Results 10,041-10,060 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Senator said the opposite a few moments ago. He may or may not realise that the gate fees relating to landfill sites have decreased to such a degree that materials which could be recycled are being placed in landfill. I do not believe that is in the interests of environmental or waste policy. By increasing landfill levies to such an extent, I am giving an incentive to people to move...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Senator contradicted himself on several occasions. We cannot enhance the prospect of recycling if it is more attractive for people to put waste in landfill. Regardless of whether the Senator likes it, that is what is happening here.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: One cannot change consumers' behaviour without providing fiscal instruments to assist them.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: The country will have to meet its obligations under the landfill directives to which the Government led by the Deputy's party signed up. If we do not hit the relevant targets in 2013 and 2016, we will be obliged to pay fines to the European Commission. Ordinary people will be obliged to pay those fines through their taxes. Is that the proper way to proceed in respect of waste policy? I...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: Yes, they have a free option. The Senator wants that waste to go to landfill.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: What the Senator is proposing will cost the consumer more.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: There must be options.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: Yes. Where is the Senator's problem in regard to landfill?

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin seem to be going down the road of more landfill sites in every community. They should tell their constituents where these facilities will be located.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: I will outline the solution. Senator Ó Domhnaill acknowledged that it is much cheaper to go the recycling route. That is why I am imposing levies on landfill - to ensure consumers opt for the cheaper option. How does the Senator envisage an additional charge for consumers in Donegal arising from the landfill levy given that a cheaper option is available to them?

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Senator has just referred to the wonderful free recycling service in Donegal. I am proposing to make it more attractive for consumers to avail of recycling by imposing a levy on landfill. The objective of the charge is to act as a deterrent. I also intend to introduce legislation to facilitate the development of waste-to-energy facilities, in respect of which the previous Government...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Senator is contradicting himself.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: I am trying to use financial instruments in order to divert away from landfill. I make no apologies for that because it is what must be done to ensure we do not find ourselves in breach of landfill directives in the future. Equally, it is the correct action to take for the environment. Proposals on commercial and household food regulations are out for public consultation and Senators are...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: I agree with the Senator on the third aspect of the amendment, that power be devolved to local government members to deal with waste management plans. I remind him that Poolbeg incinerator project was approved by councillors in the Dublin regional waste management plan approximately ten or 11 years ago. The democratic devolution the Senator states did not occur on many occasions did occur...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: The amendment proposes that the monetary amounts of fines for penalties under the Air Pollution Act be further increased beyond the significant increases that I have already announced. Paragraph (a) refers to fines on summary conviction and proposes that a larger increase than that proposed by the Government be introduced. This is not necessary as I propose to align them with the 2010 Fines...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: The amendment proposes to insert in section 9 a new provision regarding the sealing and labelling requirements for fuel bags under fuel regulations. As I stated this morning, turf and timber are exempt from the regulations. In section 10, the ban on the sale and marketing of certain fuels in restricted areas applies to coal with a gross calorific value of less than 24 megajoules -...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: Senator Ó Domhnaill knows the plastic bag levy has nothing to do with raising revenue. Rather, this environmental measure was introduced to dictate consumer behaviour. I congratulate the former Ministers, Mr. Noel Dempsey and Mr. Dick Roche, on introducing and increasing this levy, respectively. They had good reasons for doing so. We want to divert plastic from landfill and every other...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil]: Second Stage (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: We are doing better in that respect.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil]: Second Stage (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: We have burned a few bondholders for the Senator.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil]: Second Stage (26 Jul 2011)

Phil Hogan: I will bring the matter Senator Mooney has raised to the attention of my Department but I do not have a response at this stage. Senators raised the increase in the landfill levy. The indication for the next three years will bring certainty to the market and eliminate the confusion that has existed for some time. It is appropriate to do so given the low level of gate fees at present....