Results 13,481-13,500 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: Carrigtwohill Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade was included in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 as a contract to start during the period of the programme. Cork County Council’s Report on Tenders for the Contract was received in my Department on 18 December 2013. It was not possible to deal with the Report prior to the transfer of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Remit (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 , which came into effect on 1 January 2014, provides for the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of water services from the water services authorities to Irish Water. As such, infrastructure which has been taken in charge by a planning authority is now the responsibility of Irish Water and there is no question of homeowners being liable for leakage...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the replies to Questions Nos. 218 of 16 January 2014 and 137 of 30 January 2014 which set out the position in relation to Killorglin. With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services. The Act also provides that...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Government continues to advance a range of measures that support volunteering and active citizenship, and my Department funds a network of twenty one Volunteer Centres, including Carlow Volunteer Centre. The centres act as ‘brokers’ between potential volunteers and organisations seeking volunteers. The centres are linked by a common database and a common best practice...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Service Staff (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 557 of  28 January 2014 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Haulage Industry Regulation (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Irish Road Hauliers Association have proposed the introduction of a road charging scheme for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), along with a change in the basis of motor taxation from unladen to gross design vehicle weight. The proposal in relation to the road charging scheme is a matter for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. His Department has established an Inter-Departmental...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Government’s national waste policy, A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland, was published in July 2012. Among the measures included in the policy was the establishment of an inter-departmental 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Staff (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann to be formed and registered under the Companies Act. A fundamental underpinning of the water reform programme is to ensure that the skills and experience built up over many years in local authorities are put to best use for the long-term benefit of the customer and that...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates Issues (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001.  The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. Under rates legislation the person liable...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Quality Issues (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department has no responsibility for, or role to play in, the management, maintenance or operation of water infrastructure.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Information and Communications Technology Issues (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department has been involved in the development of a mobile app by Cora Systems for use on Android devices to assist with the Water Meter Survey programme. The development was part of a larger project and costs attributable to app development were circa €28,000. The development of a pps by agencies under the aegis of my Department is a matter for the agencies concerned, as are the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Yield (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 came into effect on 1 July 2013. The Act provided for a three month transition period on commencement to allow vehicle owners to bring their motor tax status up to date by making both a retrospective and prospective off-road declaration. The new arrangements, only allowing for a future declaration, have been fully in force since 1 October 2013. Monthly...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: Prior to the introduction of the Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013, the estimated level of motor tax evasion was 5%, representing an annual loss to the Local Government Fund of some €50m. I consider it too early to evaluate the success of the new measures, but the experience in the UK of introducing a similar system resulted in a drop in evasion rates from a similar level to under 1%....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Exemptions (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: Liability for motor tax arises from the date of registration of a vehicle and arrears of motor tax are not applied to a date prior to the date of entry of the vehicle on the register. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each County and City Manager is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Expenditure (4 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The consultancy contracts awarded by Uisce Éireann in 2013 relate to consultancy services which were required by the Irish Water Programme as part of the establishment phase in connection with the set-up of the new utility in advance of asset transfer on 1 January 2014. The consultancy firms employed operate in three broad areas of support: HR Support; Corporate Support and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Flood Relief Schemes Expenditure (5 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: During the period from 13 December 2013 to 6 January 2014 Ireland was subjected to a series of severe storms, affecting the country roughly once every three days. In addition to the very strong winds, there were periods of extremely heavy rain and a lot of thunderstorm activity. These storms coincided with high spring tides and created severe and damaging conditions in a number of coastal...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Funding (5 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The establishment of Irish Water is an integral component of the Government’s water sector reform strategy and involves major organisational change, an entirely new funding structure governed by economic regulation, the introduction of domestic water charges based on usage and the roll-out of a national domestic metering programme. The role of my Department is to drive the overall...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (5 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: Section 122 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides for audit committees in each city and county council. While section 5 of the Local Government (Business Improvement Districts) Act 2006 provided for the replacement of section 122 with a new provision, that new section was not commenced. Detailed guidelines were prepared for local authorities dealing with various issues including...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Exemptions (5 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The new arrangements for declaring a vehicle off the road are provided for in the Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013. The Act commenced on 1 July 2013 and provided for a three month transition period to the end of September 2013 to allow motorists to bring their motor tax status up to date. During the transition period , a procedure was put in place to allow those who were abroad, and not...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Introduction (5 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Question Nos. 114 and 121 together. 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....