Results 7,361-7,380 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Local Government Charges: Local Government Charges (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 355 together. The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislative basis for the household charge. The Act places the household charge under the care and management of the local authorities, and application in particular circumstances is a matter for the relevant local...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 356 to 358, inclusive, together. Significant work has been undertaken by my Department to improve the throughput of foreshore applications and to modernise the consent process. The short-term administrative measures which have been developed include: · Introduction of a pre-application consultation process; · A scheme of prioritisation for all foreshore...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Dormant Accounts Acts provide for an annual transfer by credit institutions and insurance undertakings of monies in accounts determined to be dormant into the Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF). Since its establishment in April 2003 to the end of February 2012, the transfers to the DAF have totalled some €631.26m, which includes interest earned of some €35.58m. Funds reclaimed in that...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Forum's membership and terms of reference are currently being finalised. I intend that the first meeting of the Waste Management Forum will be held in April 2012.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Programme for Government commits to the development of a coherent national waste policy, adhering to the waste hierarchy, which will aim to minimise waste disposal in landfill and maximise recovery. I am prioritising this commitment, as I am anxious to provide early regulatory certainty, in the form of both policy and legislation, to ensure that the necessary actions and investments are...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (13 Mar 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 I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by a local authority, in...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 366 and 367 together. Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta (MFG), the group contracted by my Department to deliver Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER) of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) in Gaeltacht Areas, went into liquidation on 7 September 2011. Progress is ongoing in the context of the legal "winding up" process and all relevant RDP (LEADER) project files have been...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I understand that the grant in question was approved by Limerick County Council under its Community, Sports and Cultural Grants Scheme. As my Department has no role in relation to this scheme, I would advise the Group to contact Limerick County Council directly regarding a possible drawdown.

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: Following an application by the developer of the Priory Hall complex for Floor Area Compliance Certificates (FACC) as introduced by section 72 of the 2004 Finance Act, my Department assigned an inspector to process the application. My Department's inspector initially wrote to the developer in 26 May 2006 seeking a certificate of compliance with Planning Permission and Building Regulations, a...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 376 and 377 together. The legal proceedings in relation to Priory Hall are continuing and it would be inappropriate to anticipate their conclusion. In particular, the current appeal by Dublin City Council will be heard by the Supreme Court on 24 April 2012. I understand that Dublin City Council, having moved quickly in late 2011 to make arrangements for the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 378, 380 to 382, inclusive, 386, 394, 405, 410, and 417 to 419, inclusive, together. The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, set out the legislation underpinning the household charge and the charge on non-principal private residences respectively. Application of the legislation in particular...

Written Answers — County and City Managers' Association: County and City Managers' Association (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: The County and City Managers' Association engages with my Department on a regular basis and has made a range of submissions in recent years in that context. However, neither I nor my predecessor received any written submissions personally from the Association in 2011 and to date in 2012.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 388 of 6 March 2012 which sets out the position in this matter. The documentation for the State Aid notification was submitted through the relevant EU notification systems on 13 January 2012. As soon as my Department receives the Commission decision we will notify all Local Development Companies and the project referred to in the question will be...

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: My Department provides capital funding towards the provision and refurbishment of new and existing public libraries. In this regard, in 2008 my Department requested Library Authorities to provide details of priorities for library development within their area. In its response, Longford County Council ranked Ballymahon branch library as its main priority, followed by projects at Granard and...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (13 Mar 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. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. The annual rate on valuation (ARV), which is applied...

Written Answers — County Development Boards: County Development Boards (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: There is a range of initiatives currently in development with implications for the local government sector, arising, inter alia, from, the recent announcement of the establishment of Local Enterprise Offices, and the work of the Steering Group that I established on alignment between local government and local development. The Alignment Steering Group presented its Interim Report to me in...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 and the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012 provide the legislative basis for the household charge. Section 17 of the Act provides that income from the household charge is to be paid into the Local Government Fund. I am disbursing monies received from the household charge back to local authorities in the general-purpose grant...

Written Answers — Public Service Staff: Public Service Staff (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: My Department's only office in Co. Clare is the Met Éireann Aviation Service at Shannon Airport. An officer recently retired from this office. None of the agencies under the Department's remit is based in Co. Clare.

Written Answers — Local Authority Complaints Procedures: Local Authority Complaints Procedures (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 395 to 397, inclusive, together. Local authorities already have arrangements and applications in place which facilitate citizens in making complaints or suggestions or in reporting problems through various mediums, including by post, phone, text, fax, e-mail and on-line through their websites. In the context of the commitment in the Programme for Government,...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (13 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: Responsibility for matters relating to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) is spread across a number of Government Departments. My Department has responsibility for policy matters in relation to the deliberate release of GMOs into the environment and the contained use of GMOs. The Department of Health has responsibility for policy matters concerning genetically modified food and the...