Results 7,661-7,680 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Following clearance by Government, a draft Framework for Sustainable Development for Ireland (FSDI) was published for public consultation in December, 2011. A public consultation seminar was held on 24 January, 2011 which was attended by a broad range of stakeholders, including from academia. The consultation period concludes on 29 February, 2011 and it is open to all stakeholders,...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: 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. Under the legislation, owners of residential property are liable to the household charge, including those persons with a liability to pay the charge on non-principal...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 201 and 202 together. 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. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four categories as follows: Category one, where the development is still...

Written Answers — Foreshore Licences: Foreshore Licences (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The application involves the proposed lease of an area of foreshore by Donegal County Council and a proposal by the Council to sub-lease a portion of the foreshore concerned to a third party. It has come to my Department's attention that the nature of the proposal for which the Council had originally intended to make the third party sub-lease has changed substantially. The proposed changes...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (15 Feb 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. There is a range of options available for persons to pay the household charge. An online system www.householdcharge.ie is in place in the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) to enable homeowners to pay the household...

Written Answers — Dormant Accounts Fund: Dormant Accounts Fund (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Since its establishment in April 2003 to the end of December 2011, the transfers to the Dormant Accounts Fund have totalled some €631.14m, which includes interest earned of some €35.51m. Funds reclaimed in that period by account holders amounted to approximately €228.94m. The net value of the Dormant Accounts Fund (uncommitted funds) at year-end was €69.091m, subject to final audit....

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The provision of fire services in local authority areas, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigades, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting of general policy, training support and issue...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: 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. Under the legislation, owners of residential property are liable to the household charge, including those persons with a liability to pay the charge on non-principal...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, broadened the revenue base of local authorities by introducing a charge on non-principal private residences. The charge is set at €200 and liability for it falls, in the main, on owners of rental, holiday and vacant properties. Under the Act, it is a function of a local authority to collect non-principal private residence charges and...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (15 Feb 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. Under section 5(1) of the Act, the owner of a residential property, who on a liability date, is liable to pay a household charge to a relevant local authority, or who is entitled to a waiver from payment of a household charge...

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Preparations for my Department's role in Ireland's Presidency of the EU commenced in July 2010 with the establishment of an internal committee to co-ordinate arrangements and significant progress has been made since then in building a draft Presidency programme. My Department is also working closely with the Departments of An Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade who are co-ordinating...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: The information requested in respect of relevant payments made by my Department from 2007 to 2011 is set out in the following table. Year Cost €* 2011 118,101 2010 134,234 2009 30,622 2008 143,167 2007 44,925 *In addition to the payments shown, some other contractual arrangements for services contain an element of recoupment for incidental legal fees; the table does not include...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: If a Member of the Oireachtas is paying money for his or her own purposes, such as in respect of a constituency office, he or she is paying for services that apply to himself or herself. Therefore, there is no requirement to disclose that. It is not a donation. I will have to seek legal clarification on the Senator's question in regard to donations being paid to third parties for other...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: I will have the matter clarified for Report Stage. If political parties do not want to draw down the entire amount of disbursement under the Leader's allowance they do not have to do so.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: They do not have to draw down the full amount of their entitlement by way of party leader allowance, in terms of disbursements which they get from the public purse. If they choose to do so, that is fine. It would result in a saving for the taxpayer.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: These amendments address the provisions in the Bill dealing with the disclosure of political donations and political funding and relate to sections 9, 18 and 26 of the Bill. Section 9 provides for a significant lowering of the thresholds at which donations must be declared and the threshold for disclosure by a political party to the Standards in Public Office Commission is being reduced from...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: As I have stated previously, 14 years is a long time to wait for it to happen, but it is happening now.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: Amendment No. 29, tabled by Senator Fiach Mac Conghail and others, seeks to extend the provisions dealing with the submission of political party accounts by all independent and non-party Members of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. I believe I have mentioned how this is likely to be dealt with, as the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin, intends to bring...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: A reduction in the declaration thresholds is a highly significant measure. It can be seen as part of a range of measures included in the Bill that will have the cumulative effect of providing for a more open and transparent system of political funding in Ireland and a severe limitation on the scope for corporate influence on politics arising from funding and contributions made from that...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Phil Hogan: During the debate on section 2, I dealt with many of the points that have been raised by Senators Mac Conghail, McAleese and others. I have taken on board the matters to which they refer. I indicated on Second Stage and reiterated the point earlier that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, will be addressing these matters and that he has them under active...