Results 11,901-11,920 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Seniors Alert Scheme Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Seniors Alert Scheme aims to encourage community support for vulnerable older people in our communities by providing grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms to enable older persons, of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. The Scheme is administered by local community and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Property Taxation Yield (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 668, 688 and 725 together. The local government funding model will change considerably in 2014. Under the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012, commencing in 2014, the Minister for Finance will pay into the Local Government Fund an amount equivalent to the Local Property Tax paid into the Central Fund during that year; this revenue will be allocated to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: There are no proposals in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 - 2013 that would facilitate the provision of a water supply to the Ballyna Group Water Scheme. However, under the Programme, it was open to water services authorities, in certain circumstances, to make an application to have new proposals inserted into the Programme. Kildare County Council has made an...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Expenditure (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 70 of 16 October 2013 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to the introduction of water charges based on usage above a free allowance. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has, therefore, decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. Irish Water will be provided with the power to charge...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Animal Welfare Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: The number of dogs in local authority pounds put to sleep has been reducing consistently over the years. Having been at 27,570 in 1998, the number in 2012 was 4,500, itself a reduction of some 20% on the 2011 figure. I welcome this dramatic reduction and compliment the dog control services around the country for this positive development. I am keen to see good practices across all...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Septic Tank Registration Scheme (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose taking Questions Nos. 678 and 685 together. A purchaser of a property may subsequently apply for grant aid once they meet the eligibility criteria set down in the Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library . The criteria include the requirement that the treatment system serving the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: I assume the question refers to a group sewerage scheme. Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, which includes group sewerage schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. In December 2012 I announced an increase in the grant for group sewerage schemes to €6,500 per house or 75% of the cost of the scheme, whichever is the lesser. The...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Funding (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: Following agreement with the European Commission, Ireland has adopted a definition of rural areas for the purpose of LEADER funding as all of the country other than the urban areas defined as hubs and gateways in the National Spatial Strategy. The use of this definition, rather than a population density calculation, ensured that LEADER funding would available to a greater proportion of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authorities Management (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 681 and 706 together. Part 6 and Schedule 10 of the Local Government Act 2001 set out the legal provisions with regard to the meetings and proceedings of local authorities, including the requisition of special meetings and the role of the meetings administrator. Paragraph 6 (5) of Schedule 10 sets out the circumstances where the meetings administrator...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 came into effect on 1 July 2013. The primary purpose of the Act is to replace the system whereby a vehicle is only declared off the road when the owner next goes to tax it with a system under which the vehicle must be declared off the road in advance. This is aimed at closing an evasion loophole, costing taxpayers approximately €55m per annum,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: I have no immediate plans to arrange for research to be carried out into the reasons people voted or did not vote at recent referendums. In June and July 2013 I established Referendum Commissions in relation to the proposals for amendments of the Constitution - Abolition of Seanad Éireann and Court of Appeal – which were put by referendum to the decision of the people on 4...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Remit (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Water Services Act 2013 designated Irish Water as the metering authority. The technical specification of fittings being used in the metering programme is an operational matter for Irish Water and I have no role in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Funding (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: One of the objectives of the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013 is to identify and provide appropriate amenity and leisure facilities to local communities not otherwise available to them. To date over €58 million has been committed under the Programme’s Basic Services measure which provides funding for community centres. The current Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Property Taxation Collection (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos . 691, 715 and 716 together. The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 broadened the revenue base of local authorities by introducing a charge on non-principal private residences. The self-assessed charge is set at €200 per annum and liability for it falls, in the main, on owners of rental, holiday and vacant properties. I understand that the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: Details of the regional and local road grant payments to county councils including Westmeath County Council are outlined in the regional and local road grant payment booklets which are available in the Dáil Library.  Details of the 2013 regional and local road grant allocations to each county council are also available in the Dáil library.   With regard to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Applications (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: Following agreement with the European Commission, Ireland has adopted a definition of rural areas for the purpose of LEADER funding as all of the country other than the urban areas defined as hubs and gateways in the National Spatial Strategy. The use of this definition, rather than a population density calculation, ensured that LEADER funding would available to a greater proportion of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Applications (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: In line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, the LAGs are the principal decision-makers in relation to the allocation of project funding. Such decisions are made in the context of the local development strategy of the individual groups and in line with Programme’s Operating Rules and EU...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Applications (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: In line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, there are 35 Local Action Groups (LAGs) contracted, on my Department’s behalf, to deliver the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP) throughout the country. The LAG for the area referred to in the question is Mayo...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Applications (5 Nov 2013)

Phil Hogan: In line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, there are 35 Local Action Groups (LAGs) contracted, on my Department’s behalf, to deliver the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP) throughout the country. The LAG for the area referred to in the question is Mayo...