Results 14,421-14,440 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (11 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: The report of the independent Pyrite Panel (2012) recommended inter alia, that in light of the knowledge and experience gained since 2007 when the problem of pyrite was first brought to the attention of my Department, a more detailed and specific testing, certification and traceability regime should be put in place for hardcore material to be used in dwellings and buildings . Following...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Political Funding (11 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: Sections 41 and 42 of the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 inserted a new Part IX into the Electoral Act 1997. This places a requirement on political parties to prepare and submit an audited statement of accounts annually to the Standards in Public Office Commission for publication. The Act provides that the accounts be based on guidelines published by the Commission....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (11 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it.  Households not connected to a public sewer will therefore not be liable for charges for waste water treatment. Where a household is connected to a public water supply but is not connected to a public sewer, the household will only pay for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electoral Reform (11 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department held a public consultation on the control of postering for elections and referenda in Autumn 2008. Following on from this, a number of measures, including restricting the number of posters per candidate and the display of posters in designated areas only, were pilot-tested during the 2009 Local and European Elections. Local authorities were also canvassed for their views on...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal (12 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: Enforcement in relation to illegal diesel laundering activities is primarily a matter for the Revenue Commissioners from the point of view of avoiding loss of revenue to the Exchequer. My Department assists local authorities in carrying out their role as competent authorities under waste legislation, which is to take the necessary measures, on behalf of the State, to ensure that any waste...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Dormant Accounts Fund Management (12 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Dormant Accounts Act 2001 (as amended by the Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Act 2003, the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2005 and the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2012), provides for a scheme to transfer dormant funds in banks, building societies and An Post and the transfer of moneys payable under unclaimed life assurance policies to the care of the State, while guaranteeing a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (12 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: 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 provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Administration (12 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 together. The LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 (RDP) will be delivered using a Community Led Local Development approach as required under EU Regulations governing the implementation of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. Ireland is proposing to support the implementation of the LEADER elements of the RDP...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Property Taxation Application (12 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Government has indicated an intention to move to 80% retention of all Local Property Tax (LPT) receipts within the local authority area where the tax is raised. The remaining 20% of LPT collected will then be applied to equalise the impact of this level of local retention between local authorities. This year, the establishment of Irish Water presents local government with significant...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Expenditure (12 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: The current value of the Axes 3 and 4 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. Up to a maximum of 20% of the total expenditure can be used to defray administration expenses leaving a minimum of 80% of the funding available for projects and animation expenses. To date,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (12 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department does not hold or collect the information requested. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Data (12 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department manages its existing staffing resources in line with approved staffing and budget levels, through internal staff assignments and redeployment, limited recruitment and the streamlining of business areas to ensure optimum staffing to meet priority business needs. The Government moratorium on recruitment and promotion restricts the filling of public service posts by recruitment,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Compliance (12 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 155 together. In accordance with the Derelict Sites Act 1990 and the Local Government Acts, owners have a statutory responsibility to make sure that their property does not become derelict or contain any dangerous structure. If it does, an owner must take steps to remedy the situation and may otherwise be liable for prosecution by the relevant local...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Property Taxation Rate (17 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: Effective from 1 July 2014, local authorities may vary the rate of property tax in their administrative area for the following year by up to 15% of the basic rate of the tax. As Deputy Cowen said, the decision must be taken by resolution of the council and must be notified to the Revenue Commissioners by 30 September in order to apply for the following year. There are certain factors that...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Property Taxation Rate (17 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Government has indicated its intention to move towards 80% retention from 1 January 2015 and the remaining 20% of the tax will be used to assist weaker authorities in terms of the equalisation of funds. Naturally, the priority for the equalisation would be to support the local authorities with a weaker funding basis. I expect to notify local authorities in the coming weeks of those...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Property Taxation Rate (17 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: I can confirm to the Deputy that local property tax is a discretionary income that is collected locally and the maximum autonomy will be given to councillors in order to discharge their functions in respect of the income and expenditure, which they can vary up or down as the case may be in terms of the service provision they wish to apply. I expect the new found powers of councillors will be...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: Not like the communists in Europe with whom Sinn Féin is joined.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pyrite Issues (17 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: The reason I introduced the new regulations is because everything was not well. I acknowledge the proactive approach of the Association of Consulting Engineers in highlighting this matter. It is entirely appropriate that all professional bodies involve themselves in disseminating such relevant information among their membership. Under the construction products regulation, manufacturers...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pyrite Issues (17 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: The issues raised by the Deputy have nothing to do with the new building regulations yet, as they have only been in operation since 1 March. However, standards have been in place for these concrete blocks going back to 1987. The problem is with enforcement and I completely agree with the Deputy that the building authority must do more to enforce the regulations that already are in place....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pyrite Issues (17 Jun 2014)

Phil Hogan: Deputy Wallace is referring to a different regulation than the construction products regulation to which his question referred. That regulation has been in place for years. Deputy Wallace will be very familiar from his previous working life outside the Oireachtas about what can happen if people want to cut corners. We have cut corners in the past on the building side and I inherited some of...