Results 5,161-5,180 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: This is why structures which may be close to the Senator's heart found themselves in difficulties. They might not be democratic or accountable to anybody except maybe to a Department whereas the democratic accountability should be at local level. The expansion of community employment schemes is very closely involved with ensuring the people in a community who want to do what Senator Quinn...

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Senator said services can be delivered more effectively by a standalone local community organisation rather than by local government.

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I do not believe it can be done efficiently because of the back office services and administrative burden it puts on the local community and also the fact that there is space and capacity in local government to deliver in a properly focused and aligned way. The Senator will know from his own area that it does not always work out that the local development company is able to deliver because...

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The taxpayer is in a much better position by means of the local representatives and by means of the internal audit procedures and the local government audit to ensure that people are accountable in a very open and transparent way for how money is spent. I am aligning community and local government to achieve a more effective bang for the buck-----

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: There is plenty of evidence.

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I will come back to the Senator in that regard.

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: His Department is represented on this group.

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I am aware of the philanthropy report mentioned by Senator Mac Conghail. An official from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is on the steering group for the forum on philanthropy and is feeding ideas in so I do not believe there will be duplication. We will ensure there is not.

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: This will be so big it will not be required of me to launch it. It will be somebody bigger and better than me, perhaps the Taoiseach. Local Government reform is an area to which we will return in the Seanad in the near future, when I have gone further in crystallising views and hearing Senators' views on how we should move forward with reform. I acknowledge Senator Hayden's words of caution...

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: As did Senator Brennan, I acknowledge the contribution of the volunteer sector. The OECD did a study some time ago on citizen participation and volunteering. Ireland is the second highest placed in the OECD for citizens volunteering, giving time or money or helping a stranger, with, on average, 60% having done so in the month previous to the carrying out of the survey. The European average...

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I assure Senator Cullinane that I agree with the biannual funding mechanism for voluntary and community groups. I am prepared to look at that. However, I am not in a position to ring-fence any money. That is a matter for the Department of Finance and the Minister for Finance.

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I can do that. The Senator asked me to do something I cannot do.

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I am just the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The Minister for Finance makes decisions about ring-fencing money.

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: That is good. The issue of the dormant accounts legislation was discussed during the debate. Disbursements of €267 million were made from dormant accounts to projects of community benefit between the establishment of the fund in April 2003 and the end of August 2011. Money does not have to be ring-fenced in order for something to happen. It has happened in this case. The net value of...

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: Members were generally interested in how we can align the community with local government. We have a group that is looking at that. No vested interests are involved in the group. I want to see how we can achieve that in an independent way, based on people's personal experiences in local government and in the community sector. We are in an era in which duplication and triplication cannot...

Seanad: Community and Voluntary Sector: Statements, Questions and Answers (9 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I thought I addressed them.

Written Answers — Water Charges: Water Charges (10 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Memorandum of Understanding between Ireland and the EU/IMF includes a commitment to introduce water charges for households. The Programme for Government provides for the introduction of a fair funding model to deliver clean and reliable water. The Programme for Government envisages that charges will apply to usage above a free allowance. My Department is currently preparing a strategy to...

Written Answers — Pyrite Contamination: Pyrite Contamination (10 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I have recently established an independent panel with the remit of seeking to facilitate a resolution of pyrite contamination in private housing. The panel has commenced its work and is meeting with various groups and individuals who can assist it in completing its task. They have been asked to complete their work as quickly as possible and to report to me early in the New Year.

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (10 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 broadened the revenue base of local authorities through the introduction of the charge on non-principal private residences (NPPR). The charge is set at €200 and is being levied and collected by local authorities. The Act places the onus on an owner of a residential property which is situated in the State to assess his or her liability for the charge...

Written Answers — Waste Disposal: Waste Disposal (10 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: Dublin City Council's intentions in relation to its household waste collection services are a matter for the City Council itself. As regards policy concerning household waste collection generally, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce competitive tendering for household waste collection, whereby service providers will bid to provide waste collection services in a...