Results 801-820 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Issues (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 674 and 676 together. The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides that the Pyrite Resolution Board may group dwellings tog ether for remediation works having regard to the need to secure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of available resources and it is the Board’s stated intention to do this where feasible and practical. However, in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Data (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 677 and 702 together. Staffing of my constituency office and that of my colleague, Ms. Jan O’Sullivan, T.D., Minister of State, is in accordance with the agreed staffing numbers set out in the Instructions on Ministerial Appointments for the 31st Dáil and the Guidelines on Staffing of Ministerial Offices of March 2011. The current information...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Funding (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: In December 2013 I announced an additional €4 million under the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP). Funding of €1 million was targeted at the Gaeltacht areas which suffered a loss of funding when Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta went into liquidation in 2011 and €3 million to the areas which experienced a reduction of greater than 15% in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 679, 680 and 683 together. Funding of approximately €1.9 million over a three-year period, beginning in 2012, is being allocated to Philanthropy Ireland ( on the basis that it is matched with funding from philanthropic sources ) to support the work of the Forum on Philanthropy and Fundraising. During 2013 my Department provided €631,635 to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: nister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Mr. P. Hogan) From 1 January 2014 Irish Water assumed responsibility for the delivery of water services capital infrastructure, including water conservation measures. Irish Water is committed to installing 1.05 million domestic meters across Ireland between now and 2016. International experience shows that water meters can reduce...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Regulations (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: The ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous fuel (or ‘smoky coal ban’ as it is commonly known) was first introduced in Dublin in 1990 in response to severe episodes of winter smog that resulted from the widespread use of smoky coal for residential heating . Air quality monitoring carried out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showed that the ban...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Policy (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: The regulatory provisions of the ban on the marketing, sale, distribution and use of bituminous fuel in specified ban areas are set out in the Air Pollution Act (Marketing, Sale, Distribution and Burning of Specified Fuels) Regulations 2012. The Regulations are enforced by authorised local authority personnel who may undertake inspections of premises and vehicles being used for the sale and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department publishes a wide range of housing statistics, including data, broken down by local authority and on an annual basis, on the number of land transfers, and payment amounts in lieu of land transfers, under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts. The statistics concerned are available on my Department’s website at . As with all local charges, the invoicing and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Animal Breeding Regulations (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: The primary legislation in relation to the control of dogs – the 1986 Control of Dogs Act - is already dog breed neutral , in that it requires all dog owners or persons in charge of a dog to keep the dog under effectual control. Specific control requirements in relation to certain dog breeds were set out in the Control of Dogs (Restriction of Certain Dogs) Regulations 1991 and updated...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Community Development Initiatives (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: The vision and focus underpinning the enhanced alignment of local government and local development is to achieve a more joined-up approach to service delivery at local level. This will be underpinned by new local governance arrangements that will seek to enhance involvement by citizens and communities in the implementation and targeting of services. The new measures will see the establishment...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Amendments (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 690 and 703 together. New Building Control Regulations have come into effect on 1 March 2014 requiring, inter alia, that statutory certificates of compliance be given by construction professionals in respect of the design and construction of new buildings. The statutory certificates of compliance must be signed by a registered professional i.e. a person...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management Issues (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 691 and 711 together. In its report Focus on UrbanWaste Water Treatment in 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) records the continuation of the trend of improved performance in waste water treatment over recent years but it also underlines the need for continued investment to address enduring infrastructural deficiencies and for improvements in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: In this case the established practice is the process by which a recruitment procedure is carried out by or on behalf of an employer, from the advertisement stage right through to the offer of a contract of employment.  At all times the employer must fulfil the requirements of employment legislation and all other legislation that may be relevant, such as that pertaining to Data...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Reports (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 139 of 12 March 2014. Reports/reviews/studies commissioned by the agencies under the aegis of my Department are a day-to-day operational matter for the bodies concerned and are therefore not collated centrally by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment Issues (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 388 of 11 February 2014 which sets out the position in this matter. In addition, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: Motor tax legislation provides that owners of vehicles with an annual tax of €119 or less must pay that tax on an annual basis. The relatively low rate of tax applied to such vehicles , including agricultural tractors, island vehicles, motor caravans, hearses and vintage vehicles , among others, is a concessionary rate of tax to reflect their seasonal or limited use on the roads.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: Legislation was enacted in December 2013 (the Water Services (No.2) Act 2013) which established Irish Water as the national water services authority from 1 January 2014. The Act provides for the transfer of water services functions from the 34 local authorities to Irish Water. This includes responsibility for the infrastructure associated with Group Water Schemes that had been taken over by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: I have not received an application from Sligo County Council in relation to the project referred to in the question.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Exemptions (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non Principal Private Residence Charge. The NPPR Charge, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence. It is a matter for an owner, whether resident in Ireland or elsewhere, to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters Issues (25 Mar 2014)

Phil Hogan: 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 public water supplies. The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the...