Results 5,561-5,580 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Other Questions: Septic Tank Registration Scheme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: I anticipate that the charge that has been levied will pay for all administration and inspection costs.

Other Questions: Septic Tank Registration Scheme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: No. The inspections will be carried out and we have agreed with the European Union that the approach in this regard will be risk-based. We already have a risk-based approach through the 2007 Act which prioritises areas of greatest risk such as watercourses, streams, lakes and rivers. That is the approach which will be adopted in this case.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Government Reform (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: I can understand that Deputy Halligan has got caught up in some misinformation that would arise-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Government Reform (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: I want to set a few matters straight with him.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Government Reform (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: There will be no change in the status of Waterford city and Deputy Halligan will have his mayor. I know the Deputy is not a public representative who would be articulating what others are saying but there are local representatives who got off to a bad start in regard to clarifying those issues. I am glad to clarify them now for Deputy Halligan. As a distinguished former mayor of Waterford...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Government Reform (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: First, Waterford city, in the context of the arrangements we have made for local government, will have its city status. Second, I want to see an enhancement of how we deliver public services in Waterford city and county. We are in the 21st century and we do not need as many structures as we used to have before. Whatever we can do in terms of the legislation, let us see how we can devolve...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: RAPID Programme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: As the Deputy knows, I would love to be able to give a commitment to allocate more moneys in 2013 from the sources he identified. In the case of the dormant accounts, we are precluded from doing so by the troika. The Department of Finance will verify that under the general Government borrowing requirement, the dormant accounts moneys referred to by the Deputy are included under the general...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: RAPID Programme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy was not able to do it because he had no money.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: RAPID Programme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for a short period before I entered office in 2011. Even though he announced the allocation of this money in 2010, he was not able to provide it in 2011.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: RAPID Programme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: It is not a problem for me to announce that various towns will be part of programmes such as RAPID and CLÁR, but the money has to be provided. The Deputy made an announcement on five towns, but he was not able to provide the money. I was glad to be able to find some for that purpose.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: RAPID Programme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: I did not say that.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: RAPID Programme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: I would be glad to do so if it were possible.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: RAPID Programme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: I am not able to do it because it is not possible to do so.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: RAPID Programme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: It is not because we have to count the dormant accounts moneys as part of the general Government borrowing requirement of the State.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: RAPID Programme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy knew the answers to these questions before he asked them. When he was there, he could not do it. He knows what the legal position is quite well.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: RAPID Programme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: Equally, he knows the constraints in the context of the memorandum of understanding signed with the troika in 2010. We cannot do everything we would like to do. I would love to have the luxury that the Deputy had when he was Minister.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Government Reform (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: The report of the Waterford local government committee on local government arrangements in Waterford was submitted to me on 29 March. Following Government approval, it has been published on my Department’s website. The report recommended that the county council of Waterford and the city council of Waterford be unified to replace the existing councils with effect from the 2014 local...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Government Reform (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy will agree that we have a centralised system and that what I am trying to do is to move some functions from central government and national agencies to local authority level and as close as possible to the people. She will see examples of this in the document. I look forward to working with Deputies on all sides of the House in deciding from the legislation as published on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: RAPID Programme (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: The RAPID - revitalising areas by planning, investment and development - programme targets 51 of the most disadvantaged areas in the country. The programme is committed to directing State assistance towards improving quality of life and access to opportunities for communities in disadvantaged areas. The RAPID programme is one of a number of interventions that address social exclusion and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Government Reform (23 Oct 2012)

Phil Hogan: The functions are being devolved to municipal district level in order that they will be as close as possible to the citizens. The regional assemblies will exist for the purpose of monitoring expenditure under EU operational programmes, overseeing regional planning guidelines and driving the efficiencies we require in local government and best practice in the regions. The local government...