Results 9,341-9,360 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Security of the Elderly: Security of the Elderly (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: My Department is responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme but has not received an application for the person referred to in the question. The Scheme supports qualifying older people, aged 65 and older, by providing funding towards monitored personal alarms and other items of security and safety equipment. Applications are made through the applicant's local community or voluntary group. My...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The developed country Parties who associated with the Copenhagen Accord (including the EU and all Member States) agreed to provide a fast-start finance package, over the three years 2010 to 2012, to assist developing countries address climate change. Ireland undertook to contribute up to €100m to the package and, to date, has reported funding amounting to €66m. The question of providing...

Written Answers — Emergency Homeless Accommodation: Emergency Homeless Accommodation (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 337 to 339, inclusive, together. My Department's role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 broadened the revenue base of local authorities by introducing a charge on all non-principal private residences. The charge is payable by the owners of private rented accommodation, holiday homes and any other residential property that is not the owner's sole or main residence. I have no plans at present to amend the 2009 Act to provide exemptions...

Written Answers — Litter Pollution: Litter Pollution (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The value of the chewing gum market in Ireland is estimated at approximately €40 million per annum. Therefore, a levy of 2 cent per packet, assuming an average price of 50 cent per packet of chewing gum, would raise approximately €1.6 million per annum. However, such a levy would not directly address the root cause of the associated litter problem, which is the incorrect disposal of...

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The training of fire service personnel is the statutory duty of individual fire authorities under the Section 15.1 of the Fire Services Act 1981. Fire authorities provide initial recruit training, as well as training in the use of breathing apparatus to an agreed national syllabus, for all entrants to the fire service. While my Department's National Directorate for Fire and Emergency...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The statutory position is set down at subsection 62(4) of the Building Control Act 2007 which provides that a registration fee must not in any case exceed the combined costs of providing the registration service and any reasonable charges incurred in collecting, accounting for and administering the fee.

Written Answers — Information Technology: Information Technology (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 344 and 345 together. My Department does not lease computer servers. My Department is currently engaged in consolidating servers to a bladed infrastructure which utilises virtual server technologies thus reducing significantly the need for separate physical servers and the power consumption associated with them. This consolidated infrastructure is supported...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: My Department's Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing (2005) are designed to achieve a balance between a good planning framework for rural housing and the local housing needs of those who are part of, or have links to, local rural communities. They elaborate on the physical development policies for rural areas as set out in the Government's National Spatial...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: There is no firm estimate of cost for the Greater Dublin Regional Drainage Project - North Dublin Wastewater Treatment Plant and Orbital Sewer, being planned by Fingal County Council but my Department understands from the local authority that the entire scheme is not expected to cost more than €500m. A firmer estimate of cost will be available when the Preliminary Report for the scheme is...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 to 351, inclusive, together. The position in relation to the appointment of returning officers is as follows: · Section 30 of the Electoral Act, 1992 sets out the provisions relating to the appointment of returning officers for Dáil constituencies. Section 30(2) provides that where a constituency is situated wholly within one county or city the...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: In response to the requirement in the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland for an economic analysis of the potential impact on competition and consumer prices of eliminating or relaxing the floorspace cap on retail premises, my Department and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation commissioned Forfás to undertake an evidence-based and focused study to analyse the...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce competitive tendering for household waste collection, whereby service providers would bid to provide waste collection services in a given area, for a given period of time and to a guaranteed level of service. A public consultation designed to inform the policy development process concluded in September 2011. A large number of...

Written Answers — Motor Taxation: Motor Taxation (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The question of applying the new CO2 based motor tax system to all cars was subject to detailed discussion during the debate on the Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Act 2008. Any retrospection would not be possible, as the CO2 data for the pre-July 2008 car fleet were not authenticated for business purposes. Furthermore, it is my understanding that a test for CO2 emissions does not form...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 355 and 371 together. I assume the questions refer to the decision to approve disbursements from the Dormant Accounts Fund for a once-off measure up to the value of €1.25m for the five new provincial towns incorporated under RAPID. These are Ballina, Dungarvan, Enniscorthy, Mullingar and Rathkeale. Under Government Accounting procedures, disbursements on...

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I understand that implementation of the new regime for city and county managers will require legislation. As part of the overall reform of local government, it is my intention that the new system will be in place before any future appointments as city or county manager are made. My Department is currently examining the legal and practical aspects of the changes required and I will bring...

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The provision of a fire service in County Donegal, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, the provision of premises and the making of such other provisions as it considers necessary or desirable is a statutory function of Donegal County Council under the provisions of the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. Accordingly, the issue of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Services: Local Authority Services (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: I have no function in relation to roadside drain cleaning and the removal of autumn leaves by the Dublin Local Authorities, which is a matter for those local authorities.

Written Answers — Regulatory Bodies: Regulatory Bodies (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI) has been designated as the registration body for persons wishing to use the title of architect in accordance with the provisions of the Building Control Act 2007. The function of a registration body under the Act is limited to such administrative actions as are necessary to establish and maintain the relevant registers. The Act does not...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (22 Nov 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 provides the legislative basis for the €200 charge on non-principal private residences (NPPR), including the application of late payment fees. The Act places the onus on an owner of a residential property which is situated in the State to assess his or her liability for the charge in the first instance and there is no obligation on local authorities,...