Results 10,341-10,360 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Fire Services: Fire Services (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: Under section 10 of the Fire Services Act, 1981 a fire authority is required to make provision for the delivery of fire services in its functional area, including in particular, responsibility to make adequate provision for the reception of and response to calls for the assistance of the fire brigade. Fire authorities have successfully worked together with my Department on a shared services...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland under its fiscal consolidation measures commits to the introduction of a property tax for 2012 and to an increase in the property tax for 2013. The Programme reflects the need, in the context of the State's overall financial position, to put the funding of locally delivered services on a sound financial footing, improve accountability and...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: Minister of State Penrose and myself are entitled to claim the following allowances from my Department. In relation to the use of our own cars on official business, we may claim for official mileage up to a maximum of 96,540 kilometres per annum. I can claim 59.07 cent per kilometre for the first 6,437 kilometres in respect of a car with an engine capacity between 1,501 and 2,000cc, and...

Written Answers — Rural Development Programme: Rural Development Programme (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 337 to 340, inclusive, together. The information sought is provided in the tables below. I am pleased with the progress to date under the Programme in the Galway area. Notwithstanding the difficulties presented in the current economic climate the programme continues to facilitate access to significant financial resources for rural communities. This has...

Written Answers — Local Authority Services: Local Authority Services (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: Local authorities have arrangements and applications in place which facilitate citizens in making complaints or suggestions or in reporting problems through various mediums, including by post, phone, text, fax, e-mail and on-line through their websites. In the context of the commitment in the Programme for Government, my Department is working with local authorities in developing options for...

Written Answers — RAPID Programme: RAPID Programme (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: Under Government Accounting procedures, disbursements on dormant accounts measures are paid in the first instance "up front" from my Department's Vote in the same way as with any other spending programme. The Dormant Accounts budget for my Department for 2011 is fully committed to existing projects, and my priority must be to ensure that legal contractual commitments are met. The position...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: My Department provides annual block grant allocations to local authorities under its Rural Water Programme, which includes group water schemes. Under the programme, grants of 100% of the costs of certain works on group water schemes are covered by my Department while grants of up to 85% of the costs, subject to a maximum grant of €6,475.66 per house or €7,475.66 per house as the case may...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The issue of potential health effects of electromagnetic fields was the subject of an Expert Group Report published by Government in March 2007 entitled Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields. This report is available for download on my Department's website (www.environ.ie/en/publications). The Expert Group examined a wide range of issues in relation to the potential health effects of...

Written Answers — Elections Policy: Elections Policy (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 349 together. The term of office of the current President expires on 10 November 2011. Article 12.3.3 of the Constitution provides that an election for the office of President shall be held in the 60 day period before the expiry of the term of office of the President. This gives a period commencing on 11 September 2011 and ending on 10 November 2011....

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 351 together. In October 2009, the European Court of Justice ruled that Ireland failed to adopt the necessary legislation to comply with Articles 4 and 8 of Council Directive 75/442/EEC, known as the Waste Directive, regarding domestic wastewaters disposed of in the countryside through septic tanks and other individual wastewater treatment systems....

Written Answers — Fire Stations: Fire Stations (28 Jun 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. Accordingly, the...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The amount paid by my Department, including Met Éireann an operating Division of the Department, under two contracts for outsourced IT services, was €511,567 in 2010 and €228,934 to the end of May 2011. The Department does not hold information on outsourced IT services for bodies under its aegis.

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (28 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each County and City Manager is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. Due to the particular nature of the Local Government Sector, with thirty four County and City Councils of differing scales, providing a range of...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (23 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, which sets out the detail of the €200 charge on non-principal private residences, is structured with a starting position of a universal liability for residential property in respect of the charge. It goes on to exempt certain buildings and owners from this liability, the most important exemption being where a property is occupied by the owner as his...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (23 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: Commercial rates are local property taxes that are levied by local authorities on commercial properties rateable under the Valuation Act 2001. Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered on the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation. The determination of...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (23 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Walks Scheme is currently operating on 40 trails being managed by 14 Local Development Companies around the country. The Scheme involves 1,804 participant landholders who are contracted to carry out maintenance work on these trails. In 2011 payments to these landholders will amount to some €1.9m. In line with the commitments in the Programme for Government and the requirements of the...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (23 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 117 together. The Programme for Government provides for the introduction of a fair funding model to deliver clean and reliable water. The objective is to install water meters in households and move to a charging system based on usage above a free allowance. My Department is currently preparing a strategy to implement these proposals, including the...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (23 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 237, 247, 248, 249, 250 and 259 of 21 June 2011 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (23 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: Local authority rates are legally payable in two moieties. However, local authorities also facilitate the payment of rates by instalments, including by direct debit, standing order, cheque and cash. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority and this would include the arrangements for ratepayers in making payment by instalments. In this regard,...

Written Answers — Environmental Protection: Environmental Protection (23 Jun 2011)

Phil Hogan: The Environmental Noise Regulations 2006 give effect in Ireland to EU Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is designated as the National Authority for the purpose of the Regulations. The EPA's role includes supervisory, advisory and coordination functions in relation to noise-mapping, action planning,...