Results 6,681-6,700 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Local Government Reform: Local Government Reform (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: Decisions on local authority structures generally will be a matter for Government in light of the broader reform proposals to be finalised shortly. In the meantime, the local government sector is progressing with the implementation of necessary efficiencies, including the development of shared services, continuing reductions in staff numbers and assessment of options for joint working and...

Written Answers — Local Government Reform: Local Government Reform (6 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. The Constituency Commission which...

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: My Department estimates that there is potential to generate up to 2,000 jobs per annum from the metering programme and the type of work involved would typically be carried out by general operatives, machinery operators and plumbers/fitters. Irish Water, a new State-owned water company to be established as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Eireann Group, will be responsible for...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: There are currently three employees in Donegal County Council in receipt of salaries in excess of €100,000. These comprise the County Manager and two Directors of Service. County Managers and Directors of Service may submit claims in respect of travel and subsistence expenses incurred as part of their official duties in accordance with the relevant travel and subsistence circulars. All...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (6 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 Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) is administering the household charge system on a...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 542 and 543 together. The sites referred to in the questions were cited in relation to the European Court of Justice judgement in Case C 494/01 as an example of Ireland's failure to comply with the 1975 Waste Framework Directive. My Department, on behalf of the State, has been liaising with the European Commission to ensure that the requirements of the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each City and County Manager is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible.

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: A flat fee of €800 applies in the case of all applications for a Disability Access Certificate (DAC). The fee is an administrative charge and is necessary having regard to the requirements for local authorities in processing of DAC applications. Access and use provisions, including the accessibility of the approach route, access at entry level and access to sanitary and other facilities...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. With regard to the application of rates to childcare facilities, where childcare provision is within a community facility, operating in...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The initial transition strategy for the establishment of Irish Water as a public utility as recommended in the independent assessment envisages a staged approach involving local authorities acting as agents of Irish Water for a period, with Irish Water taking over their operations on a phased basis from January 2015, and the full transfer of operations being completed by end 2017. This...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2012 was published on 9 May 2012 and was passed by Dáil Eireann on Thursday 24 May 2012. The Bill is scheduled to be debated by Seanad Eireann on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 June 2012. The Bill is required, inter alia, to facilitate my Department's agency rationalisation programme from 21 agencies/bodies to 11. This is in keeping with the...

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 549 to 551, inclusive, together. My Department manages the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages and assists the community's support for older people by means of a community-based grant scheme to improve the security of people over 65 years of age. The Scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of my Department. The...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (6 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 — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 553 and 558 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 household charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The household charge is on a self-assessment...

Written Answers — Third Level Courses: Third Level Courses (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: The status and the level of accreditation of the course in question is in the first instance a matter for consideration by the educational institution providing the course, working in conjunction with National Qualifications Authority of Ireland and the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland; the latter has been designated under Part 5 of the Building Control Act 2007 as the registration...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 560 and 561 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 household charge, unless entitled to claim a waiver or otherwise exempt. The household charge is on a self-assessment...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (6 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 Services: Water Services (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: It is not yet possible to register domestic waste water treatment systems. The on-line and written facilities for the registration of domestic wastewater treatment systems are currently being developed by the Local Government Management Agency on behalf of the local authorities and I understand that the programming work for the on-line system will be completed shortly. My Department is also...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (6 Jun 2012)

Phil Hogan: There is an inspection target of 12-15% of all buildings covered by valid commencement notices and Performance Indicators compiled for 2010 by the Local Government Management Agency (outlined in the following table) show that all but five Building Control Authorities (Galway County, Mayo, Tipperary North, Waterford City and Wexford County) met or exceeded the target Buildings inspected as...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (6 Jun 2012)

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...