Results 13,221-13,240 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: I understand amendments Nos. 1 to 8, inclusive, 10 and 107 are grouped together.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: Will I read the grouping of amendments again for the Deputy?

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: I would like to refer briefly to the context of today's debate. This local government reform legislation has been a major undertaking involving many areas of my Department and other Departments, with input from a range of sources and impacts on an extensive body of other legislation. It has been undertaken with a relatively short timescale and, in view of this, I indicated at the outset...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: Amendment No. 67 amends section 1 of the Bill by providing for the insertion of a new section 149A in the Local Government Act 2001. It is required in order to provide a definitive legal basis for one local authority to carry out executive functions such as back-office support services on behalf of one or more local authorities. It will apply to County Laois in respect of shared services...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: Government policy is for the implementation of shared services across the public sector. In the local authority sector, the oversight group looking at these matters has identified a number of areas where we can make substantial savings through efficiencies in the delivery of services. The local government efficiency review group has made €238 million in savings in the past two years,...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: No, but in order for a local authority to achieve the status of being responsible for the entire local government system, it must undertake a bidding process. There is a competitive process that happened in 2013, with Laois County Council providing the shared payroll and superannuation service on behalf of local authorities.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: I share Deputy Stanley's concern about the fact that we cannot exclude small businesses from contracts and opportunities at local level. There is a balance to be struck between savings on particular contracts without depriving people of the opportunity to bid in the procurement process. We did that for the water metering programme, where there was a much higher threshold for subcontractors...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: I do not have details on other areas but I will supply the information to the Deputy.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Bill provides that a local authority may, by resolution, delegate any of its functions to municipal district level and may also revoke such a delegation. The purpose of the amendment is to add a requirement on the members of the overall local authority to consult with the municipal district members for the district concerned before deciding by resolution to revoke, under section...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: I share completely Deputy Murphy's opinion on the cultural changes required to be inclusive, not just with the members of the local authorities but with the community structures we are setting up as well. Inclusivity and the culture around it has not always been right and we hope to get to a position, certainly after the local elections in May 2014, to see with this legislation that the...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: We will give guidelines but it is at the discretion of the plenary council whether to devolve more additional functions to municipal level or the engagement with the wider community.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: There is a procedure I have not come across before regarding the text of a Bill which is consequential on amendment No. 12, in order to correct a drafting error. In page 36 of the Bill, line 6, the reference to section 24(1)(a) should be changed to section 24(1). There has been a request for a Clerk's correction in this regard and I am glad to relay it.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: Seanad amendment No. 12 is to be taken with Seanad amendments Nos. 13 and 95. These amendments deal with the issue of the ordinary day of retirement from outgoing elected members following the 2014 local elections in the context of the dissolution of the old and establishment of the new structures at county and sub-county levels. These are important technical amendments to the Bill to allow...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: I am glad to confirm to the House that the Government agreed yesterday at the Cabinet meeting that 23 May 2014-----

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: -----will be the date of the local and European elections. Polling stations will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: Again I would like to request a Clerk's correction to the text of Seanad amendment No. 121 in order to correct a drafting error. In the proposed new item 12 to be inserted into Schedule 3 by Seanad amendment No. 120, the text of column three incorrectly refers to the Local Government Act 1941, and this should be corrected to state "Local Government Act 1946". Following the restructuring of...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: The objective is to allow further devolution of responsibility to elected members in order that they can decide on their priorities. In the next while I will be trying to get Departments and agencies to devolve an increasing number of functions to local government, in addition to the ones we are creating in this Bill. It is a matter for the elected members to decide on their priorities...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: I totally agree with the Deputy's sentiments on the valuation system. The current system is certainly not in keeping with the financial and economic reality in many areas. There is a danger that we will have two Irelands in regard to economic activity, particularly in town centres. Some of the suggestions made by the party opposite in its Private Members' legislation have certainly been...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: I thank the Deputies for their support for a review of the valuation process. I wish to confirm to the House that the Valuation (Amendment) Bill is on Committee Stage in the Seanad and I understand it is scheduled to be discussed in that House in February. Hopefully, it will come before this House before the end of this session.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: From the Seanad (22 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: Section 31 (b) of the Bill originally amended section 14 of the Local Government Act of 1946 to the effect that vacancy refunds in authorities where the 1946 Act applies would be reduced to 50%. I previously signalled during our last debate in this House that I intended to consider this matter further. Amendments Nos. 16 and 120 specifically provide that elected members in all local...