Results 10,241-10,260 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Service Issues (7 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: The recently published Keeping Communities Safe (KCS) sets the future direction of fire services in a way that aligns fire services and fire safety in Ireland with international good practice. KCS was developed by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management in my Department following a review of relevant international literature which is referenced in Appendix D of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Septic Tank Registration Scheme (7 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 155, 158 to 161, inclusive, 164 and 171 together. In relation to the grant scheme for septic tanks, I refer to the reply to Question No. 440 of 26 February 2013 which sets out the position in this matter. Section 70B(5) of the Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 provides that a certificate of registration for a domestic waste water treatment system will be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters (7 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 219 of 27 February 2013, which sets out the position in relation to the procurement process for the water metering programme. I have previously indicated that there will be a proportion of households which will not be metered in the initial metering programme due to either the high cost or the technical difficulty of doing so. For those properties that...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (7 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: Under the terms of my Department’s Customer Charter there is a commitment to respond to letter and email correspondence within fifteen working days.  My Department endeavours to meet this deadline having regard to other competing demands on resources. In the event, I understand that the matter raised in this instance is the responsibility of the Department of Transport, Tourism...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (7 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: I assume that the Question refers to general purpose grants from the Local Government Fund. General purpose grants are my Department’s contribution towards meeting the cost to local authorities of providing a reasonable level of services to their customers. Some €640m in general purpose grants has been allocated to local authorities for 2013 . I am satisfied that the general...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (7 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Government’s Action Programme for Effective Local Government outline, inter alia, proposals for the implementation of a range of measures to maximise operational and organisational efficiency and performance in local government and ensure that the best possible standard of service and responsiveness is provided by local authorities to customers, citizens and taxpayers. It also...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations (7 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: Following a comprehensive public consultation process undertaken in 2012, I am currently finalising the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013 for signature into law. The new regulations will provide, among other things, for the introduction of mandatory certificates of compliance by builders and designers of buildings confirming that the statutory requirements of the Building...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Expenditure (7 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which include adopting the annual budget and authorising borrowing, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority. Section 106 of the Local Government Act 2001 requires that borrowings by a local authority are sanctioned by the appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management Issues (7 Mar 2013)

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: Building Regulations (7 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: Part 3 of the Building Control Act 2007 set out statutory arrangements for the registration of Architects. There are no new qualifications requirements. A variety of routes to registration are provided for in the Act, including specific provision for the registration of practically trained persons who have no formal academic qualifications or education. I share the concerns of those who...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Priory Hall Development (12 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: I am supportive of the Priory Hall residents and my Department is supporting the efforts of Dublin City Council in that regard. At my request, the Department has previously assisted the council, in consultation with NAMA, to secure alternative temporary accommodation for many of the residents. My Department has to date contributed in excess of €500,000 towards the costs necessarily...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Priory Hall Development (12 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: In his usual flowery language the Deputy has sought to put responsibility where it is not. Surely he is not advocating that the Government should intervene in a court process. The matter is before the courts and Mr. Justice Finnegan has been allowed an opportunity by all parties to come up with a report. I share the Deputy's frustration at the length of time it is taking, but that is not...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Priory Hall Development (12 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: They are not being ignored by me. I agree with the comments made by Deputy McGrath. There is certainly impatience and frustration on the part of the residents and that is understandable. They have inherited a situation not of their making because of the very lax building control regulations the Department had in place at the time. We will publish new regulations within the next week to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes (12 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: In late 2011, the European Commission approved a change in the maximum co-funding rate from 55% to 85% for axes 3 and 4 of Ireland’s rural development programme 2007-2013. Prior to this the axes 3 and 4 rural development measures were co-funded at a rate of 55% by the EU, with the remaining 45% coming from national Exchequer resources. The 2011 agreement reduced the national...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes (12 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: I agree with the figures mentioned. There is a requirement to look at the balance of funding now, arising from the big increase in the number of applications that have come in during the past few months. Officials have wisely decided to have a look at those applications to see what level of funding will be required to meet them if they are successful and to see what funds will remain for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes (12 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: Unlike the Deputy, I did not cost people an additional €45 when they had to register their septic tanks. That is what happened to people in his constituency, the west of Ireland and elsewhere when the Deputy changed his mind very quickly. Like the Deputy, I am anxious to ensure we spend as much money as possible under these programmes. Some of the various axes under which funding is...

Other Questions: Septic Tank Registration Scheme (12 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 requires householders whose properties are served by on-site wastewater treatment systems to register their system with their local authority. As of 12 March 2013, applications in respect of the on-site wastewater treatment systems of 392,952 owners who have registered online, by post or in person at their local authority offices had been processed....

Other Questions: Septic Tank Registration Scheme (12 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: I am surprised that Deputy Cowen would not want to have a dedicated source of finance for the purpose of remediating septic tanks given that his party opposed this measure.

Other Questions: Septic Tank Registration Scheme (12 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: Deputy Ó Cuív held public meetings around the country telling people not to register and not to pay. He then reversed engines after Christmas when he found there was a grant system. Through Deputy Cowen, I would ask Deputy Ó Cuív whether he will compensate people for the €45 he took from them as a result of advising them up to last September not to pay. This was...

Other Questions: Septic Tank Registration Scheme (12 Mar 2013)

Phil Hogan: Provision has been made for this measure under the rural water programme. The Deputy cannot expect me to give him the estimate for 2014 in respect of whether money will be available next year. We will know precisely after 1,000 inspections what level of grant assistance will be required on the basis of the numbers that will pass and fail. We already have experience from Cavan.