Results 9,541-9,560 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: Is Deputy Catherine Murphy referring to one on climate change?

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: I will do my best to comply with the Chair's wishes. Almost all of the €333 million of the programme value is contractually committed. I will not be here again next week moving money from one place to another. There is work in progress. I can give Deputy Murphy an indication of how things are going in the Department. No matter where we go in this Department, we give good value...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: Some of that will be carried over into next year. The projects, some of which are in Deputy Murphy's constituency and are very important, will be proceeding. Leader funding is tied in with the European Union funding arrangements and we must draw it down. We have got a reassessment of the agreement with the European Commission on Leader and we are now able to draw down 85% of the funds...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: Including that.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: Almost all the €333 million is contractually committed.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: We can supply the Deputy with the detail of the projects.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: It is. We are getting receipts from the European Commission for various ongoing works on the PEACE programme and we are spending that now rather than waiting for the receipts to come in. We have agreement for that from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: We have reduced considerably the amount of money spent on consultancy in recent years. We provided money for consultancy on Irish Water, and PricewaterhouseCoopers won that particular contract which cost approximately €100,000. We also use consultants with regard to infringement cases at the European Court of Justice as we regularly need expertise to deal with these court cases....

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: A significant level of expertise is required to deal with European Court of Justice judgments, and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has lost 31 cases. This has been a significant problem for me to deal with. A number of planning inquiries were held and planning issues arose in Wicklow and other places. A level of expertise is required to explore these...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: Much has been said publicly and otherwise about it which has not been true. We decided to engage a senior counsel to conduct a thorough investigation and the report will be available shortly to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Department will provide €100 million out of €333 million for PEACE III so we are making a contribution. With regard to engagements during the Presidency, the Deputy will have to speak to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: I acknowledge that Deputy Mulherin has taken licence but I had better clarify the position on the Leader programme. Nobody would expect the Minister to condone the malpractice activities of Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta, MFG, a private company which had to be liquidated. In recent months the neighbouring Leader companies have taken to providing the necessary assistance for processing...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: The ICBAN cross-Border partnership projects come under INTERREG funding. They are doing very valuable work by funding these projects. We will be spending more money on the Leader programme next year so the people of Sligo-Leitrim as well as everywhere else will get an allocation in January.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy cannot hold a Minister responsible for the activities of private companies. That is the reason for the reform of local government and reform of community development bodies from 2014 and beyond.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: More money.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: Neither did I.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2012
Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Supplementary) (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: Even with my best efforts, I doubt I will be able to include Dublin South-East under the rural development programme.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Business of Select Sub-Committee (11 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: I am hoping to go to Government next week.

Topical Issue Debate: Septic Tank Registration Scheme (12 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: I thank Deputy Corcoran Kennedy for the opportunity to address this issue. The House will be aware that the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 provided for the establishment of a new system for the registration and inspection of septic tanks and other domestic waste water treatment systems. The 2012 Act augments the duty of care placed on the owners of on-site wastewater treatment systems,...

Topical Issue Debate: Septic Tank Registration Scheme (12 Dec 2012)

Phil Hogan: I accept what the Deputy is saying. There is concern, some of which has stemmed from the irresponsible dissemination of misinformation in certain parts of rural constituencies. I suggest some of the Deputies involved who were serving in government when this case came before the courts and did nothing about it for four years thereafter are responsible for the European Court of Justice ruling...