a guarantee to review legislation in the area of guardianship, custody and access. The programme recognised that the Law Reform Commission was undertaking a review in this sector, with that report on Legal Aspects of Family Relationships due for publication this Autumn. I am keen to ensure that the report will be acted upon – that it will not become just another worthwhile report gathering dust on a shelf.

"At the heart of this issue is the welfare of the child when dealing with issues of custody, access and guardianship. We need to look at instances where the courts have failed to acknowledge decent fathers in their treatment as equal partners. There needs to be a level playing pitch in the family courts in Ireland. We can no longer be blind to the rights of single and separated fathers and their children. These fathers must be heard and in hearing their voices we will hear the voices of their children," she concluded.

The Green Party's Minister for Planning Ciarán Cuffe has said he will examine options to deal with unfinished estates once a nationwide survey has been completed next month.

Minister Cuffe said: "Inspectors from the Department of the Environment are currently undertaking a comprehensive national survey to quantify and categorise the scale and distribution of unfinished and vacant housing developments across the country. I feel that this soon-to-be-completed survey will provide the best evidence on which to make decisions. The survey includes site visits by Departmental housing inspectors to every estate built or granted permission in the last few years and a physical count and categorisation of the different stages of completion within the estates.

"I believe that this survey will once and for all clarify both the extent and range of problems that these unfinished houses are throwing up, and what actions can be taken.

"Since assuming my role I have devoted a lot of attention to this issue, and my work is beginning to come to fruition. My Department has been pro-active in identifying the extent and scale of the problem, as well as trying to differentiate between the various types of incomplete estates – which range from finished but unsold units through to abandoned, half-finished developments with no occupants – and assess how best to manage the problems that have arisen.

"It’s one thing having completed but unsold houses in your estate – however, it’s far more serious a problem where half of the estate remains a building site and where there are open sewers, unsecured half-built units and other difficulties.

"The preliminary results from a pilot study carried out in Laois present a good insight into the state of play in the rest of the country.

"My Department is preparing detailed guidance for local authorities and other agencies in relation to the range of statutory powers currently at their disposal covering issues like public safety, environmental protection, building control and the provision of bonds or securities to cover costs associated with finishing an estate. The guidance will also consider what further measures may be required.

"The new Planning Act gives planning authorities greater powers and flexibility to the deal with unfinished estates, including: taking in charge an unfinished estate at any time after the expiration of the planning permission, in situations where enforcement actions have failed or the planning authority knows that enforcement action will be futile (e.g. where the developer is bankrupt); and taking in charge part of an estate, or some but not all of the facilities in an estate to address urgent issues in inhabited portions of estate. This could include boarding off unfinished sections for health and safety reasons," he said.

Laois pilot survey

Preliminary results from a pilot study in Laois has suggested that:

• less than a quarter of recent developments that were completed, lie vacant.
• Construction has not started on approximately 40% of units (2,400 / 6,000) for which planning permission has been granted
• 80% of completed units have adequate water and sewerage facilities and have completed roads infrastructure.

A pilot survey, which was undertaken in County Laois, in partnership with Laois County Council and the National Building Agency, has helped to shape the methodology and classification of the different stages of incomplete units for the comprehensive national survey. While the final details of the Department’s Laois survey are still being cross-checked and verified with the Council and NBA, the following are some preliminary results of the county survey.

A total of 63 developments have been identified within 13 different towns / districts within the county, which meet the Department’s definition of an unfinished estate, i.e. a site of two or more housing units, where development has commenced; where the estate was under construction; where units remain to be built and where completed unit vacancies exist.

In these 63 unfinished estates, there are a total number of some 6,000 units that have been granted planning permission.

Of these, some 2,800 units are completed with around 23% of these completed units still vacant (630 out of 2800 units).

Some 800 of the total units are at various stages of construction, but building activity is ongoing on less than 200 units across 16 of the 63 development sites.

In relation to the balance of units granted permission, construction has not started on approximately 2,400 units.

