Results 7,781-7,800 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Local Authority Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: Holding public meetings around the country to misinform people is a lovely thing to do. I am delighted the doomsday scenarios presented are wrong.

Local Authority Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: I am in favour of complying with the European Court of Justice judgment. Otherwise, the State would be paying massive amounts of fines. I am also in favour of clean water and good quality groundwater unlike Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin. I regret to say that. Deputies Niall Collins and Ferris have gone around at various meetings being against it.

Local Authority Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: I know Members opposite are sensitive about this because they have been at public meetings advocating people should not register, pay or comply with good practice to ensure clean water supply. What am I to do when I hear the views expressed here today in a rather hypocritical way? The greatest nonsense of all time is that those who advocated a universal septic tank inspection regime and for...

Local Authority Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: There were public meetings where people were advocating-----

Local Authority Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: As I said on several occasions, I cannot talk about grant assistance with anybody until such time as I know the nature of the problem. We will not know until the inspections are carried out. I know Deputy Clare Daly would like me to give her a rather blanket answer stating there will be financial assistance. Only when I know the extent of the problem will I consider grant aid. Deputy...

Local Authority Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: As you know on the deadline for the household charge, I do not promise anything that I cannot deliver. You know I deliver.

Departmental Staff (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: There were 1,192 staff serving in the Department at the end of 2009, 1,177 at the end of 2010, 812 at the end of 2011 and 775 at the end of April 2012. The significant change in the staff numbers between the end of 2010 and the end of 2011 arises from the transfer of the heritage function to the new Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in May 2011 and the transfer of community...

Departmental Staff (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: There will be no change in the staffing arrangements between now and 2017 for local authority staff. We will have a service level agreement between Irish Water and local authorities, and the level of knowledge and expertise in local authorities will continue to be available to the new entity. There will be a transition phase after 2017 for local authority staff going to Irish Water.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 16, 21, 24, 31 and 43 together. The key objective of the Government's water reform programme is to put in place structures and funding arrangements that will ensure that we have a world class water and waste water infrastructure that meets all environmental and public health standards and is well positioned to attract foreign direct investment and support...

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: I am glad Deputy Daly has intimate knowledge of the matters. The same company which carried out the independent assessment for Irish Water did it for Scottish Water, and it would understand a thing or two in the establishment of a public water utility for the provision of essential services for the people of Ireland. I understand some of the data presented in the independent assessment by...

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: I thank the Deputy for her questions. I am sure she would agree there are always rumours. However, the notion that we have contracts given out is amazing when the only decision made is that a commercial semi-State organisation - Bord Gáis - will be the company in charge of rolling out this Irish Water project. It would be amazing for contracts to be given out already in Kildare and...

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: That is the only principal decision that has been made, and I presume the Deputy accepts that. The free allowance within the charge for water will form part of the discussions ongoing between Bord Gáis, the regulator, the Department and the Government. It is in the programme for Government. We are not in a position to give details of an implementation plan that has not yet been drawn up....

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: We will not provide grant assistance to introduce rainwater harvesting systems. The problems identified by the Deputy such as whether the meter should be installed at the front or the back of the house will be dealt with in the same as they would be by other utility companies. I am not in the business of micromanaging decisions to implement the policy.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: I am surprised.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: If that was the case, I would agree with the Deputy that that would be crazy, but two local authority managers were members of the project board.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Kerry and Cavan county managers.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: I am trying to give the Deputy information. The County and City Managers Association also made a submission. Therefore, I would be surprised if any local authority manager was not aware of what was going on.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: The local authorities will continue to be centrally involved with Irish Water delivering wastewater as well as water services. The fragmentation of local delivery has not worked because there have been many leaks and inadequate volumes and quality of water all over the country. We have to do something different because what is happening is not working. There will be an opportunity for...

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: It will go into Irish Water which will be a commercial semi-State company. Private investment is made in the commercial semi-State sector and these companies are in the financial markets on a regular basis.

Water Charges (3 May 2012)

Phil Hogan: I am sure the Deputy is supportive of having a public water utility in State ownership.