Results 701-720 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: It is a matter for each local authority, including Sligo County Council , to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which include adopting the annual budget...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Amendments (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 and 385 together. The Building Control Act 2007, among other things, provides for the registration of persons entitled to use the professional titles of Architect and Building Surveyor. The title of Chartered Engineer is also protected by separate legislation. Registration of title is necessary in order to protect consumers from unqualified persons...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 386 and 399 to 401, inclusive, together. The Programme for Government sets 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme Implementation (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The initial phase of the pyrite remediation programme will deal with approximately 1,000 dwellings which, it is estimated, are in need of urgent repair. In October 2013 , the Government approved initial funding of €10 million for the implementation of the scheme in 2014. Further funding will be provided over the next two years following consultation with the nister for Public...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Members' Remit (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: Councillors have a wide range of reserved functions, details of which are defined in law across a large number of enactments. These comprise mainly decisions on important matters of policy and finance. Schedule 3 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, in conjunction with section 21, sets out, for the first time, a comprehensive list of reserved functions. In accordance with the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Parliamentary Questions Costs (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: No staff in my Department are assigned on a full-time basis to dealing with Parliamentary Questions, which are dealt with, as the need arises, by the staff of the Business Units dealing with the particular issue(s) raised in individual questions. The number and level of staff and the time spent on preparing responses to individual Parliamentary Questions, and the associated cost, depends on a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Funding (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 396 to 398, inclusive, together. My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation for homeless persons and related...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Control Management System (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: Responsibility for the control of building activity is currently vested in 37 local building control authorities in line with the Building Control Act 1990. The new Building Control Management System (BCMS) is an online system which facilitates the electronic administration of building control functions. As such it will greatly benefit building control authorities and owners, builders and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Animal Breeding Regulations (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department is in ongoing contact with groups involved in dog control and dog welfare issues, as well as with the professional staff of the local authority veterinary services around the country. I remain open to all views and developments in this area and receive such views from interested parties on an ongoing basis. There are different views on various dog control issues, including...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Agencies Reports (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Environmental Protection Agency has completed and submitted to my Department a report on their assessment of the impact on air quality of the fire which occurred over the period January 25 - 29 at the Oxigen facility in Ballymount. In compiling the report, the EPA has consulted with the Health Services Executive who provided information and advice with regard to the human health impacts...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Septic Tank Inspections (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published The National Inspection Plan 2013: Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems on 19 February 2013. The Plan was drawn up to best international standards and underpins the risk-based inspection of septic tanks and other on-site treatment systems. The inspection system is consistent with the necessity to ensure compliance with the provisions of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Street Nomenclature (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The law currently in force in relation to the changing of placenames is set out in the Local Government Act 1946, as amended. Section 78 of the 1946 Act provides that a local authority may, with the consent of the majority of qualified electors, change the name of a street. The procedures for holding a plebiscite of qualified electors on a proposal to change a street name are set out in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Construction Industry Register Ireland (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I see the introduction of the Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI) on a voluntary basis this year and the move to a statutory register by 2015 as critically important steps towards restoring public confidence in the construction industry. The Construction Industry Federation (CIF), which initiated the scheme, has appointed Mr Hank Fogarty as the Chairman of the board of the CIRI....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (8 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 256 on today’s Order Paper by my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Correspondence received in my Department is assessed and dealt with as expeditiously as possible and brought to my attention where appropriate. Any communication purporting to allege wrongdoing by a member of staff of my Department would be investigated in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Dormant Accounts Fund Administration (3 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: Under the balances on dormant accounts with banks, building societies and An Post and the net encashment value of certain life assurance policies are paid into the Dormant Accounts Fund, which is managed by the . The primary purpose of the legislation is to re-unite the original account holders with their moneys, including all interest due. In addition, the legislation also provides that...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (3 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 266 of 4 March 2014 which sets out the position in this matter. Irish Water has put in place specific arrangements to address the queries which public representatives may have in relation to matters pertaining to the operation of water services under the new utility. I understand that Irish Water has made contact with Oireachtas members to outline the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (3 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: Under section 54 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, a planning authority may add to its record of protected structures a structure, a specified part of a structure or a specified feature of the attendant grounds of a structure, where the authority considers that the addition is necessary or desirable in order to protect a structure, or part of a structure, of special architectural,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (3 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which includes adopting the annual budget, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority. Dublin City Council's budget is available on its website, . The Revised Estimates Volume for Public Services 2014, published by the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Expenditure (3 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 to 143, inclusive, together. General purpose grants are a contribution from my Department towards meeting the cost to local authorities of providing a reasonable level of services to their customers. €640,903,434 was paid to local authorities from the Local Government Fund in general purpose grants in 2013. The table below details the general...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Qualifications (3 Apr 2014)

Phil Hogan: Domestic BER assessor training courses, first introduced in 2007, were provided by training providers registered with a National Awards Body (i.e. Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC), Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) or one of the Universities) recognised under the National Framework of Qualifications. Successful...