Results 381-400 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 515, 521, 526, 528, 536, 542, 557, 560 and 575 together. 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: Irish Water Staff (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of Bórd 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Charges Application (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 517 and 576 together. The Local Government Act 1946 provides that where a property in a county council or urban local authority is unoccupied on the date of the making of the rate, the owner becomes liable for rates. However, the owner is entitled to a refund if the property is vacant for specified purposes i.e. if the premises are unoccupied for the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of water services capital infrastructure. Irish Water has recently published its Proposed Capital Investment Plan for 2014–2016 and this is available on the Irish Water web site, . The further progression of all water services capital projects is now a matter for Irish Water to consider. Irish Water has confirmed to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Evictions (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: I have no function in relation to the issue raised in the Question which is a matter for Westmeath County Council.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: I am acutely aware of the difficult and distressing situation faced by many homeowners who have been affected by pyritic heave and it was against this background that I set up the independent Pyrite Panel in September 2011 to identify solutions for a resolution to the pyrite problem. In its report the Pyrite Panel recommended that only dwellings with significant damage due to pyritic heave...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Staff (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: Staffing arrangements within Irish Water is an operational matter for the company and one in which I have no function. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water has confirmed to my Department that it has established a dedicated team to deal with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters Installation (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 525, 552, 555 and 570 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 to public water...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Animal Welfare (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: Statistics in relation to a range of dog control responsibilities of local authorities, including dog licence numbers, are published annually by my Department and are available for 2013 at the following link: .

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Job Losses (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department, along with other Government Departments, Agencies and other statutory and non-statutory funders, has contracts with local development companies and other organisations in respect of various programmes and schemes. Outside of contracting for such programmes, my Department has no role in the internal operations of local development companies and, therefore, does not have a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides for the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of water services from the water services authorities to Irish Water. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services and has been working in partnership with the local authorities under the Service Level Agreements. Irish Water has put in place a dedicated support...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: Banking and investment arrangements with financial institutions for the prudent management of funds are a matter for individual local authorities under section 98 of the Local Government Act 2001.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 538, 544 and 546 together. I have no function in relation to commercial road vehicle tax in Northern Ireland. Motor tax rates in this jurisdiction are available on my Department’s website at: The Irish Road Haulage Association have proposed the introduction of a road charging scheme for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), along with a change in the basis of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Amendments (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Building Control Act 1990 places a clear statutory obligation on owners, designers and builders to ensure that buildings are designed and constructed in compliance with the building regulations. This applies to all sectors of the construction industry, including the self-build sector. Neither the Building Control Act nor any regulations thereunder, including the new Building Control...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Funding (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of water services capital infrastructure. Irish Water has recently published its Proposed Capital Investment Plan for 2014–2016 and this is available on the Irish Water web site,. The further progression of all water services capital projects is now a matter for Irish Water to consider. Irish Water has confirmed to my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Control of Dogs (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: Dog control activities are the responsibility of local authorities. My Department publishes statistics in relation to these activities, which are available at the following link: . Those statistics show no evidence that a growing number of local authorities are not rehoming or releasing dogs to rescue centres; in fact, all local authorities rehome dogs, the majority doing so in co-operation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Expenditure (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: In line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, there are 35 Local Action Groups (LAGs) contracted, on my Department’s behalf, to deliver the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP) throughout the country. The LAG for the area referred to in the question is North...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Applications (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: Preparations for Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 (RDP) have begun and while these preparations are primarily the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), my Department will be responsible for the LEADER elements of the Programme. It is envisaged that Ireland will submit a draft Programme to the European Commission for approval by the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Applications (27 May 2014)

Phil Hogan: In line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development, there are 35 Local Action Groups (LAGs) contracted, on my Department’s behalf, to deliver the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP) throughout the country. The relevant LAG in respect of the project referred to is Mayo North East LEADER Partnership (MNELP). The LAGs are the...