Results 1,661-1,680 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Motion to Recommit (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: Local government is at the bottom.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Motion to Recommit (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: What about the elected representatives?

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Motion to Recommit (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: Senator Cullinane should acknowledge that locally-elected representatives with a democratic mandate from the people are the most important people on the ground with whom one should consult. We are valuing them by giving them more responsibility. They are the people whom I support. The community sector will have to go to local authorities and work with them.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Motion to Recommit (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: No. Senator Cullinane might be well used to being subservient in the manner in which his party deals with opposition in the community, in particular in Northern Ireland but we do not subscribe to that view. We are aligning the community sector with local government to ensure that the elected person, who has a mandate from the people, is centre stage and has the more powerful voice. There...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Motion to Recommit (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: I am including an amendment for definitions of both community elements and economic elements of the integrated plan to be added to section 128A.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Motion to Recommit (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: Amendment No. 29 addresses an omission in the published Bill. It proposes that section 45 of the Local Government Act 2001, relating to the attendance of the media and the public at local authority meetings, shall not apply in the case of the local community development committees. Although local community development committees will be local authority committees, their role and function...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: During the Committee Stage debate on section 2 of the Bill I undertook to examine the wording in subsection (2) and, in particular, the use of the term "expedient". This was in response to an amendment tabled by the Senator and I am grateful for the opportunity to address the issue again in response to further amendments before the House today tabled by Senators David Norris and Sean D....

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: We are dealing with amendments Nos. 4 to 6, inclusive, together.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: It is important to restate what we intend to achieve with this provision. The Local Government Reform Bill, when enacted, will give effect to a comprehensive reform of local government structures, functions and governance. It involves significant amendments of and additions to the existing local government code and it is possible that unanticipated issues may emerge post-enactment. This...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: This is a set of largely technical amendments to take account of the provisions of the Local Government Reform Bill on other legislation. Part 6 of Schedule 2 deals with minor consequential amendments to Acts other than those already dealt with in Schedule 1 and in Parts 1 to 5 of Schedule 2, as a result of the reform programme. Extensive additions to Part 6 were made on Committee Stage in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Household Charge Collection (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provided the legislative basis for the Household Charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date is liable to pay the Household Charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. The Charge has operated on a self-assessment basis with an owner of a residential property determining liability and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Upgrade (15 Jan 2014)

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 and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rural Development Policy (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) was launched in October 2012 by Minister Coveney and me. The aim of the Commission was to carry out an extensive public consultation and research exercise on the future economic potential of rural Ireland and how best to channel funding and resources between 2014 and 2025. The most significant element of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services. Irish Water will not collect charges from any households not connected to a public water supply including private group schemes. My Department will remain responsible for the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Service Issues (15 Jan 2014)

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. In February 2013 I...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 490 and 493 together. The Government’s Action Programme for Effective Local Government sets out Government policy decisions in relation to a range of local government reform measures including a more effective, coherent and comprehensive system of sub-county municipal governance, encompassing both urban and rural areas, to strengthen local government...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Pollution (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: Chromium VI and Chromium III are listed as specific substances in the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Surface Waters) Regulations 2009. These Regulations contain Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) for substances discharged to waters. In accordance with these Regulations, monitoring of Irish surface waters is undertaken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Data (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department has had a contract in place for the provision of telephone switch services in each of the past five years. The service was delivered by three staff until 2011; since 2012 the service has been provided by two staff. This contract is in place to assist my Department in meeting its commitment to providing a quality service to customers in line with our Customer Charter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: Fundamental changes are being made to the role of the manager within the system of local governance and the balance of powers between the executive and the elected council, through a range of new provisions in section 51 of the Local Government Reform Bill 2013. The Bill provides for the replacement of the traditional city and county manager position by a new post of "chief executive". The...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (15 Jan 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 499 and 511 together. 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 and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire...