Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The position regarding change of voter registration details from English to Irish is as set out in the reply to Question No.162 of 1 May 2013. Voters are given the opportunity to register in either Irish or English. If they register in English and subsequently wish to change their registration details to Irish, the opportunity to do so is provided for in the context of the annual corrections to the draft register.

Snippet Ref No: WRT00100 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit ^ Written Answers Nos. 137-144 ^ Snippet Ref No: WRT00150 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit ^^ Postcode Implementation ^^ Snippet Ref No: WRT00200 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit 137. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update in the implementation of postcodes here; when he expects this to be phased in; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22097/13] Snippet Ref No: WRT00300 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Pat Rabbitte): The Government is committed to introducing postcodes across the State. The implementation of a national postcode system is a complex and detailed process. Consequently the procurement process to select a postcode management licence holder to implement a National Postcode System is ongoing. It is expected that the matter will be put to final tender in the very near future. The final decision to proceed with implementation of a national postcode will be one for Government and will be based on appropriate financial, technical and operational considerations. Snippet Ref No: WRT00350 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit ^^ Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Collection ^^ Snippet Ref No: WRT00400 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit 138. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if notices for non principal private residence charges will be issued for 2013 as in previous years. [21895/13] Snippet Ref No: WRT00500 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan): The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 broadened the revenue base of local authorities by introducing a charge on non-principal private residences. The self-assessed charge is set at €200 and liability for it falls, in the main, on owners of rental, holiday and vacant properties. Under the Act, it is a function of a local authority to collect the Non-Principal Private Residence Charge. I understand that the Local Government Management Agency will be issuing reminder notifications to liable owners over the coming weeks. This measure will be complemented by media campaigns conducted by local authorities. Snippet Ref No: WRT00550 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit ^^ Foreshore Licences Applications ^^ Snippet Ref No: WRT00600 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit 139. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason for delays with an application for a foreshore licence (details supplied) in County Cork. [21914/13] Snippet Ref No: WRT00700 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Jan O'Sullivan): My Department is awaiting documentation from the applicant in order to confirm that the public consultation process was conducted in the proper manner and that the requirements concerning the public display of documents were met. My Department is also awaiting final legal advice from the Chief State Solicitor’s Office in relation to the question of ownership of the site. Snippet Ref No: WRT00750 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit ^^ Local Authority Housing ^^ Snippet Ref No: WRT00800 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit 140. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the local authorities if any that have part five incomes on deposit which were taken in lieu of houses; the amount by authority; if those sums are set against the general Government debt; if not, the way they may be spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21944/13] Snippet Ref No: WRT00900 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan): My Department collates and publishes a wide range of housing and planning statistics that inform the preparation and evaluation of policy, and those data are available on my Department’s website at www.environ.ie. Data on the number of housing units and / or lands transferred under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts and on payments in lieu of such transfers, broken down by year and by local authority, are included within this range. Comprehensive guidelines have issued to local authorities in relation to Part V including advice in relation to the use of Part V funds. These funds can only be used as capital by local authorities for their Part V functions or functions under the Housing Acts. Data regarding the specific application of these funds are not collated by the Department. In February 2009, my Department set out details of the financial requirements for local authorities relating to their overall management of capital and current accounts. These requirements flow directly from the requirement for Government finances as a whole to be managed in accordance with the Stability and Growth Pact established under the Maastricht Treaty, and the associated limitation on budget deficits. The local government sector must not impact negatively on the General Government Balance (GGB) in any one year. The downturn in the economy and substantial pressures on Government funding generally require a sharp focus in all sectors, including local government, to ensure effective control and management of public finances. In order to stay within the overall GGB limit, it is necessary for local authorities to maintain both their current and capital accounts broadly in balance. The only restriction on local authorities is that, in aggregate, capital income equals capital expenditure in the year. Balance is only required at an overall level and this allows considerable scope for authorities to draw on their existing capital reserves as an element of their overall investment programme. The precise manner in which capital and current accounts are managed in order to achieve the overall balance necessary is a matter for individual local authorities. While I appreciate that these GGB requirements impose limitations on local authorities, there are considerable funding constraints at all levels of Government. It is a matter for every local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources within the GGB limits as set out. Snippet Ref No: WRT00950 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit ^^ EU Directives ^^ Snippet Ref No: WRT01000 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit 141. