Results 16,921-16,940 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Other Questions: Irish Water Establishment (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Pending clarification, the one thing I will say is that when a loan is taken out, circumstances are obviously different. One could apply this to many different models, depending on when funding was taken out. The circumstances in every case are completely different. I would not find it strange that there are different percentages. The information will be provided to the Deputy in due course.

Other Questions: Wind Energy Guidelines (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: In December 2013, my Department published proposed draft revisions to the noise, setbacks and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 wind energy development guidelines. These draft revisions proposed the setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments; a mandatory minimum setback of 500 m between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for...

Other Questions: Wind Energy Guidelines (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I take on board the Deputy's comments. I cannot comment on an individual application, as she will appreciate, although I accept that there is a need to bring in the guidelines very quickly and that there is a need for clarity. I am well aware of the volume of applications across the country and these guidelines are necessary. It is one of the largest projects in terms of guidelines that...

Other Questions: Dormant Accounts Fund (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Well said.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Water Establishment (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Absolutely. I cannot speak on behalf of Siemens which made its own assumptions, and in this case I would say wrongly. I do not know; that is just my opinion. I do not know on what it based its assumptions. I have no idea. As part of an early round of public consultation, it made its decision to submit its letter, offering ideas and concepts. It made assumptions for that. I have no idea...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Water Establishment (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The programme for Government included a proposal to establish Irish Water, a State-owned water company that would take over the water investment and maintenance programmes of the 34 city and county councils who acted as water services authorities. The programme of financial support for Ireland with the EU, IMF and ECB also required the preparation of proposals for implementation of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Water Establishment (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I appreciate the reasons for the Deputy's questions but I cannot make assumptions on what Siemens was thinking. It is a private company. Similarly, I cannot make assumptions about any of the other submissions made during the public consultation. The letter from Siemens, which I have read, was received during the public consultation phase and raises a number of issues and recommendations on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: We have made a number of changes. We have put substantial amounts of funding into it and I hope the Deputy acknowledges that. There is no silver bullet as regards the necessity to provide extra supply. The funding is in place up to 2020 and it is a substantial amount. We have works programmes with the local authorities for social housing. That work is ongoing, as everyone is aware....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I will offer two observations, or comments. I deal with this as a Deputy rather than as a Minister as well. The priority is to keep people in their homes and to put in place as many intervention mechanisms as possible to do that. We are continuously rolling those out. We have 80 directions in respect of homelessness and trying to keep people in their homes. There is no one-size-fits-all...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Planning Issues (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: On 14 June 2013, the High Court made an order quashing that part of my Department's planning review report of 2012 relating to Donegal following a settlement between my Department and the party concerned who had brought judicial review proceedings in respect of that part of the report. The matter has been disposed of to the satisfaction of both sides. In light of these proceedings, my...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Planning Issues (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I have no reason to believe that the senior counsel will not get the full co-operation of everyone. I am satisfied that proceeding on a non-statutory basis is probably the most efficient and quickest way of dealing with this. I note that there was full co-operation relating to the previous review, even though this report was then the subject of High Court proceedings. In the unlikely event...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Planning Issues (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The legislation for the office of the planning regulator will be coming through in the autumn. Subsequent to the passing of that legislation, the office will be put in place, which is something I presume the Deputy welcomes. The case of Wicklow is under thorough consideration by my Department and I expect to be able to make some comments on that in the very near future. The Deputy knows...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Homeless Accommodation Provision (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Addressing the current challenges relating to homelessness is a top priority for me and my Department. I will not say there is any silver bullet or that it is easy, but we are trying every combination we can. It is not about funding. It really is about trying to ensure we can put in place all the strategies that will work. I have put in place a special task force to oversee the work of an...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Emergency Accommodation Provision (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under the Housing Act 1988, it is a matter for the housing authority concerned to determine whether a person is regarded as homeless. Any person regarded as homeless by a housing authority may be placed into temporary emergency accommodation, which the housing authority may arrange itself or which may be operated by a State-funded service provider, without the requirement to undergo a social...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The social housing targets that I announced for all local authorities out to 2017 include almost 7,500 units that will be capital-funded and 15,400 current-funded units, of which 11,400 will be delivered through leasing and 4,000 delivered through the Rental Accommodation Scheme. Local authorities are responsible for the detailed planning of social housing provision based on the needs of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Supply Contamination (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under the European Union (Drinking Water) Regulations 2014, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, suppliers of drinking water are required to ensure that the water supplied complies with the chemical and microbiological parameters set out in the Regulations. Details of monitoring requirements along with the procedures to be followed and the roles of water suppliers, the EPA...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Total expenditure to date for 2015 across the full range of housing programmes, both capital and current, is almost €110 million. Specifically, there has been expenditure of almost €3.4 million under the local authority construction and acquisition programme, €6.35 million under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (previously referred to as the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Eligibility (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under a Ministerial Direction, which issued on 27 January and is time bound for a six-month period until 27 July 2015, key local authorities are required to prioritise homeless and other vulnerable households in the allocation of tenancies under their control in accordance with Section 22 of the Housing Act 1988. The four Dublin local authorities have been directed to allocate 50% of all...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Three separate pieces of legislation have been formulated to support the water sector reform programme, since 2013. There has been varying levels of engagement with stakeholders during this process, with a specific legal and legislative work-stream established as part of the implementation strategy published in 2012. This work-stream fed into the development of the two Acts during 2013....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (11 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The announcement I made on 5 May 2015 in respect of a major Social Housing construction programme with €312m investment, comprising over 100 projects and 1,700 housing units, included two new build projects in County Wexford. I stated at the time that this announcement was part of the first phase of direct-build projects under the Government's Social Housing Strategyand that further...