Results 14,101-14,120 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Development Companies Administration (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The proposals outlined in Putting People First - Action Programme for Effective Local Governmentseek to position local government “as the primary vehicle of governance and public service at local level – leading economic, social and community development, delivering efficient and good value services, and representing citizens and local communities effectively and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Construction Products Regulation (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department has no role in assessing the ability of steel fabricators to comply with their obligations under the Construction Products Regulation and I.S. EN 1090-1:2009. Nevertheless, my Department has been working with a wide range of organisations in both the public and private sectors in order to ensure that the construction industry was made aware of, and could prepare for, the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Status (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Gweedore Sewerage Scheme was included in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 - 2013as a scheme to commence construction during the lifetime of the Programme. Following receipt of Donegal County Council’s Contract Documents for the scheme my Department approved these Documents in December 2013. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Websites (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 447 and 448 together. My Department’s website, , was developed to ensure compliance with accessibility guidelines and standards. While it has not been independently assessed, I am committed to ensuring that communication tools, such as my Department’s website, provide quality information to the public in an accessible manner. In that regard, a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: Liability for motor tax arises from the date of registration of a vehicle or from the date of transfer of ownership. Arrangements for registration of vehicles are a matter for the Office of the Revenue Commissioners and I have no function in the matter. The annual rate of motor tax for vintage tractors is €56. The annual rate for an agricultural tractor less than 30 years old is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Redundancy Payments (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department has no role in the internal operations of private organisations and, therefore, does not have a role in relation to staff or employment matters of the organisation concerned, which are for the Board of the company, as the employer, to manage. However, the Government recognises that like all other sectors of our economy, the community and voluntary sector has had to deal with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I set up the Working Group on Citizen Engagement in September 2013 under the chairmanship of Fr. Sean Healy. The role of the Group was to make recommendations on more extensive and diverse input by citizens into decision making at local government level. The Report of the Working Group was published on my Department’s website on 28 February 2014, and may be accessed using the following...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Election Management System (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department is reviewing the legislative, logistical and financial implications of independent voting, including voting by blind and visually impaired persons. In this context, my Department is considering a range of options including the use of tactile ballot paper templates in consultation with relevant State and other interest groups. More generally, my Department endeavours to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters Installation (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 459 to 463, inclusive, 470, 471 and 512 together. The Programme for Governmentsets 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Funding (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The current value of the Axes 3 and 4 LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 is €370 million. In addition, €5 million has been provided for an Axis 1 Agri-food measure. Of this, up to a maximum of 20% may be spent on administration expenses leaving a minimum of 80% of the funding available for projects and animation expenses. To date, €198 million...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Funding (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I expect to be in a position to formally announce the funding arrangements for the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020 shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Flood Prevention Measures (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Rathmines & Pembroke Sewerage Scheme was included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013, as a scheme to advance through the planning stage. The Swan River lies within the catchment area of the Rathmines and Pembroke Scheme. In May 2013 my Department approved Dublin City Council’s Brief for Engagement of Consultants to finalise the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, under which funding is provided for group water schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. Details of the grants available for such schemes may, therefore, be obtained from the local authorities. I am fully supportive of all technologies which contribute to the conservation of water. Rainwater harvesting...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Administration (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I understand that the Question refers to the Non-Principal Private Residence (NPPR) Charge. The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the NPPR Charge. The Charge which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence. The self-assessed...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Administration (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non- Principal Private Residence Charge. The NPPR Charge, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence. It is a matter for an owner, whether resident in Ireland or elsewhere, to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme Implementation (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Pyrite Resolution Board commenced accepting applications from eligible homeowners for inclusion in the pyrite remediation scheme on 26 February 2014. As matters stand, the Board has received in the order of 418 completed applications and these are currently being processed. Each application must first be validated by the Board which involves an assessment of the application against...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Qualifications (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: Completion of a domestic BER assessor training programme for dwellings is an essential requirement of registration for domestic BER assessors. The domestic BER assessor training programme enables participants to produce BER Certificates and Advisory Reports using the required calculation methodology, known as the DwellingsEnergy Assessment Procedure(DEAP), for new and existing dwellings of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Application (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply given to Questions Nos. 259, 268, 269 and 285 of 4 March 2014 which deals comprehensively with the key concerns raised. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The most recent published figures for unaccounted for water for each of the local authority administrative areas are set out in the report Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2012, which was published by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on 24 March 2014. Figures for unaccounted for water were first included in the report Service Indicators in Local Authorities 2008and this...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates Issues (30 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government Act 1946 provides that where a property in a county council or urban local authority area is unoccupied on the date of the making of the rate the owner becomes liable for payment of rates. However, the owner is entitled to a 100% refund if the property is vacant for specified purposes. Specified purposes are where the premises are unoccupied for the purpose of the...