In relation to supporting infrastructure and services, the survey indicates that water and waste water services have been adequately provided and that completed roads have been provided to 80% of the units.

It is intended that the more detailed and finalised survey results on a county-by-county basis will be provided when the national survey is completed in the Autumn.

The Green Party's Minister for Planning Ciarán Cuffe has said he will examine options to deal with unfinished estates once a nationwide survey has been completed next month.

Minister Cuffe said: "Inspectors from the Department of the Environment are currently undertaking a comprehensive national survey to quantify and categorise the scale and distribution of unfinished and vacant housing developments across the country. I feel that this soon-to-be-completed survey will provide the best evidence on which to make decisions. The survey includes site visits by Departmental housing inspectors to every estate built or granted permission in the last few years and a physical count and categorisation of the different stages of completion within the estates.

"I believe that this survey will once and for all clarify both the extent and range of problems that these unfinished houses are throwing up, and what actions can be taken.

"Since assuming my role I have devoted a lot of attention to this issue, and my work is beginning to come to fruition. My Department has been pro-active in identifying the extent and scale of the problem, as well as trying to differentiate between the various types of incomplete estates – which range from finished but unsold units through to abandoned, half-finished developments with no occupants – and assess how best to manage the problems that have arisen.

"It’s one thing having completed but unsold houses in your estate – however, it’s far more serious a problem where half of the estate remains a building site and where there are open sewers, unsecured half-built units and other difficulties.

"The preliminary results from a pilot study carried out in Laois present a good insight into the state of play in the rest of the country.

"My Department is preparing detailed guidance for local authorities and other agencies in relation to the range of statutory powers currently at their disposal covering issues like public safety, environmental protection, building control and the provision of bonds or securities to cover costs associated with finishing an estate. The guidance will also consider what further measures may be required.

"The new Planning Act gives planning authorities greater powers and flexibility to the deal with unfinished estates, including: taking in charge an unfinished estate at any time after the expiration of the planning permission, in situations where enforcement actions have failed or the planning authority knows that enforcement action will be futile (e.g. where the developer is bankrupt); and taking in charge part of an estate, or some but not all of the facilities in an estate to address urgent issues in inhabited portions of estate. This could include boarding off unfinished sections for health and safety reasons," he said.

Laois pilot survey

Preliminary results from a pilot study in Laois has suggested that:

• less than a quarter of recent developments that were completed, lie vacant.
• Construction has not started on approximately 40% of units (2,400 / 6,000) for which planning permission has been granted
• 80% of completed units have adequate water and sewerage facilities and have completed roads infrastructure.

A pilot survey, which was undertaken in County Laois, in partnership with Laois County Council and the National Building Agency, has helped to shape the methodology and classification of the different stages of incomplete units for the comprehensive national survey. While the final details of the Department’s Laois survey are still being cross-checked and verified with the Council and NBA, the following are some preliminary results of the county survey.

A total of 63 developments have been identified within 13 different towns / districts within the county, which meet the Department’s definition of an unfinished estate, i.e. a site of two or more housing units, where development has commenced; where the estate was under construction; where units remain to be built and where completed unit vacancies exist.

In these 63 unfinished estates, there are a total number of some 6,000 units that have been granted planning permission.

Of these, some 2,800 units are completed with around 23% of these completed units still vacant (630 out of 2800 units).

Some 800 of the total units are at various stages of construction, but building activity is ongoing on less than 200 units across 16 of the 63 development sites.

In relation to the balance of units granted permission, construction has not started on approximately 2,400 units.

In relation to supporting infrastructure and services, the survey indicates that water and waste water services have been adequately provided and that completed roads have been provided to 80% of the units.

It is intended that the more detailed and finalised survey results on a county-by-county basis will be provided when the national survey is completed in the Autumn.

The Green Party has strongly rejected claims that future senior civil servants recruited from the private sector will be "second division” material. Labelling remarks from the Chairman of the Higher Public Servants Remuneration Committee Tony O’Brien as misguided and unhelpful, Green Party Chairman Dan Boyle said that the civil service would benefit from the ideas, energy and input of some new leaders recruited from outside the public sector.

