Results 3,401-3,420 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (11 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: The ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous fuel (or 'smoky coal ban') was first introduced in Dublin in 1990 in response to severe episodes of winter smog that resulted from the widespread use of smoky coal for residential heating with consequential health impacts.  Air quality monitoring carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that the ban...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Energy Conservation (11 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to further improve the energy efficiency of new buildings with a view to moving towards carbon neutral homes in the longer term.In tandem with this commitment, Directive 2010/31/EU on the energy performance of buildings requires EU Member States, inter alia , to ensure that all new buildings will be nearly zero-energy by 31 December 2020 (or...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (11 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 to 167, inclusive, together. The overall strategy of investment in water services is to ensure that the timing and scale of investment facilitates economic and other development, achieves compliance with statutory requirements and promotes environmental sustainability objectives. The main vehicle for achieving these objectives for public domestic water...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Air Pollution (11 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: The ambient air quality monitoring programme in Ireland is carried out to meet the requirements of EU Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, also known as the CAFÉ Directive. The Directive requires that certain minimum levels of monitoring are conducted for the purpose of assessment and management of air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Water Treatment Issues (11 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: Recoupment by my Department to Kildare County Council in respect of expenditure by the council on waste water infrastructure in the past five years is set out in the following Table: Year Recoupment 2008 €1.25m 2009 €12.07m 2010 €7.54m 2011 €13.25m 2012 €4.12m My Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Status (11 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 170 and 171 together. Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, which includes group sewerage schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. In December 2012, I announced an increase in the grant for group sewerage schemes to €6,500 per house or 75% of the cost of the scheme, whichever is the lesser. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: We did get a bit of publicity for it in April but we will send details around again if the Deputy believes it is necessary. I am prepared to consider changing the review period from seven years to five years. Seven years seems a little long. We have an open mind on it. If the committee includes the matter as part of its recommendations, I am sure it might be considered.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy should note what was arrived at in that regard by the constitutional convention, of which the Deputy is in favour.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: Structures are being established to help countries to draw down that fund. The process has been quite slow. A small number of projects have been approved but we hope that between now and the meeting in Poland at the end of the year, there will be a lot more progress. The process has been frustrating for potential recipients of the funds, which are to promote the green economy while...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: There is a policy conflict that arises regularly and which raises heads, namely, the conflict between the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the need to produce enough food to feed the people of the world. That tension will always exist. Companies such as Glanbia or Kerry Foods, which are major exporters from this island, are now demanding certain practices on the part of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: While I do not wish to pre-empt what studies will be undertaken in each Department, as one would expect, Teagasc obviously is involved in agriculture. The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is undertaking its own boglands study. I understand that study has been under way for a considerable time and I hope it will come to a conclusion by the end of the year. This is something I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: We are in discussions and I believe Ireland was not fairly treated on the last occasion in respect of land use, land-use change and forestry, LULUCF, and we are seeking some changes in that regard to take account of the particular issues the Deputy has identified.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: On the question of the definition of low-carbon targets, we have defined it as an ambition to have near-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 in the case of energy, buildings and transport, as well as carbon neutrality in the case of agriculture. That is the working definition we are using. I refer to Deputy Humphrey's suggestion. We will be establishing the expert advisory council before...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: Senator Fiach Mac Conghail asked some general questions on our approach to climate change policy. The best example I can give the Senator is that during our Presidency we did an enormous amount of work in completing files in the European Parliament process which were lying around for a considerable period and which we prioritised. We got conclusions on priority substances - water, CO2...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: He will be aware also that we are signed up to the European Union-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: I do not believe that we need any duplication of targets. I am aware of a mantra going about that we should sign up to a 2050 target before anyone else, that we should demonstrate that level of ambition. We are a competitive, open economy and we will work in conjunction with our European Union partners. The European Union states are the leaders in trying to do something about this issue in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: No. It is feeding into the process in agriculture from the point of view of the sectoral roadmaps. The study being done is on boglands and peatlands.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Heads of Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: I thank the Chairman for the invitation to participate in the stakeholder debate the committee is facilitating on national climate policy and associated legislation. I greatly appreciate members' work and look forward to receiving their report in due course. Substantial progress has been made in terms of developing the national climate policy agenda since I met with the committee in...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Finances (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: Before I go into the detail of the case Deputy Durkan raised, I will give him some background information about certain controls in place since 2009 when a circular was issued by my Department in respect of the control and monitoring of local authorities' contribution to the general government balance, or GGB. The GGB is the measure of the borrowings and surpluses or deficits across the...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Finances (10 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: I assure the Acting Chairman that Deputy Durkan does not interpret me correctly. I have set out clearly that Leixlip Town Council has sufficient money in its capital account, as it had in 2012, to do some of the things it wishes to do. It should not take money from the revenue account in order to achieve the same purpose.