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government regarding EU Directive 2011 / 70 / EURATOM (Nuclear Waste), Under Article 6 (3) describing financing of Competent Regulatory Authority, Member States are required to ensure that the competent regulatory authority is given legal powers and human and financial resources necessary to fulfill its obligations in connection with the National Framework as described in Article 5 (1) (b), (c), (d) and (e); if he will provide a preliminary figure signaling that the cost of this will reflect the General Principle given in Article 4 (1) that each Member State shall have ultimate responsibility for management of radioactive waste generated in it, and that the figure will reflect that responsibility and only that responsibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21949/13] Snippet Ref No: WRT01100 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan): Council Directive 2011/70/Euratom of 19 July 2011 establishing a Community framework for the responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste requires Member States to bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive before 23 August 2013. Ireland has been dealing with the issue of radioactive waste for some time. My Department is currently developing the necessary Regulations to ensure that Ireland meets its obligations to transpose this Directive. The establishment of a National Implementation Committee (NIC) was one of the recommendations made in the Interim Report of the Interdepartmental High-Level Group on Radioactive Waste which was accepted by Government in December 2010. The NIC was established to progress work on; Developing an Inventory Reduction Programme to reduce the overall amount of waste requiring storage in Ireland; The interim centralisation of sources by sector in a small number of sector-specific existing storage facilities; The development of options for final disposal. It comprises co-ordinators nominated by the key stakeholders in the sectors where disused sources are held; technical advice is also provided by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Committee is chaired by my Department. It is too early in the process to attempt to quantify the costs that may arise as a consequence of the transposition of the Directive. These will be influenced by the quantity of such waste requiring long-term management in Ireland. Snippet Ref No: WRT01150 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit ^^ Magdalen Laundries Issues ^^ Snippet Ref No: WRT01200 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit 142. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 941 and 942 of 16 April 2013, the steps being taken to ensure that there is access to Magdalene graves and ensure the upkeep of Magdalene graves. [21967/13] Snippet Ref No: WRT01300 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan): The Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee to establish the facts of State involvement with the Magdalen Laundries states that some of the women were buried in graveyards attached to a Magdalen Laundry; others were buried in plots maintained by the relevant Congregation in a public graveyard, while others were taken home by their families for burial in their former home-place. My Department does not have a direct function in relation to the maintenance of burial grounds or in the supervision of access to them. In the case of public burial grounds, their management and maintenance is the responsibility of the relevant local authorities. Similarly, the management and maintenance of burial grounds owned by religious orders is a matter for those religious orders. Snippet Ref No: WRT01350 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit ^^ Local Authority Staff ^^ Snippet Ref No: WRT01400 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit 143. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the percentage of city and county managers that are women. [21970/13] Snippet Ref No: WRT01500 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan): There are currently 33 City and County Managers in situ of which 4 or 12% are women. Snippet Ref No: WRT01550 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit ^^ Register of Electors Issues ^^ Snippet Ref No: WRT01600 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit 144. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 162 of 1 May 2013, if, in accordance with electoral law, a local authority must allow a citizen change their name and address on the Register of Electors from English to Irish in view of the fact that Article 8.1 of Bunreacht na hÉireann states the Irish language as the national language is the first official language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21989/13] Snippet Ref No: WRT01700 ... Edit Snippet | Insert Snippet | Delete Snippet | Insert Question Heading | Quick Edit Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan): The position regarding change of voter registration details from English to Irish is as set out in the reply to Question No.162 of 1 May 2013. Voters are given the opportunity to register in either Irish or English. If they register in English and subsequently wish to change their registration details to Irish, the opportunity to do so is provided for in the context of the annual corrections to the draft register. End of Take