Senator Boyle said: "Mr O’Brien's comments are wide of the mark. There is no doubting the abilities and capabilities of some of our senior officials. But the idea that the civil service could not benefit from external expertise is blinkered. Likewise, at nearly €200,000, the salary of a senior civil servant is definitely not too low to attract suitably talented candidates – especially considering the pension, end-of-service and other benefits that civil servants receive.

"Despite having to endure the greatest recession Ireland has ever faced, there are many senior managers and executives in the private sector who are performing well and achieving results. The Green Party believes that such individuals could transform the civil service into a more responsive, flexible and productive organisation, which can help better deliver the type of services that taxpayers are entitled to expect. This is why we demanded, during negotiations for the new Programme for Government last October, that the recruitment of civil servants be open to outside candidates.

Senator Boyle added that Mr O'Brien's sympathy for disgraced Anglo boss Seán FitzPatrick, and his view that the bank had a "winning formula" while he was an Anglo Director from 1998-2002, cast a doubt on his judgement.

"Anglo was undoubtedly the most irresponsible financial institution in the State right up the point that the Government was forced to step in and take it over in order to rescue the entire Irish banking system. There was nothing winning about Anglo's formula: it consisted of sheer, reckless greed," Senator Boyle said.

The Green Party has welcomed a decision by the Kellogg Company to reduce the sugar content of their breakfast cereals. Responding to news that Kellogg’s intend to reduce the amount of sugar in some of their cereals by 15% next year, Green Party Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Ciarán Cuffe said:

"I am pleased with this announcement. The Kellogg Company is one of the main players in the cereal business, and I hope that they would consider extending this initiative to some of their other products, including Special K original breakfast bars, which are 38% sugar.

"I met with Kellogg’s representatives recently and stressed the importance of reducing levels of sugar and salt in food products.

"At a time of increasing concern surrounding obesity it is important that companies and government move to improve the quality of food. I hope that other companies will follow their example of reducing sugar content.

"I also support the call from the Irish Heart Foundation for clear and unambiguous food labels which support healthy food choices, and will continue to work with my colleagues in Government and at European level to achieve this. The Green Party believes that labelling which shows Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA) as well as traffic light food labelling is the best way of achieving this.

"The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food recent publication Food Harvest 2020 states that ‘products that deliver on health and wellness will continue to grow in importance’. Today’s announcement sends a signal to other food producers to improve the health benefits of their own products.

"The Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Food continues to roll out the ‘Food Dudes’ programme. This successful programme managed by Bord Bia aims to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables amongst children.

"Additionally, I know that the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland is working to revise advertising codes to take into account the Government’s commitments on junk food advertising to children, and specifically the advertising of products that are high in fat, salt and sugar. I believe that I can speak for many thousands of parents across the country in saying that we eagerly progress on this front," he added.

Communications Minister Eamon Ryan today announced plans for the transition from analogue to digital television in Ireland. The analogue terrestrial television service is nearing the end of its life and will be switched off by the end of 2012.

RTÉ will build a replacement digital service, which is expected to provide full national coverage and will also provide significant coverage throughout Northern Ireland.

The new TV service will be available on both a terrestrial network and a satellite network. RTÉ is planning on building a terrestrial network which will operate from 51 transmitter sites throughout the country providing coverage to 98% of the population. RTÉ currently operates 170 analogue sites. For the remaining 2%, RTÉ plans to develop a new satellite service. Such a public service satellite service is unique to Ireland. This provides all-Ireland coverage of RTE and TG4 for the first time.

RTÉ estimates that the new digital network will cost in the region of €70 million. Digital TV will provide access to 7-9 TV channels, including RTE, TV3 and TG4, the national radio channels, will provide on screen programme information and will provide a new digital teletext service.

Digital technology is much more efficient than analogue technology. Going digital will free up valuable spectrum in the broadcasting bands, which can be used for mobile, broadband and other services.

