Results 8,721-8,740 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: Yes-----

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: -----and it proved to be wrong. I am happy to correct the Deputy.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: It is a €50 once-off charge. There will be no charge for re-registration. There will be no inspection charge. The €50 covers everything.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: Yes, and it is in the Bill, which is very unusual. That never happened in Fianna Fáil's time. The €50 is in the legislation to make sure that people understand it. The revenue raised will be used by the local authorities to meet the cost of having inspections carried out in accordance with an inspection plan to be developed by the local authority and the Environmental Protection Agency,...

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I am coming to that. The Local Government (Planning and Development) Act 1963 came into force in October 1964 and records of developments carried out since then are held by the planning authorities. However, properties constructed since 1964 have been sold, sometimes more than once, and the planning records do not contain details of changes of ownership because under this legislation the...

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy can continue saying that if he wishes but I am explaining to him the reason that is not the case. The court will reconvene in early 2012 and Ireland must have a defence. We can put our heads in the sand and say we do not need to bother with the court case and pay the fines. Is that what the Deputy is asking taxpayers to do?

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: That is fine. We have to have the legislation.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: It never ceases to amaze me how the members of the previous Government and their party colleagues, even the newly elected Deputies, can conveniently forget the commitments they made. It is only eight months since they were in Government. Page 24 of A Renewed Programme for Government agreed between Fianna Fáil and the Green Party - I believe Deputy McGrath was in Fianna Fáil at that time -...

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: What has gone wrong since? The Deputy voted for that at that time.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I would also remind the House that we are now facing the imposition of substantial fines. That is due to the lack of prioritisation-----

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: This is south Tipperary politics. Deputy Healy will have to referee this debate.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I heard the Deputy had an expert in Tipperary the other night.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: This is due to the lack of prioritisation given to the matter by the previous Government. This Government is acting decisively to make sure we will not land the taxpayer again with another-----

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: My Department is examining in detail the regulatory systems in place in other jurisdictions. I understand Deputy Halligan mentioned Northern Ireland and Scotland, and he said we should replicate it here. In Northern Ireland, regardless of-----

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: -----when a septic tank was constructed and installed, there is a discharge consent under the water order of 1999. The Deputy's Sinn Féin colleagues could have educated him about that. With effect from 1 April 2011 the application fee in Northern Ireland increased from £110 to £115 for a discharge licence.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: So I am wrong and the Deputies are right. Deputy Halligan should listen to this. In Scotland, from 1 April 2006-----

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: -----and this is not an April fool's job, the registration of the septic tanks with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is required. The registration fees are £77 for on-line applications and £104 for using a hard copy application form. The Deputy ought to get his facts right in terms of the charges.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: No, but you will have an expert on Monday night. You will know everything after Monday night.

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: Deputies Doherty and MacLochlainn of Sinn Féin mentioned the Cavan model. The Cavan model was an excellent idea by Cavan County Council in 2004. It asked people to register. There were 100% inspections to be carried out. It cost an average of €200 to assess the septic tanks under the Cavan model. That is too onerous. Fianna Fáil Senators in the upper House forced a vote on an...

Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: They want 100% inspections.