Results 6,901-6,920 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislative basis for the household charge. Under the legislation, an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the household charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The household charge is on a...

Written Answers — Hazardous Waste: Hazardous Waste (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 324 to 329, inclusive, together. There is an unauthorised hazardous waste site (known as the East Tip) within the site of the defunct steel works at Haulbowline, County Cork. Irish Ispat, the last company to operate the steel works, applied for, and was granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licence....

Written Answers — Water Charges: Water Charges (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: In 1998, the then Government approved a Water Pricing Policy which required the local authorities to recover the cost of providing water services from non-domestic users of these services. Detailed guidance on the implementation of the policy was issued by my Department to local authorities between 1998 and 2004. The policy provides for cost recovery without profit, with charges based on...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 332, 334, 335 and 346 together. My Department is collecting data on retirement figures from local authorities on a fortnightly basis at present. Based on the most recent figures, a total of 120 local authority employees have retired in the period 1 January 2012 to 27 January 2012 and a further 739 employees have notified local authorities of their intention...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 116 of 1 February, 2012, which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Wastewater Treatment Systems: Wastewater Treatment Systems (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 337 to 339, inclusive, together. I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 19 and 40 of 2 February 2012, which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Wastewater Treatment Systems: Wastewater Treatment Systems (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The European standard EN 12566 is a suite of standards for wastewater treatment systems consisting of 7 parts of which parts 1, 3 and 4 are harmonised product standards. These standards set out the testing and factory production control regimes for septic tanks (Part 1 and 4) and packaged wastewater treatment systems (Part 3). Ireland recently set minimum performance levels for the tests in...

Written Answers — Litter Pollution: Litter Pollution (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 341 and 342 together. As stated in the previous reply referred to, under the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009 it is the function of local authorities to provide the primary response to littering. My Department's role is to provide the legislative framework for combating litter pollution, and to motivate and energise anti-litter responses as necessary. The...

Written Answers — Local Government (Charges) Act 2009: Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, broadened the revenue base of local authorities by introducing a charge on non-principal private residences. The charge is set at €200 and liability for it falls, in the main, on owners of rental, holiday and vacant properties. Under the Act, it is a function of a local authority to collect non-principal private residence charges and...

Written Answers — Household Charge: Household Charge (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: As part of the process of preparing the National Housing Development Survey 2011, published by my Department in October 2011, local authorities provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four categories as follows: Category one, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: In accordance with the provisions of the Waste Management Acts, the preparation and adoption of a waste management plan, including in respect of infrastructure provision, is the statutory responsibility of the local authority or authorities concerned, and under section 60(3) of the Act the Minister is precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by a local...

Written Answers — Rural Development: Rural Development (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I assume the question refers to the €200,000 maximum grant aid currently allowable under the Rural Development Programme (RDP). Up until recently community projects could apply for grant aid of up to €500,000; however a State Aid issue identified in late 2011 resulted in the suspension of grant aid for any project with grant amount of €200,000 or more. State aid refers to any aid...

Written Answers — Household Charge: Household Charge (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I assume the Question is referring to the household charge. The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislative basis for the household charge. The Act places the household charge under the care and management of the local authorities, and application in particular circumstances is a matter for the relevant...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Political Funding Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Not after a fiver.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Political Funding Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: No, it is very friendly territory.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Political Funding Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming our former distinguished Member of the House, Gemma Hussey, to the House. She championed the cause of many issues relating to both women and men throughout her political career in both Houses of the Oireachtas. I thank the Members of the Seanad for their thoughtful and detailed contributions to the Second Stage debate on the Bill and particularly...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Political Funding Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I have a track record in terms of the promotion of women from Carlow-Kilkenny in politics. I am glad to be able to tell Senator Quinn that in the most recent local elections for the county council, some five out of the 12 people elected for Fine Gael were women. Therefore, we have well in excess of the quota required for those elected. We in Carlow-Kilkenny do not just operate on the basis...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Political Funding Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The measures in the Bill before us will restrict corporate donations, having regard to the need to respect Ireland's Constitution and our commitments under international and European law. Perhaps more importantly, they will significantly enhance openness and transparency by requiring corporate donors that intend to give a political donation of more than €200 to be listed on a public...

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (8 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP), for which my Department has responsibility, continues to facilitate access to significant financial resources for rural communities. The main objectives of the RDP are to improve the quality of life in rural areas and facilitate the diversification of the rural economy. The RDP is designed to address directly many of the challenges...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (8 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 340 of 17 January 2012 which sets out the position in this matter. Any decision regarding the funding of the types of project referred to will have to be made in the context of the overall budgetary situation.