Results 3,981-4,000 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (10 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: Under the programme in question, I understand that an Area Implementation Team (AIT), which draws up a plan based on the particular needs of the area so that available funding can be targeted where it will do the most good in the community, has been established for the area in question. The inaugural meeting of the AIT took place on 15 April 2010. The AIT includes representatives of the...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (10 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Dormant Accounts Acts provide for an annual transfer by credit institutions and insurance undertakings of monies in accounts determined to be dormant into the Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF). Since its establishment in April 2003 to the end of February 2011, the transfers to the DAF have totalled some €589m, which includes interest earned of some €35m. Funds reclaimed in that period by...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (10 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes (The McCarthy Report) recommended the discontinuation of Dormant Accounts Board (the DAB), which has statutory functions relating to disbursements from the Dormant Accounts Fund. The Report stated that this would result in an annual saving to the Exchequer of €1.7m. It should be noted, however, that the...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (10 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: As regards the purposes for which dormant accounts funding may be spent, any measures approved for funding by the Government from the Dormant Accounts Fund fall under one of the three purposes listed in the Dormant Accounts Act 2001. I should add that expenditure by Departments from the Fund is subject to scrutiny by the Comptroller and Auditor General in the same way as other funding programmes.

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (10 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: As regards the discretion of the Dormant Accounts Board, I am satisfied that disbursements approved by the Board have been properly and fairly applied. However, the statutory powers of the Dormant Accounts Board were substantially diminished by the Dormant Accounts Act, 2005, and, as a consequence, since then the Board has not been involved in approving specific dormant accounts...

Written Answers — Expenditure Reviews: Expenditure Reviews (10 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: The information requested is set out in the following table: Review Undertaken by Expected Completion Date A review concerning financial reporting by the local government sector. My Department. End June 2011. An economic analysis of the potential impact on competition and consumer prices of eliminating or relaxing the floorspace cap on retail premises. My Department, the Department of...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (10 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012 , a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, provides for the development of a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure in County Kerry. The Waterville Water & Sewerage Scheme (Design/Build/Operate Contract) is included in the Programme amongst the list of contracts in the county to start in the period 2010...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (11 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: Commercial rates are local property taxes that are levied by local authorities on commercial properties rateable under the Valuation Act 2001. Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered on the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation. The determination of the...

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (11 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department's role is one of supporting and assisting fire authorities in delivering fire services through...

Written Answers — Dog Breeding Establishments: Dog Breeding Establishments (11 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Dog Breeding Establishments Bill 2009 passed all stages in the Seanad on 14 July, 2010 and was signed by the President on 21 July, 2010. I understand that the Act was not commenced, under the last Government, primarily in order to allow sufficient time for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to progress the Greyhound Welfare Bill 2010, providing separately for the regulation...

Written Answers — Illegal Dumping: Illegal Dumping (11 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Data Protection Commissioner has indicated to my Department that actions taken by local authorities in publishing the names and addresses of those persons fined or convicted as a result of littering or illegal dumping, whether by way of publication on local authority websites or by notices published in the local press which are paid for by the local authority, would be in breach of the...

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (11 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: The provision of a fire service, including the provision of fire fighting and emergency equipment, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities as set out in the Fire Services Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through the setting of general policy and the provision of capital funding, including the recoupment (within the overall funding available) of costs incurred...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (11 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 257 of 10 May 2011 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (11 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: Under the Donegal (Group B) Wastewater Treatment Plants contract, which is included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012 as a contract to start during the lifetime of the Programme, it is envisaged that wastewater treatment plants will be constructed at Killybegs, Bundoran, Glencolumbcille and Convoy under a single Design/Build/Operate contract. My...

Written Answers — Local Government Charges: Local Government Charges (12 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, which sets out the detail of the €200 charge on non-principal private residences, is structured from a starting position of a universal liability for the charge in respect of residential property. It goes on to exempt certain properties and owners from the charge, the most significant exemption being where a property is occupied by the owner as his...

Written Answers — Emergency Services: Emergency Services (12 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade (including the provision of equipment for the detection of hazardous materials, such as carbon monoxide), is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act, 1981. My Department supports the local fire authorities through setting...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (12 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: There were 12 assistant county managers and 6 assistant city managers in place prior to the inception of Better Local Government in December 1996. There were 151 whole time equivalent (WTE) Directors of Service appointed by the end of December 2001. According to the most recent returns there were 222 Directors of Service in place at the end of March 2011 representing a reduction of 46 from...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (12 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: Information on the number of women who occupied positions at manager or assistant county manager level in cities and counties prior to the inception of Better Local Government; the number of women subsequently appointed as directors of services; and the number of female managers or directors of services currently in place is not held by my Department. Local government competitions at senior...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (12 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: Local authority rents are set in accordance with a rent scheme adopted by each local council. The making and amending of these rent schemes, including the management of rent arrears, are a matter for the housing authority as an integral part of their housing management functions, subject to broad principles laid down by my Department in Circular letter HRT 3/2002 of 6 March 2002.

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (12 May 2011)

Phil Hogan: The salary of the Dublin City Manager is €189,301. The salary of the Assistant City Manager assigned to Housing and Residential Services is €132,511.