Results 1,061-1,080 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: Section 142 of the Local Government Act 2001 and the Local Authority Members (Gratuity) Regulations 2002 to 2006 provide that, subject to certain conditions, a councillor who ceases to be a member of a local authority is entitled to receive a gratuity at, or after, the age of 50. Where a person ceases to be a member before age 50, whether voluntarily or as a result of failure to be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies Board Remuneration (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann (BGÉ) and that the new company should be formed and registered under the Companies Acts. The Memorandum and Articles of Association, which were adopted by Irish Water on its incorporation in July 2013, provide that the appointment of directors to the Board of Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment Issues (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: I have no responsibility for, or role in relation to, the operation of water services infrastructure. The Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations 2007 provide for the authorisation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of discharges from public waste water treatment works and collection systems that are released to all types of receiving waters. The EPA reports on the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies Expenditure (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Water Services Transition Office (WSTO) was established by the County and City Managers’ Association to assist with the implementation of the water sector reform process. The role of the WSTO is to support the delivery of the water sector reform programme on behalf of the local government sector, by co-ordinating the involvement of the 34 County and City Councils on a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies Contracts (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: As Irish Water is a commercial utility and a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann, formed and registered under the Companies Act, I have no role in relation to the procurement by Irish Water of external resources. This is an operational matter for the company. However, my Department has asked Irish Water to put in place specific arrangements to address the queries which public...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Data Protection (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department is fully committed to the protection of data. There is an Officer in charge of developing and implementing a data protection policy in my Department and registration details are available on the website of the Data Protection Commissioner, .

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Severe Weather Events Response (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: Following consideration of a report from me on the severe weather that has affected Ireland, the Government decided on 11 February that a sum of up to €70 million will be made available for a programme of repair and remediation works. This will enable local authorities in the areas worst affected by the storms, including the most recent flooding, to help affected communities by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rainwater Harvesting Systems Provision (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: I am fully supportive of all technologies which contribute to the conservation of water. Rainwater harvesting has the potential to contribute to reducing the cost of water services for certain uses as well as benefiting the environment. Irish Water has an overall remit to promote water conservation. The use of water meters whereby the household will be charged for the amount of water...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 170 and 177 together. I understand the questions relate to a proposed Group Sewerage Scheme included in Monaghan County Council’s recently submitted request for funding under the 2014 Rural Water Programme. Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, which includes group sewerage schemes, has been devolved to local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Fund (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together. I presume the questions refer to the General Purpose Grant allocations from the Local Government Fund. In December 2013, I announced General Purpose Grants (GPGs) to local authorities of €275 million for 2014. When taken with the estimated water costs of up to €730 million that will be transferred from the local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Shared Services (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: Shared services have been identified in the Local Government Efficiency Review and the Public Service Reform Plans as an important opportunity to make further savings in administrative costs, through streamlining and improving service delivery without impacting on front line services. To drive the reform agenda, and in particular shared service initiatives, in the local government sector, a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Dublin Water Supply Scheme (Long-Term Water Source) was included in my Department’s Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013 as a scheme to advance through planning during the lifetime of the Programme. Studies have identified the River Shannon as the proposed source and the proposal was the subject of a Strategic Environmental Assessment. In September 2013,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (20 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: Licensing authorities have an obligation under Article 3 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 to be satisfied that a vehicle is correctly taxed and it is thus open to a motor tax office to seek any appropriate documentation that would indicate that the applicant is in trade or business when the goods rate of motor tax is being applied for. It is up...

Recent Flooding: Statements (Resumed) (19 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: I thank Members for their contributions to the debate on the series of storms that have hit the country since mid-December and their impact on people, infrastructure and property. I join Members of the House in sympathising with the colleagues, friends, relatives and loved ones of Michael O'Riordan, who was tragically killed on Saturday last while working to restore services in west Cork. ...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Local Authority Charges Review (19 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Senator's is correct to suggest that Cabinet reshuffles are above my pay grade. My colleagues and I are acutely aware of the pressures on businesses at this time, especially outside the major urban areas. The decline in business activity in our city centres, rural towns and villages has meant that many businesses have been unable to survive the downturn in economic activity, resulting...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Local Authority Charges Review (19 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: I am familiar with the specific case Senator Noone referred to in Rathdowney. It is just outside my constituency. I familiar with the outlet specifically mentioned in her contribution. I am open to considering all proposals that come from local authorities. Equally, it is a matter for local authorities if they wish to exercise restraint. They can classify a particular property in a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes Status (19 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: I thank Senator Mulcahy for raising this issue and providing me with the opportunity to set out the position in relation to the Shannon sewerage scheme. This was included as a scheme at planning in my Department's water services investment programme for the period 2010 to 2013. I approved the commitment of the necessary capital funding of just over €1 million to allow Clare County...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU Funding (19 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform have had initial discussions with the European Commission on possible EU funding under the Solidarity and Regional Support schemes. The purpose of the EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF) is to allow Member States to request financial aid in the event of major natural disasters. There is a damage threshold per Member State which is set at...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Yield (19 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: Audited local authority financial data for 2012 and 2013 are not yet available. The audit of the 2012 local authority Annual Financial Statements is scheduled for completion by end March 2014. Data relating to the water charges collected by the local authorities in 2011 were published in the Local Government Audit Service Activity Report 2013. This report is available on my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU Funding (19 Feb 2014)

Phil Hogan: The EU LIFE+ Programme 2007-2013 is a dedicated EU funding instrument for the environment, with the aim of contributing to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental policy and legislation by co-financing pilot or demonstration projects. The Programme is administered directly by the European Commission with funding allocated to projects on merit in accordance with...