Results 4,781-4,800 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: I have established a Local Government Reform Implementation Advisory Group to drive implementation of the Action Programme for Effective Local Government. The establishment of a colloquium,in due course, of the elected members of the four Dublin local authorities to consider the options for the introduction of a directly elected Mayor for a Dublin metropolitan areawillbe part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: I met with the Irish Local Development Network on 21 January 2013 to discuss the new initiatives arising from Putting People First, and, in particular, the recommendations of the Steering Group on alignment between local government and local development. The meeting focussed on the implementation of these recommendations, as well as other issues relating to local development, such as...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: National Oversight and Audit Commission Establishment (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Action Programme for Effective Local Government , which I published in October 2012, sets out Government policy for reform of local government and, inter alia, includes the establishment of a National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC). The NOAC will provide an independent high quality scrutiny of local government performance in fulfilling national, regional and local mandates. It...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: The introduction of the Local Property Tax will provide a more sustainable funding model for local government, will devolve greater responsibility for financial decisions to the local level, and will help renew the relationship between the citizen and his or her local authority. In distributing Local Property Tax income to local authorities through the Local Government Fund, I will seek to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Community Development Initiatives (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: An Alignment Implementation Group will be established by my Department to assist and advise on the implementation of the recommendations of the Alignment Steering Group. The Implementation Group will be chaired and managed by my Department and comprise representatives from local government (via the City/County Managers Association) local development (from the Irish Local Development Network)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local and Community Development Programme (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Local and Community Development Programme, launched on 1 January 2010, superseded the Local Development Social Inclusion and the Community Development Programmes. Funding for the Local and Community Development Programme in the years in question is outlined in the following table. Year Expenditure 2009* €73,393m 2010 €67,454m 2011 €62,445m 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: RAPID Programme (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 204 together. RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) areas are urban areas designated as disadvantaged by reference to a range of socio-economic criteria including the levels of early school leaving; the proportion of one parent households; the unemployment rate; the proportion of social housing; and the age dependency...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management Regulations (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Government’s new waste policy, A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland, was published in July 2012. Among the measures included in the policy is the establishment of an interdepartmental working group to report to Government with options to minimise the impact of waste charges on low income households. The working group, which comprises representatives of my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: The following table outlines the requested information as at 29 January 2013 . I n late 2011 the European Commission approved a change in co-funding rates for Rural Development Programmes (RDP) for countries that are part of the Financial Stabilisation Mechanism. This change enabled Ireland to increase the co-financing rate from 55% to 85% under the Axes 3 and 4 elements of the RDP and came...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU Presidency Agenda (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: My Department’s EU Presidency priorities fall under three broad headings – strategy, legislation and the international agenda. On strategy, my main focus is on the 7 Environment Action Programme which sets out the priority objectives for EU environment policy for the next ten years. I am aiming to achieve First Reading Agreement on this dossier. The second policy priority...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Western Development Commission Funding (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: The total amount of funding both current and capital provided to the Western Development Commission since 2009 is detailed in the following table. Year Current €000 Capital €000 2009 2,157 2,300 2010 1,683 492 2011 1,458 - 2012 1,387 - 2013* 1,545 - *Estimated provision for 2013 Current funding is provided for operating costs including...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Interdepartmental Committee Membership (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Final Report of the Local Government/Local Development Steering Group recommended that an Inter-Departmental Group should be established to lead and oversee the implementation of a coherent whole-of-government approach to planning, management and delivery of local and community development interventions and programmes. The Inter-Departmental Group will be small and task-focused and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Proposed Legislation (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180, 199 and 203 together. I refer to the replies to Priority Question Nos. 132 and 139 on today’s order paper. Tackling climate change is a global challenge which is being addressed through the ongoing work under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. I am satisfied that Ireland’s greenhouse gas mitigation achievements...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Regulations (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: The effective prevention, detection and prosecution of environmental crime is an increasingly complex and multi-agency area of criminal justice. My Department’s role is to provide a comprehensive environmental legislative and policy framework within which the relevant enforcement authorities operate.  Much enforcement activity takes place at local authority level, with the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: Since 2007 my Department has provided annual funding to the Community Members of the Social Partnership Pillar . This funding has been awarded to support costs , not funded from any other sources, directly related to the organisations’ contribution to policy-making in the social partnership process . In 2013 funding of some €560,0 00 will be provided under the Scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Security of the Elderly (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Seniors Alert Scheme provides grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of equipment to enable older persons, without sufficient means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding for the 2013 Seniors Alert Scheme will be similar to the allocation made in 2012 and will be finalised in the revised estimates volume to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Dormant Accounts Fund (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 205, 190 and 186 together. Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013 have funding of €314m for allocation to qualifying projects up to the end of 2013.  One of the objectives of the RDP is to identify and provide appropriate amenity and leisure facilities to local communities not otherwise available to them,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rural Development Programme (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: With the reduced resources available for my Department’s funding programmes, the CLÁR programme is being wound down and all of the commitments remaining are in relation to Sports Capital projects. The lead Department in relation to these projects is the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS). Provision will be maintained to meet existing commitments arising during this...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Nuclear Safety (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: In November 2012, I published a summary of the report prepared by an independent team of international experts, commissioned by Ireland, which assessed the probable risks to Ireland from incidents at the Sellafield nuclear site. The experts quantified the likelihood of incidents occurring at Sellafield resulting in the release of radioactive material, and as stated in the public summary, the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (5 Feb 2013)

Phil Hogan: I have discussions with my European Union counterparts and the Commissioner for Climate Action on an on-going basis, including bilaterally and at the Council of Ministers when it meets in its environment formation, on matters concerning climate change. In the second half of 2012, I engaged in an intensive round of bilateral discussions with my counterparts focused on key policy and...