Results 4,281-4,300 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Proposed Legislation (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: Climate change is widely recognised as the most fundamental and far-reaching environmental challenge to humanity, both globally and nationally. Ireland has already signed up to meeting demanding legally binding targets for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol and under the climate and energy package agreed by the EU in December 2008. By 2020, this country will be required to achieve the...

Proposed Legislation (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: I know Deputy Ellis was not a Member of the last Dáil, but I remind him that we have much ground to make up in terms of bringing people together after the unnecessary divisiveness that my predecessor created on this issue. I have asked my Department to take stock of our position on climate change. On foot of a commitment contained in the National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012, the...

Proposed Legislation (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: I would be glad to receive any positive proposal the Deputy might have to achieve our national and international objectives. I do not anticipate any EU fines if we implement our national climate change strategy successfully. We will meet our commitments under the Kyoto protocol, largely because we are in recession, although that is not a good reason to meet our targets. We are now engaged...

Local Government Reform (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: A range of work relevant to local government reform is under way or in planning arising from the report of the local government efficiency review group and I am reviewing the next immediate steps to augment this undertaking. I will also be considering wider proposals to renew and develop the local government system in line with the Government's programme and building on relevant research and...

Local Government Reform (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: My general principle is to ensure that as much power as possible is devolved from central to local government, and obviously town councils have an important role, as they are the closest body to the citizens in urban areas. County councils also have a role and are close to citizens. However, there is some duplication. In the context of the proposals we will introduce in the autumn, we will...

Departmental Properties (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The management of the property my Department occupies is primarily a matter for the Office of Public Works. My Department does not pay ground rent on any property.

Departmental Properties (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy will have to ask the OPW.

Departmental Properties (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: In a reply to a question from Deputy Adams on 11 May, the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Brian Hayes, listed 50 properties on which the OPW pays ground rent, at a total cost of €5,128.94 annually. The Minister of State also indicated that no legislation was promised, but we referred to existing legislation and we have undertaken to examine the possibilities of what...

Local Government Reform (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The report of the Limerick local government committee was published in September 2010. The core element of the committee's recommendations was that a single local authority for Limerick should be established in place of the current Limerick City and County Council. Other related recommendations included the election of a mayor of the new unitary authority after the 2014 local elections for...

Local Government Reform (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: Deputy Niall Collins would not want to believe everything he reads in the newspapers. I suffered in the past from leaks in the Department and I am not going to do so again. Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector commenced in 2008. This scheme amalgamated and replaced schemes previously operating under the White Paper on Supporting Voluntary Activity. The Scheme aimed to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. In total, funding of €16...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 24 together. Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority....

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (16 Jun 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. Fire authorities provide some €240 million annually to run fire services in Ireland. My Department...

Written Answers — Radon Gas: Radon Gas (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The extent of the radon problem in Ireland has been assessed by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) over a number of years. Between 1992 and 1999, the RPII carried out a comprehensive National Radon Survey to measure radon concentrations in Irish homes. The principal objective was to assess the scale of the radon problem and, in particular, identify areas at higher risk...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: In general, premises and sites occupied by my Department are rented or leased by the OPW, rather than directly by my Department. The location and costs of premises and sites currently rented directly by my Department are set out in a table. Estimated Full Year Rental Cost For 2011 Office space - Met Éireann, Dublin Airport €73,673.95 Office space - Met Éireann, Shannon Airport...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The former Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. John Gormley, appointed Mr. John Hennessy, SC, as an authorised person under section 224 of the Local Government Act 2001 in February 2010, to examine various financial matters arising in relation to the Waste to Energy facility proposed by Dublin City Council, on behalf of the Dublin local authorities, for Poolbeg in...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 145 of 8 June 2011 which outlines the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Local Government Reform: Local Government Reform (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 39 together. A range of work relevant to local government reform is already under way. I have recently established an independent Implementation Group to progress relevant recommendations of the Local Government Efficiency Review in areas such as shared services, procurement, value for money and audit. I have asked the Group to build on the extensive...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013 is divided into 4 Axes. Axis 1 deals with competitiveness of the agricultural sector; Axis 2 aims to improve the countryside and environment, and the objectives of Axis 3 are to support the diversification of the rural economy and improve the quality of life in rural areas. Axis 4 or the LEADER Axis provides support for the use of a "bottom up"...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (16 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Programme for Government commits to the development of a coherent national waste policy, adhering to the waste hierarchy, which will aim to minimise waste disposal in landfill and maximise recovery. I am prioritising this commitment, as I am anxious to provide early regulatory certainty, in the form of both policy and legislation, to ensure that the necessary actions and investments are...