Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

If they do not have insurance then they are entitled to apply for the scheme and if Deputy Boyd Barrett has details of these matters and where they have been refused I will have them investigated.

The local authorities are devolved from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and are responsible within their budgets for the works which Deputy Boyd Barrett has outlined. The Deputy should make representations to his local authority and he should prioritise the areas that should be cleaned up. No Department should be responsible for an agency or local authority that has devolved function with regard to these matters or should hand-hold such agencies in respect of anything and everything. These people must exercise responsibility while they have budgets to do so.

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