Results 8,601-8,620 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: That is up to the Deputy if he wants to break the law.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy is getting a little excited about the charge and he is working hard on it.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: Late payment fees and late payment interest will only apply if the household charge is not paid in respect of a liable property by or on the due date of 31 March. These are similar provisions to those that apply under Revenue legislation in respect of the late filing and payment of certain taxes and will act as an incentive for persons to pay the self-assessment household charge on time....

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: Is there with a problem with socialism that the Deputy-----

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Bill contains 20 sections and is a relatively straightforward piece of legislation, which will be easy for Deputy Higgins to understand. Essentially, owners of liable residential property will be required to pay to the Local Government Management Agency an annual charge of €100. I consider it important to minimise the costs associated with its collection. Accordingly, county and city...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: There is no problem if they pay it.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: The provisions of section 7(3) to (7) came in for some comment on Committee Stage in the Upper House. These provisions deal with circumstances where a person who is the sole owner of a residential property dies and, at the time of his or her death, household charges and late payment fees and interest were due and unpaid. It was suggested that upon an owner's death, such unpaid charges and...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: Such a provision could potentially create an incentive for persons to avoid or attempt to evade payment of the household charge. I believe the provisions of section 7 provide for a reasonable solution to the matter. Penalties and interest which had been accruing up to the point of death cease and no further penalties are applied, provided the personal representative of the deceased...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: -----late payment fees and interest due up to the date of death within three months of the date of the grant of representation to the estate of the deceased. Where a property liable for the charge is being sold, the Bill provides in section 10(3) that the vendor will be required to discharge all outstanding household charges, late payment fees and late payment interest on or before the date...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Government has decided that the household charge will apply to properties in this group and has, furthermore, decided to remove the non-principal private residence exemption with effect from 2012. Linked to this is the exemption for properties leased to the HSE, which will fall to be treated in the same way as RAS. The Bill also amends the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 to provide...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: A €10 transaction charge was also recommended by the local government efficiency review group to apply to all payments other than those made electronically. However, at this stage it is only proposed to apply the additional administrative charge to over-the-counter payments for the NPPR - the Deputies did not wait for the second or third sentence. Given the fact that some people may still...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: Deputy Higgins will have to answer that, not me. The Government is not solely focused on local government funding issues. We are also seeking to ensure that local government delivers the services that our communities expect as efficiently and cost effectively as possible. I will ensure that the proceeds of the household charge will be put to the optimum use in delivering local services on...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: Deputy Higgins will have his chance later.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (13 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: The day before.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (8 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: Ireland, along with the majority of other Member States, has developed a Green Public Procurement (GPP) Action Plan. The Plan, which I propose to publish next month, is consistent with the principles set out in EC Communication (COM (2008) 400) which defines GPP as "a process whereby public authorities seek to procure goods, services and works with a reduced environmental impact throughout...

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (8 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, the provision of a premises and the making of such other provisions as it considers necessary or desirable, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (8 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 to 55, inclusive, 57 and 58 together. The Programme for Government provides for the establishment of a new State-owned national water authority to take over responsibility for managing and supervising investment in water services infrastructure and to manage the domestic water metering programme. The Memorandum of Understanding between Ireland and the...

Written Answers — Water Services: Water Services (8 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 59 to 61, inclusive, together. The Programme for Government provides for the establishment of a new State-owned national water authority to take over responsibility for managing and supervising investment in water services infrastructure and to manage the domestic water metering programme. The Memorandum of Understanding between Ireland and the EU/IMF...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (8 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: Water quality in Ireland compares favourably with that of other European countries. The most recent EPA report on water quality, Water Quality in Ireland 2007-2009 , found that the overall quality of surface waters had stabilised while that of groundwater had improved over the previous three-year period. A 50% reduction in the number of seriously polluted river sites was noted in the report...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (8 Dec 2011)

Phil Hogan: The development and maintenance of critical walking infrastructure is fundamental to the whole approach to facilitating access to the countryside for recreation and activity tourism purposes. The Wicklow Way is one of over 40 National Waymarked Ways that are the backbone of the walking product in Ireland. Wicklow is one of the first counties to develop an integrated representative management...