Results 10,961-10,980 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Government Reform (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: I agree in principle with the Deputy that councillors will be covering a wider geographical area and we will have a look at resource supports to ensure that the people in local government are able to do the job for which they are elected. They will have a lot more responsibility and devolved functions, as the Deputy will see when the legislation is published. The Deputy is making the case...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Government Reform (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: I am disappointed at Deputy Stanley's negativity about a legislative proposal for local government reform which he has not seen yet.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Government Reform (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: I will be delighted to deal with Deputy Stanley's amendments on Committee Stage. I will be very open with anyone who brings forward suggestions. I remind the Deputy that the local government system has not been reformed for a long time. I am doing what I can to devolve more functions from central government and agencies to local government. I have abolished half the agencies in my...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Administration (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: The water sector reform implementation strategy, which is published on my Department’s website, is focused on ensuring that appropriate policy and legal frameworks are put in place for Irish Water and the water sector. A key objective is to rationalise the cost of the current service delivery and ensure more efficient operation of water services by moving from 34 water services...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Administration (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: I know that Deputy Pringle has a very detailed knowledge of this work arising from his former employment. It will be a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation to assess charges and to examine what is happening in the water-in, water-out system and whether it is being implemented by the local authority system, which will become part of Irish Water. Therefore, I am unable to answer...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Administration (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: Will the Deputy clarify to what liberalisation he is referring?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Administration (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: No. Water services will continue to remain the preserve of the public utility company, Irish Water. We have learned from the previous experience with Eircom and the difficulties its sale created in service provision. Certainly, the Government does not intend to do anything other than to enshrine in legislation the need to keep public resources such as water, an essential resource, in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Funding (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Leader elements of the rural development programme 2007 to 2013 commenced in February 2009 after a delay of more than two years, which reduced the time available to allocate funding to less than five years from the normal seven. During 2010 and 2011 it became evident that a significant number of local development companies, LDCs, contracted to deliver the programme were not committing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Funding (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: More than anyone else, the Deputy knows that we are in a difficult financial position. I do not expect to receive approval from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to allocate additional moneys over and above what is included in the programme. I have already received the co-operation of the Department to make a great many changes to the funding for the programme to help to draw...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Funding (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: I have already allocated an additional €19 million for the basic services measure and each of the Leader companies was told last December that no more money was available other than what had already been committed. We have earmarked and committed a substantial amount of money in 2009, 2010 and 2011, which will not be drawn down. I will reallocate this money after 31 August 2013. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Funding (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Government of which the Deputy was a member did not do it.

Other Questions: Water Meters Installation (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 7, 17 and 30 together. The programme for Government and the memorandum of understanding with the EU, the IMF and the ECB both provide for the introduction of domestic water charges. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and has decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to...

Other Questions: Water Meters Installation (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: Deputy Joe Higgins prefers to pick figures off the top of his head. The sum of €1,000 per family is way off the mark and he knows it. People are paying, through their taxes, for the treatment of good quality water at a cost of €1 billion. It comes from ordinary working people, as Deputy Joe Higgins call them. They are already paying through their taxes. I am not in a...

Other Questions: Water Meters Installation (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: It might sound like pie in the sky to the Deputy that there will be a substantial amount of economic activity and job creation under this programme.

Other Questions: Water Meters Installation (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: Many people have been in touch with the Deputy, me and others in the last while about where to send curricula vitae, CVs, to get work. I hope that will continue and that people will be able to send their CVs to Irish Water and the firms that will win the regional contracts as part of this major investment. I cannot give the cost today for commercially sensitive reasons. With regard to the...

Other Questions: Water Meters Installation (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Construction Contracts Bill is an important one and being brought through the House by the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes. I understand it is due to go through Committee Stage. I can get the Deputy more information on when it is due to be brought before the House. I would like to see it enacted as quickly as possible, as it is important for subcontractors. As I said earlier...

Other Questions: Water Meters Installation (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy was wrong about the local property tax figure and the bin charges figure in the past and he is wrong now.

Other Questions: Water Meters Installation (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: I am delighted to see that Deputy Stanley has done his sums.

Other Questions: Water Meters Installation (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: I will certainly convey the Deputy's suggestion on block metering to those involved in the implementation of this programme. I am sure they have thought of it already but in case they have not, I will pass it on. The Deputy might be able to give them the benefit of his wisdom-----

Other Questions: Water Meters Installation (12 Jun 2013)

Phil Hogan: I do not know everything.