Results 321-340 of 1,441 for speaker:Ann Phelan

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: When the Bill is signed by the President. We would be looking towards the end of November.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: No, in terms of the 90 days. It will be towards the end of August, and then November.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: I cannot accept this amendment. Waste collection companies are already obliged under the conditions of their permit to ensure that waste is disposed of only at appropriate licensed facilities. The amendment would force applicants for waste collection permits to enter into binding commercial contracts with waste disposal operations before they even have a collection permit and when there is...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: The Bill is designed to drive higher standards in the waste collection industry. The bar has been raised in terms of the standards required to access a waste collection permit, while existing permits will be more regularly reviewed for breaches of permit conditions. The suite of enforcement tools has been expanded and permits will be revoked for infractions of waste legislation. This is...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: This amendment proposes the deletion of section 49. I cannot accept the amendment. The section provides for an amendment to section 5 of the Water Services Act 2014, which deals with payment of the water conservation grant. It is to provide that an approved housing body in receipt of funding under sections 38 and 39 of the Health Act 2004 and responsible for the payment of water charges on...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: I draw the attention of Senators to the fact that this is important in ensuring that the occupiers of those properties are treated the same as any other domestic customers and the water conservation grant is applied where the approved housing body is paying domestic water charges on behalf of tenants.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: I assume Senator Cáit Keane's contribution does not need a response.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: The Bill provides that the database can be used solely for the purpose of paying a water conservation grant under section 5 of the Water Services Act 2014. It may not be used for any other purpose. A figure of €130 million has been provided in the Department's Estimate for the water conservation grants scheme in 2015. This includes the administration costs for the Department of...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (21 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: I do not have anything to add.

Leaders’ Questions (16 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: Deputy McGrath needs to speak to his county manager.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: I cannot accept this amendment, although I appreciate the sentiment behind it and welcome the Senator's support for an enhanced enforcement regime. The amendment tabled would force applicants for waste collection permits to enter into binding commercial contracts with waste disposal operators before they even have a collection permit and when there is no guarantee that their application will...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: I am not accepting the amendment. The whole idea behind the legislation is to get higher standards in the waste collection industry, a point which everyone should support.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: The points raised by Senator Ó Clochartaigh are all covered by these new provisions. His amendment would place operators at a competitive disadvantage. It is for that reason I am not accepting the amendment.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: I will address the EPA's immunity from prosecution, even though I know the amendment has been ruled out of order. Immunity from prosecution for the Environmental Protection Agency arises under section 15 of the EPA Act of 1992. Senators may be aware that a review of the EPA was conducted by a broadly based group of relevant experts and completed in 2011.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: I want to give an explanation. The review examined the performance of the EPA against its mandate. It found that the EPA has provided a "considerable benefit for Ireland's environment and for the health and well-being of its people". None the less, the 2011 review also recommended that the immunity from prosecution, as it applies to the EPA in carrying out its statutory functions, be...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: Section 50 is to provide for the establishment of a database to facilitate the payment of the water conservation grant from 2016 onwards. It will allow the Minister to establish a database which shall include information relating to the water services supplied to a dwelling in addition to details relating to the occupier, including the name, the address and whether the dwelling is the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Applications (16 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: It will take six months in some cases to develop a local development strategy and this is what is allowed. Entities successful at stage one have been invited to go to stage two, which is the local development strategy development phase. All entities invited to submit a local development strategy will be provided with a comprehensive template to assist in the development process. We are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Applications (16 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: It is a fair assessment that the slower strategy will perhaps take up to six months. I draw the Deputy's attention to the fact communities want this money drawn down. The faster the local development strategy is submitted the better. The independent evaluation committee will make its decision on the strategies and we will leave it to its expert view as to how local development strategies...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Applications (16 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: They must cover the sub-regional area.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Leader Programmes Applications (16 Jul 2015)

Ann Phelan: I thank the Deputy for raising the question as it allows me to set out that we are making progress in this area. The Leader element of the Rural Development Programme 2014–20 will provide €250 million in financial resources to support the development of rural communities. Under stage one of the selection process for the new programme, any entity wishing to be considered as a...