Results 7,001-7,020 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, set out the legislation underpinning the household charge and the charge on non-principal private residences respectively. Under the legislation, owners of residential property are liable to the household charge, including those persons with a liability to pay the charge on non-principal...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (15 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 — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (15 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 section 5(1) of the Act, the owner of a residential property, who on a liability date, is liable to pay a household charge to a relevant local authority, or who is entitled to a waiver from payment of a household charge...

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Preparations for my Department's role in Ireland's Presidency of the EU commenced in July 2010 with the establishment of an internal committee to co-ordinate arrangements and significant progress has been made since then in building a draft Presidency programme. My Department is also working closely with the Departments of An Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade who are co-ordinating...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The information requested in respect of relevant payments made by my Department from 2007 to 2011 is set out in the following table. Year Cost €* 2011 118,101 2010 134,234 2009 30,622 2008 143,167 2007 44,925 *In addition to the payments shown, some other contractual arrangements for services contain an element of recoupment for incidental legal fees; the table does not include...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I realise this amendment is ruled out of order as it does not come under this Bill. I do not wish to address that issue. However, in their Second Stage contributions a number of Senators addressed this matter. At the time I indicated that responsibility for dealing with the matter raised is covered by the Electoral Act. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, is...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Senator Cullinane will have to send him the application form.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I wish to draw Members' attention to section 18 of the Electoral Act 1997, which states that payment of the fund to political parties is for the general administration of the party but also for research, education, training and policy formulation. To draw down that funding the payment must cover, as widely as possible, research facilities, in addition to the communications and education...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Amendment No. 2 will have the effect of deleting section 5 and replacing it with new text. Section 5 provides for the amendment of section 22 (2) of the Act of 1997, namely, the interpretation section for Part 4 of that Act which deals with the disclosure of donations. The original provisions in section 5 are restated in paragraph (b) of the new section 5. Definitions for the terms...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I agree with the sentiments expressed by Senator Bradford. Significant money is wasted on election campaigns and expenditure should also be examined. I am prepared to do that and I will publish legislation later this year entitled the electoral (amendment) (referendum spending and miscellaneous provisions Bill. It is an unwieldy title but it will do what the Senator wants. That will give...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: It was unconstitutional. This has been acknowledged by the party since. The issues raised by the Senator can be included as part of the constitutional convention, which will be announced by the Taoiseach in the next few weeks. People will have an opportunity to make submissions about an outright ban on corporate donations. A balance must be struck between political funding from the public...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I agree with Senator Bradford that this needs to be addressed. I have indicated already that we must know from where campaign groups with a particular view of such matters get their money. Equally, they must be accountable and transparent regarding a particular view they may wish to express about a particular matter. I note in a later amendment Senator Mullen is down to €1 in order to...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: But if the shopkeeper give him €1 at the church gate-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: -----he will have to declare that. A sense of realism must come into politics. The Senator might not understand the way the system works outside the National University of Ireland set-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Senator will know that €1 is a very impractical way of dealing with it-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: -----because for benefit in kind purposes under our tax law a poster in a window promoting a particular candidate will be constituted as having to be returned as more than €1 in benefit. There are practical implications in terms of all of these issues.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Senator has gone up 100% now.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: He would not be great at the fair in Ballinasloe if he starts like that.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I will not hold it against the Senator.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Is the Senator sure it does not come down here on an unapproved road in Monaghan?