Results 6,441-6,460 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Water Pollution (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: It is a difficult issue that dates back to 2009 when there was a proposal to have universal inspection of all septic tanks and to have the EPA code of practice of 2009 implemented. We negotiated with the European Commission. It brought us to court and that is the reason the European Court of Justice judgment was handed down. The Commission needed a comprehensive register of septic tanks in...

Water Pollution (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I will be progressing the Gweedore sewerage scheme in line with several other sewerage schemes that are required. Over the last year and a half I have allocated and spent €400 million in places where, perhaps, people did not expect allocations to be made. That is particularly the case in County Galway, where there is a huge problem and huge under-investment in rural as well as urban...

Water Charges (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The memorandum of understanding with the EU, IMF and ECB commits Ireland to introducing water charges for households during the programming period. However, no decision has been taken by the Government on the exact date for the introduction of water charges. The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has decided that water meters...

Water Charges (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: It is far from my intention to suck away the local authority involvement in terms of knowledge or expertise. There will be service level agreements between Irish Water and local authorities. They will continue to be involved in the provision of water and wastewater facilities and the operation and maintenance of them at local level, as they are now. What I am taking away is the...

Local Government Elections (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: Unlike for Dáil constituencies, there are no constitutional or statutory requirements in relation to the frequency of local electoral area boundary reviews. The most recent reviews of local electoral areas were carried out in 1998 and 2008. The June 2009 local elections took place on the basis of the local electoral areas enacted following the 2008 review. I will now give consideration to...

Local Government Elections (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: Hopefully, people will be in a position to know whether they are going to contest the elections at the end of January 2013.

Written Answers — Household Charge: Household Charge (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides the legislative basis for the household charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the household charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The household charge is on a self-assessment basis and it is a matter for an owner of a residential...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The rate of grant available for Group Sewerage Schemes is €2,031.58 per house or 75% of the cost of the scheme, whichever is the lesser. I have accepted a proposal from the National Rural Water Services Committee, who have a role in advising me on rural water policy, that the rate of grant be reviewed during 2012. They will be examining this issue, taking into account, inter alia, the...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: In accordance with the provisions of the Waste Management Acts, the preparation and adoption of a waste management plan, including in respect of infrastructure provision, is the statutory responsibility of the local authority or authorities concerned, and under section 60(3) of the Act the Minister is precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by a local...

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Government decided in December 2011, based on the recommendations of an independent assessment, to establish a public water utility company, Irish Water, to take over the operational and capital delivery functions of local authorities in the water services area. Following further evaluation, the Government decided that Irish Water should be established as an independent state owned...

Written Answers — Local Government Reform: Local Government Reform (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 3 and 5 on today's order paper, which sets out the position on this matter.

Written Answers — Tourism Promotion: Tourism Promotion (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: In April 2012, I announced the provision of €2,150,000 in grant funding in 2012, to assist local authorities in their efforts to tackle the problem of litter through awareness raising, enforcement and the maintenance of key tourist areas across the country. €900,000 was made available under the Anti-Litter & Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme, €750,000 under a new Litter Enforcement...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 611 and 612 of 6 June 2012 which outlines the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: There are no plans currently under consideration within my Department for an assessment along the lines suggested. The Building Control Act 1990 clearly places responsibility for compliance with the Building Regulations on the owner of the building concerned and on the builder/developer who carries out the works. The Building Regulations set out the legally enforceable minimum standards which...

Written Answers — Energy Usage: Energy Usage (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The European Communities (Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services) Regulations 2009 transposed Directive 2006/32/EC into Irish Law. Part 4 of the Regulations outlines a number of obligations relevant to individual public bodies (including local authorities) in relation to improving their performance with regard to energy efficiency. In this context, Ireland's National Energy Efficiency...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: Section 14 of the Building Control Act 1990 provides for the establishment of the Building Regulations Advisory Body (BRAB) to advise me on matters relating to the Building Regulations. The BRAB is comprised of nominated representatives of key construction industry stakeholders (both private and public sectors) and includes a member nominated by the National Consumer Agency. It provides...

Written Answers — Public Sector Pay: Public Sector Pay (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: All matters relating to the rates of pay of civil servants are dealt with at central level by my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 172 together. I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 143, 144 and 156 of 13 June 2012 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Local Government Reform: Local Government Reform (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 187 together. I intend to bring proposals to Government in the coming weeks covering an extensive programme of local government reform and these will include proposals on enhanced alignment between local development and local government. The latter will be based on the work undertaken by the high level Steering Group that I established to consider the...

Written Answers — Household Charge: Household Charge (28 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 166 together. The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides the legislative basis for the household charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the €100 household charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The household charge is on a...