Results 21-40 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency: Motion (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: It is a five-year term.

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency: Motion (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Senator would never be partisan, would he?

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency: Motion (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: First, I thank Senator Whelan and his colleagues for this timely motion, as well as for their kind words on the work my Department has carried out over the past three years and which has been completed successfully. This praise of course must be shared more widely. I believe the links between environmentally-beneficial policies, sustainable growth and job creation are recognised centrally...

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency: Motion (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: We will be there.

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency: Motion (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Deputy is very presumptuous.

Seanad: Environmental Protection Agency: Motion (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: He knows everything.

Topical Issue Debate: Library Services Provision (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Wicklow County Council operates 13 public libraries across the county, plus its mobile library and library headquarters. In 2012, there were 489,669 visits to the library service. Local authorities have seen a significant reduction in staffing numbers over the last few years, and while this has assisted in the re-balancing of public...

Topical Issue Debate: Library Services Provision (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: I assure the Deputy that the closure of Ballywaltrim local history service is regretted. It was done to minimise the impact on Greystones. As part of the staff sanction application process, the Department must consult with the libraries development section at the Local Government Management Agency, and this is under way. The agency provides oversight for all library services and will have...

Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Code (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection. Self-employed persons pay PRSI at the class S rate of 4%, subject to a minimum annual payment of €500. This entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Amendments (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: There are no proposals for the establishment of a State regulatory and accreditation body for plumbing services along the lines suggested under consideration by my Department. The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), which comes under the remit of the nister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, is the lead agency in relation to the formulation of quality, design and safety...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters Installation (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: The Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group and assigns the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the water metering programme. The meter installation programme commenced in August 2013 and will be completed by mid-2016. The timeframe and the allocation of resources for the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 328 together. The information sought is contained in the table s below. The amount invoiced during the period 1 June 2013 to 31 May 2014 by individuals and companies to whom the withholding tax was applied and who provided legal, consultancy, IT - related, advisory, advertising and accountancy professional services to my Department was...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Training (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department's expenditure on third level courses, training programmes and courses for the period 1 September 2013 to 30 June 2014 year amounted to €205,496. 39 applications were approved under the Payment and Refund of Fees Scheme at a cost of €116,905. The range of courses and their associated cost is outlined in the tables below: No Payment and Refund of Fees Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Training (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department's learning and development allocation for 2014 is €358,000, which includes €58,000 in respect of learning and development in Met Eireann. This is in respect of 748 FTE staff at 1 January 2014. The savings that would be associated with a 5%, 7%, 10%, 12%, 15%, 17% and 20% reduction to learning and development allocations are set out in the table below: ...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Exchequer Savings (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: My Department's travel and subsistence allocation for 2014, including in respect of Met Éireann, is €1,390,000. The saving s that would be associated with a 5%, 7%, 10%, 12%, 15%, 17% and 20% reduction to the travel and subsistence allocation are set out in the table below: Reductions Amounts 5% €69,500 7% €97,300 10% €139,000 12%...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Exchequer Savings (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 to 334, inclusive, together. Vote 25, as published in Revised Estimates for Public Services 2014by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, provides funding for the range of housing, community and other programmes for which my Department is responsible. At this stage, my Department is working towards achieving full expenditure of voted resources...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: There are papers on file in my Department regarding the grant of a waste permit at the location in question including communications on the matter between my Department and Wicklow County Council. The position in this matter, as set out in the reply to Question No. 194 of 28 June 2012, remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Illegal Dumping (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: The case in question relates to an illegal landfill site at Whitestown, Co. Wicklow. In November 2001, Wicklow County Council discovered that unauthorised dumping had taken place on this site and subsequent investigations revealed that the illegal dumping operation was systematic and large scale and had taken place over a period of a number of years, from 1996 to 2001. By June 2002, Wicklow...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Sector Funding (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: The funding scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. A new round of funding was advertised for applications earlier this year. I asked Pobal to undertake an assessment of the applications received, given that organisation's...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Community (9 Jul 2014)

Phil Hogan: The proposals outlined in Putting People First - Action Programme for Effective Local Governmentseek to position local government “as the primary vehicle of governance and public service at local level – leading economic, social and community development, delivering efficient and good value services, and representing citizens and local communities effectively and...