Results 6,821-6,840 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Water Services (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Section 70 of the Water Services Act 2007 provides that owners of septic tanks and other on-site wastewater treatment systems must ensure that their systems do not cause a risk to human health or the environment. The Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 augments the requirements of the 2007 Act and introduces a new registration and inspection system for septic tanks and other on-site...

Water Services (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Deputy Stanley has had a long period of time as the legislation was passing through the Oireachtas to tease out these issues. No matter how often I say things, people read in whatever they want.

Water Services (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: We are here because the European Court of Justice lodged a judgment against Ireland in 2009 and we must deal with it. We must get agreement from the European Commission for anything we do. I have been in discussion with the European Commission in the past number of weeks and I am pleased to say that we have agreed these matters with the European Commission and the EPA.

Water Services (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Yes, we must file a defence on the part of the State tomorrow so we had to have agreement. I will publish the regulations and standards shortly and will set out the agreement we reached in order to comply with the European Court of Justice ruling.

Water Services (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Deputy Stanley will see the standards when they are published. There will be a four-week period of consultation and the misinformation and scaremongering by Fianna Fáil, Independents and Sinn Féin in public meetings around the country will be seen for what it is, generating fuss about nothing.

Local Authority Services (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Government decided in July 2011 that a unified local authority would be established to replace the existing north and south Tipperary county councils with effect from the 2014 local elections. An implementation group was appointed to oversee planning, preparatory work and initial implementation of the reorganisation process. The group submitted a progress report to me in November 2011,...

Local Authority Services (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I will be able to enlighten the Deputy further on town councils and borough councils in about two months time when I will bring proposals about local government matters and structures generally to Government. At that time I will also indicate where savings can be made by all local authorities, including Tipperary. We can achieve a lot more in savings by streamlining all of the activities in...

Local Authority Services (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I am surprised Deputy McGrath has a problem with a Tipperary man serving as an acting manager of County Tipperary structures. It does not augur well for the future in terms of unifying the country.

Local Authority Services (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: As a Kilkenny man I am delighted to be able to bring about that reunification because the Deputy has a protectionist mentality about north and south Tipperary-----

Local Authority Services (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: ------which I am delighted to be able to overcome and bring them together. I can assure the Deputy-----

Local Authority Services (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: -----that I am not bulldozing. I am taking my time. The Deputy looked for answers today and I told him I would give him some on local government in County Tipperary in two months time, which is a reasonable length of time. Equally, there are people with the skills required to bring about savings and administrative structures in local government. Not everybody has the skills, including the...

Political Reform (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Government in 2011 set out a broad and ambitious programme for political reform. Responsibility for this rests with a number of Ministers. My responsibility is in the areas of electoral and local government reform. On 15 December 2011, I published the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill. This makes provision for the restriction of corporate donations, a reduction in the...

Political Reform (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The proposal to abolish the Seanad is a matter for another Minister and the Government has not yet decided when that will happen. It is in the programme for Government and it will make a decision in due course. Directly elected mayors will be considered in the context of local government reform and no conclusions have been reached on that in Limerick, Dublin or anywhere else. On the general...

Local Government Reform (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 34, 55, 163 and 164 together. I am adopting a progressive approach to the reform and development of local government in accordance with the programme for Government. Decisions have already been taken to merge the authorities in Limerick and Tipperary and implementation work is proceeding in both cases. I have also established a local government committee...

Local Government Reform (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I am examining the term of office of the managers and the role they would have, in conjunction with the board of directors, who are the democratically elected people in local government. The chief executive officer is the manager but the board of directors should be the elected members. The balance between management, managers and local elected members is under discussion. The term of...

Local Government Reform (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: It is some mind to read.

Local Government Reform (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: He will be left with his mouth open when the Ceann Comhairle stops him.

Local Government Reform (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I would like to be able to give the Deputy a direct answer but I cannot. I must discuss these issues with my Government colleagues. I have an idea as to what I would like to do but I must discuss it with them. As the Ceann Comhairle knows, one must get agreement from Government before one can inform the House. I am sure the Deputy will understand that. I do not want to be left with my...

Local Government Reform (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: As I stated in my reply, I am a very strong proponent of devolution of power from central to local government. I want to see people at local level having a meaningful say in their affairs. Power should be as close as possible to the citizen in regard to governance and the delivery of local issues and services. The Deputy can take it that I will be a proponent of the policy he has just...

Local Government Reform (2 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Deputy Boyd Barrett had indicated a few people were on their way. I was wondering-----