Results 9,221-9,240 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Legislative Programme (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: As set out in the programme for the development of climate policy and legislation which I published in January 2012 , the commitment to issue heads of a Climate Bill in the fourth quarter of 2012 to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, and stakeholders, for their consideration, remains on schedule. While I am committed to an open and transparent...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Government’s new waste policy, A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland , was published in July 2012. Among the measures included in the policy is the establishment of an interdepartmental working group to report to Government with options to minimise the impact of waste charges on low income households. The working group, which comprises representatives of my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Household Charge Collection (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 709, 716 and 718 together. The Local Government Management Agency is administering the Household Charge system on a shared service/agency basis for all county and city councils. There was no existing comprehensive database of residential properties and their owners within the State prior to the Household Charge being introduced. The collection of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Household Charge Collection (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 715 and 723 together. The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislation underpinning the H ousehold C harge. Under section 4(4) of the 2011 Act, a person is currently entitled to a waiver if the residential property is situated in an unfinished housing estate. The 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: Local authorities have a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. The Annual Rate on Valuation (ARV) is decided by the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Exchequer Savings (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: Information regarding potential cost savings which could arise if the salaries in question were reduced is not available in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Household Charge Exemptions (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: I see no reason why a person who is not liable for the Household Charge and who has paid in error should not obtain a refund. Queries in relation to operational issues, such as the time taken to process a valid refund, should be directed to the Household Charge Bureau or to the local authority in question.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: The rate of grant available for Group Sewerage Schemes is €2,031.58 per house or 75% of the cost of the scheme, whichever is the lesser. The National Rural Water Services Committee, which has a role in advising me on rural water policy, proposed that the rate of grant be reviewed during 2012. As a result of a review carried out by my Department, I propose, in the first instance, to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Northern Ireland Issues (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 728 and 729 together. My Department and I are directly involved in ongoing and frequent North South engagement up to a very high level. This involves regular contact with the Department of Environment in Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the North South Joint Secretariat based in Armagh. This work is undertaken in the context of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Historical Landfills Working Group was established in September 2011 . The Working Group provides a platform to share experience and to assist local authorities to standardise the certification of old unlicensed legacy municipal landfills, in accordance with the Waste Management (Certification of Historical Unlicensed Waste Disposal and Recovery Activity) Regulations 2008. Given its...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Services (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 734, 743 and 744 together. The Waterford Local Government Committee was established on 23 September 2011. Full details in relation to its work , including the matters raised in the question, are contained in The Report of the Waterford Local Government Committee which was submitted in March 2012. The Limerick Reorganisation Implementation Group was...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: The steering group referred to in the Question was established in June 2011 to oversee the independent assessment on the transfer of responsibility for water provision from local authorities to a water utility which was required under the Programme of Financial Support for Ireland with the EU/IMF/ECB. The group , which is chaired by my Department ( Mr Mark Griffin, Assistant Secretary ), has...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: Under the European Communities (Waste Directive) Regulations 2011, which transposed the Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) into Irish law, there is a requirement to evaluate existing waste management plans by 31 December 2012 and, consequent to such an evaluation, to revise plans as appropriate. The Waste Framework Directive requires waste management plans to set out “an...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: I established the independent Pyrite Panel in September 2011, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Brendan Tuohy with Mr. Noel Carroll and Mr. Malcolm Edger as the other members . The Panel held 67 meetings and issued a comprehensive report containing 24 recommendations in July 2012 . I am now in the process of implementing the report’s recommendations in a way that will deliver solutions for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: I established the Alignment Steering Group on 28 September 2011 with the following membership: Mr Jim ley, Chairperson; business strategy consultant and company director; Dr. Patricia O’Hara, regional policy expert and Adjunct Professor at the National Institute for Regional Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) NUI Maynooth; Mr. Liam Keane; former public servant with the HSE; Ms. Martina...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: The local government efficiency review implementation group was established on 29 April 2011. The Implementation Group is independently chaired by Mr. Pat McLoughlin (Chief Executive, Irish Payments Services Organisation, and former chairperson of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group). In addition to the Chair, the members of the Implementation Group are as follows; Mr. Des...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: The independent group to review staffing levels in Cork City Council was established in December 2011. The Implementation Group is independently chaired by Mr. Pat McLoughlin (Chief Executive, Irish Payments Services Organisation, and former chairperson of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group). In addition to the Chair, the members of the Implementation Group are as follows; Mr. Des...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Environmental Law Implementation Group ( ELIG ) was established in December 2011 to assist in the protection and enhancement of Ireland’s environment by seeking to support further transposition, implementation and enforcement of environmental law through improved communication between policy makers and environmental non-Government organisations, including An Taisce. The membership...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: I established the independently-chaired Inter-Departmental Expert Group to consider the structures and modalities for an equitable Local Property Tax in the context of decisions to replace the Household Charge. The Group had an independent chair, Dr. Don Thornhill, and comprised the following representation:- Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources - Department of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Household Charge Exemptions (6 Nov 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislation underpinning the Household Charge. The legislation provides for a number of exemptions and waivers from payment of the Household Charge. The waivers which apply concern - - Owners of residential property entitled to mortgage interest supplement, and -...