Announcing the move, Minister Ryan said, “I am pleased that we are now in a position to go ahead with the provision of a new nationwide digital television network. Digital television will offer viewers more channels, more choice and higher quality television.

"Going digital will also free up valuable spectrum, which can be used for broadband and mobile services. I have asked ComReg to expedite release of the 800 MHz band, which they will be consulting on shortly.

"Analogue switch-off will take place at the end of 2012 and we need to be prepared. My Department will be coordinating the preparations and I will be receiving regular updates on progress.

"I am glad we are in a position to move to the next generation of television transmission. I thank RTÉ for their work to date and look forward to the successful completion of this important modernisation project for Ireland.

"This is good news for television viewers, for the broadcasting industry and for those looking for faster and better broadband. This will bring a huge boost to Ireland’s economic and social development by providing jobs, new services and revenue to the country.
"Ireland is moving firmly into the digital age and we will all reap the benefits.”

***"A Haunted Landscape: Housing and Ghost Estates in Post-Celtic Tiger Ireland" by Rob Kitchin, Justin Gleeson, Karen Keaveney and Cian O'Callaghan. Click on this link to download the report (PDF file, 1.5Mb) ***

The Green Party's Minister for Planning, Ciarán Cuffe, today welcomed the publication of an expert report from NUI Maynooth, which finds planning failures contributed to the property bubble and the current financial crisis. He also said that many of their recommendations are already well in hand.

"I look forward to a more considered reading of this detailed report. But an initial reading tells me that we in the Green Party have been saying precisely these things for many years now," Minister Cuffe said.

"There is a direct link between planning failures and the over-supply of housing in totally inappropriate places. This did feed the property bubble which has now had terrible consequences for so many ordinary workers and their families," he added.

The Minister of State said that many of the recommendations are already covered by the Planning and Development Act. The Act was passed by the Oireachtas just before the summer recess and will very shortly become law. He said this was the biggest reform of planning since the early 1960s and especially targeted the issue of land over-zoning by local councils.

Minister Cuffe also noted that the National Institute of Regional Spatial Analysis called for an investigation into the planning failures. "This is already to be done in the case of six councils which have the subject of complaints and which will now be assessed by independent outside planning experts. This process will be very revealing and there is nothing to stop its extension to other areas," the Minister of State said.

He also said that measures are now being prepared to deal with the issue of unfinished housing estates in various parts of the country and these will be advanced in coming months. The new planning act gives local authorities powers to take control of unfinished estates.

Minister Cuffe said he looked forward to new national spatial planning guidelines, which are currently being considered by government and likely to be approved in September. He also said he was bemused by comments from some opposition politicians who had totally opposed his planning reforms as they passed through the Dáil and Seanad.

Green Party Leader and Environment Minister John Gormley today announced an additional €20.5m from the Local Government Fund to assist city and county councils with running costs on their water and sewerage treatment plants. This follows on from an additional €1.5 million from the Fund that was notified to authorities last April to support training needs in the water services sector. The additional €22m is on top of the Local Government Fund general purposes grants of €870m, notified to authorities earlier this year.

"I am pleased to be able to make these allocations to financially support local authorities in running their water services infrastructure and in meeting their environmental obligations," the Minister said in announcing the allocations. The Minister added that this 'top-up' allocation, within the Local Government Fund, which has been provided successively in each year since 2003 was further evidence of the Government's commitment to the sector.

The Minister said that the €20.5m was additional to the capital spend of €508m available to his Department in 2010 to fund water services infrastructure. Average spending on water services infrastructure over the period 2009 and 2010 will be up 3% on the 2008 outturn. "Given the ongoing economic difficulties, this continuing high level of expenditure reflects the Government's ongoing commitment to preserving and protecting our water resources, to meeting EU standards for drinking water and wastewater treatment and to putting critical infrastructure in place that will ensure ongoing support for industrial, commercial and other development," Minister Gormley said.

