Results 7,421-7,440 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Burial Grounds (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy might send me details of those levels of extortionate costs, as in the case of the plot that cost €8,000 and I will have that investigated.

Burial Grounds (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I must admit that regulating the cost of burial plots and burial grounds was not high on my list of priorities. The Deputies have indicated that there is a significant variation in the costs charged. There are problems associated with it. I would glad if the Deputies would forward me examples to back up the assertions that have been made in the House and I will have them investigated.

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: The 2002 National Spatial Strategy (NSS) is a twenty-year planning framework designed to achieve a better balance of social, economic and physical development and population growth between regions, and it provides the spatial vision and principles for statutory regional planning guidelines across eight regions and for development plans at a local level. A comprehensive review of...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: Three contracts of the Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme, Phase 3 are included in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2010 - 2012 as contracts to start within the lifetime of the Programme. The Osberstown Wastewater Treatment Plant contract, with an estimated cost of €22 million, is one of these contracts. Under this contract Kildare County Council propose to expand...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: Article 78 of the Local Government (Superannuation) (Consolidation) Scheme 1998 – 2007 deals with the pension entitlements of city and county managers. Under the existing arrangements a manager is entitled to maximum pension equal to half pensionable remuneration and a maximum retirement lump sum of one and a half times pensionable remuneration. A manager may also be entitled to up to 10...

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (8 Mar 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. It will...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: In general I am precluded, under section 30 of the Planning and Development Acts, from exercising any power or control in relation to any individual planning application or appeal with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned. The strategic consent process under the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006, which became operational from 31...

Written Answers — Local Government Reform: Local Government Reform (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Priority Question No. 5 on today's order paper, which sets out the position in relation to local government reform, including the aspects raised in the question.

Written Answers — Local Authority Funding: Local Authority Funding (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: It is estimated that there are some 1.6 million residential properties potentially liable to the household charge. As such, if collected in full, the household charge has the potential to raise €160 million annually. The household charge is framed on a self assessment basis at a point in time. It is a matter for those who own residential property liable to the charge to declare this and...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 59 together. The consultation process on the application from Providence Resources for a foreshore licence in respect of site investigations and the drilling of an exploratory well off Dalkey included referral of the application to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and Wicklow County Councils. Submissions received from these and other public bodies have been...

Written Answers — Motor Fuels: Motor Fuels (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: Enforcement action in relation to illegal diesel laundering activities is primarily a matter for the Revenue Commissioners, given the potential associated losses to the Exchequer. In carrying out their functions as competent authorities under waste legislation, local authorities have a role in taking the necessary measures to ensure that any waste generated and left abandoned by diesel...

Written Answers — Household Charge: Household Charge (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: As part of the process of preparing the National Housing Development Survey 2011, published by my Department in October 2011, local authorities provided details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. These data, and not information collected in 2010, were used in the determination of household charge waiver eligibility. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31, 53 and 124 together. I refer to the reply to Question No 162 of 1 March 2012 which sets out the position in relation to the inspections undertaken by the Housing Inspectorate of my Department following an application by the developer of the Priory Hall complex for Floor Area Compliance Certificates (FACCs) as introduced by section 72 of the 2004 Finance...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Building Regulations (Part M Amendment) Regulations 2010 and the accompanying Technical Guidance Document M – Access and Use make provision for the access and use of buildings by people with, inter alia, mobility issues. The revised regulations, which came into effect on 1 January 2012, followed a comprehensive review of Part M requirements by my Department working in conjunction with...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: Ireland does not draw down funds from the World Bank carbon funds. In January 2007, the Government entered into an agreement with the World Bank to invest €20 million in two of its carbon funds; €10m each in the Carbon Fund for Europe and the BioCarbon Fund. Payments on foot of this investment are handled by the National Treasury Management Agency, on behalf of my Department, under the...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 54 together. The Building Control Acts 1990 to 2007 set out a clear statutory framework for construction activity based on: · clear legal standards as set out in the Building Regulations; · detailed Technical Guidance Documents to outline how these standards can be achieved in practice; · the burden and responsibility for compliance resting...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: Part B of the Building Regulations sets out the legal requirements in relation to fire safety in respect of new buildings and in respect of existing buildings undergoing works involving an extension, material alteration or material change of use. The Part B requirements represent a national statutory minimum standard of fire safety provision and there is no question of variance in the legal...

Written Answers — Landfill Sites: Landfill Sites (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: In 2011, I provided a total of €5.56m in funding towards the costs arising in responding to the situation which arose at the Kerdiffstown landfill. Of this, €1.56m was paid to Kildare County Council in respect of the costs incurred in extinguishing the sub-surface fire which had developed at the site. Following the completion of the fire fighting activity on 25 February 2011, the fire...

Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to complete ratification of the Aarhus Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. The three pillars of the Convention are partially implemented in EU law by two Directives. The first of these deals with public access to environmental information and was...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (8 Mar 2012)

Phil Hogan: The information sought is not available in my Department. Decisions in relation to the appropriate levels of staffing for building control purposes are a matter for each County and City Manager who, under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or...