Results 2,861-2,880 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Other Questions: Fire Safety Regulations (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: I have changed the Building Control Regulations, as the Deputy is aware. It is the first time in many years that all of this has been revamped to make sure that the residents, the people in the apartment block or in the house, are on a risk-based approach being able to ensure that we have good, sound, heavy-handed regulation this time rather than light-touch regulation. The building control...

Other Questions: Fire Safety Regulations (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: I cannot be responsible for the sins of the past, and I am sure the Deputy would not expect me to be.

Other Questions: Fire Safety Regulations (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: There are many legacy issues that we have to try to resolve, and we have a lot more to do.

Topical Issue Debate: Security of the Elderly (23 Oct 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...

Topical Issue Debate: Security of the Elderly (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: I thank the Deputies. There is an appreciation of this scheme on both sides of the House. It is a community-based initiative which promotes independent living for older people, and I am a very strong supporter of that. Under the scheme to date, grants have only been provided for landline solutions. Mobile solutions, which are being examined by the Department, have additional advantages...

Topical Issue Debate: IBRC Mortgage Loan Book (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: I am standing in for the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, who is overseas on official business. I am sorry he is not able to be here to answer the question with more knowledge and detail. I will give the Deputy the benefit of the information with which I have been furnished. The Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act 2013 was introduced to enable the liquidation of the IBRC to proceed...

Topical Issue Debate: IBRC Mortgage Loan Book (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: There is no easy way to maximise the return for the taxpayer from the sale of a loan book, especially at a time when the pillar banks in this country, like society in general, have very few options when trying to access credit for people who wish to retrieve their loans from those institutions. Those who wish to buy products from NAMA or the IBRC or from loan books generally, which is...

Topical Issue Debate: IBRC Mortgage Loan Book (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: I suppose the Deputy's point is that she does not want to see corporate greed entering into this situation and taking advantage of the problems I have mentioned.

Topical Issue Debate: IBRC Mortgage Loan Book (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Minister for Finance thought about this long and hard before putting in place a process, including an Act of the Oireachtas, to ensure we maximise the return for the taxpayer. The judgment calls have to be made. We will see the outcome of those calls in November, when we will know what value we will get from the sale of the loan book in the first instance.

Local Government Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy might go himself.

Local Government Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: Or Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.

Local Government Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: Maybe Vincent should stand as well.

Local Government Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: Sinn Féin is doing the opposite in the North.

Other Questions: Housing Finance Agency Funding (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: That was €30 million more than Fianna Fáil allocated.

Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: The vision and focus underpinning the enhanced alignment of local government and local development is to achieve a more joined-up approach to service delivery at local level. This will be supported by new local governance arrangements that will seek to enhance involvement by citizens and communities in the implementation and targeting of services. The new measures will see the introduction...

Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: I regret that Deputy Browne has not been fully informed by the staff in Wexford. There is an ongoing alignment process in which three chief executives-----

Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: There is something. They met again yesterday. It was the seventh meeting they have had this year. Deputy Browne is not fully informed. The three chief executives of the development network that are representing the staff to whom Deputy Browne referred should be in a position to tell those staff what is going on. These are private companies. This is the structure the Fianna Fáil-led...

Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Department funds the companies to carry out and service programmes on behalf of the Department, but the companies employing the staff are private companies, like Wexford Local Development.

Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: No one has said these staff will be employees of local authorities. I am unsure from where Deputy Browne got that information. These are private companies employing private staff. They must make their own provisions on the basis of the contracts they have signed over a five year period, and that is what they are doing. Negotiations are ongoing. A meeting took place yesterday. As soon as...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pyrite Issues (23 Oct 2013)

Phil Hogan: We are keeping all options open on potential legal challenges based on case law before the courts at the moment. The Supreme Court will hear a number of significant cases, hopefully in the near future, which will give us the necessary case law to go on. If there is a legal opening for the State to extract some moneys from the quarrying or insurance sectors, we would certainly be glad to do...