€8.7m from the €20.5m package will directly contribute towards local authorities' operation and maintenance costs on recently completed water and wastewater treatment plants. The balance of €11.8m will be used to offset sampling costs to establish compliance with drinking water and wastewater effluent standards and the cost of licence applications to the Environmental Protection Agency for wastewater discharges. The Minister pointed out that allocations from the €11.8m fund had been weighted towards those authorities that were meeting the required standards.

Green Party Leader and Environment Minister John Gormley today announced an additional €20.5m from the Local Government Fund to assist city and county councils with running costs on their water and sewerage treatment plants. This follows on from an additional €1.5 million from the Fund that was notified to authorities last April to support training needs in the water services sector. The additional €22m is on top of the Local Government Fund general purposes grants of €870m, notified to authorities earlier this year.

"I am pleased to be able to make these allocations to financially support local authorities in running their water services infrastructure and in meeting their environmental obligations," the Minister said in announcing the allocations. The Minister added that this 'top-up' allocation, within the Local Government Fund, which has been provided successively in each year since 2003 was further evidence of the Government's commitment to the sector.

The Minister said that the €20.5m was additional to the capital spend of €508m available to his Department in 2010 to fund water services infrastructure. Average spending on water services infrastructure over the period 2009 and 2010 will be up 3% on the 2008 outturn. "Given the ongoing economic difficulties, this continuing high level of expenditure reflects the Government's ongoing commitment to preserving and protecting our water resources, to meeting EU standards for drinking water and wastewater treatment and to putting critical infrastructure in place that will ensure ongoing support for industrial, commercial and other development," Minister Gormley said.

€8.7m from the €20.5m package will directly contribute towards local authorities' operation and maintenance costs on recently completed water and wastewater treatment plants. The balance of €11.8m will be used to offset sampling costs to establish compliance with drinking water and wastewater effluent standards and the cost of licence applications to the Environmental Protection Agency for wastewater discharges. The Minister pointed out that allocations from the €11.8m fund had been weighted towards those authorities that were meeting the required standards.

The Green Party Leader and Environment Minister John Gormley has said that he intends to change the way politics is funded and curb the influence of lobbyists when the Dáil resumes in September.

Addressing a meeting of Green Party members in the Strand Hotel in Limerick today, Minister Gormley said: "Recent revelations about the fundraising activities of Fine Gael highlight once again the need for reform in this area. The inordinate influence of big business and wealthy individuals on legislation and government policies must come to an end.

"Why did we have light touch regulation on the banking sector? Was it simply part of a trend in liberal capitalist countries like the USA, Britain and Ireland or had it something to do with the donations the banks gave to the political parties? Yes, even the Labour Party took donations from the banks and did little while in power to curb the power of those banks.

"The legislation, which the Green Party will propose, will end not just corporate donations but also donations from trade unions. Is it really good for our society if the unions are hand-in-glove with the Labour Party and dictating policy?

"The Croke Park agreement, which, extraordinarily, Labour did not publicly back because of a possible backlash from some of their donor unions, shows that public service reform is possible and indeed long overdue. If Labour had been in power it might never have happened.

"Outside forces also influence the conduct of politics through the actions of paid lobbyists. These individuals or companies who are paid handsomely by companies to achieve certain policy objectives have ready access to those in power. Many of them have previously been involved in political parties and know the system and the personalities. They also know the journalists and opinion formers.

"The influence of lobbyists is pervasive and at times pernicious. This is why we need a register of lobbyists to regulate their activities. It would immediately allow the public to identify these individuals and the causes they espouse.

"This Autumn, the Green Party will be bringing forward an ambitious but deliverable programme of reform. Work is well underway in these two areas that I have already mentioned, but there will be other significant changes too.

"We will again be delivering real change; reforming institutions and practises – and bringing about a political system that people can be proud of. We will see when the Dáil resumes if those most noisily clamouring for change and calling for good governance will embrace our plans, or if they will continue to play politics and protect the status quo – and their own vested interests," Minister Gormley concluded.