Results 17,021-17,040 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Of all the amendments, this one was the most confusing. I respect the spirit of what the Deputy has just said. This has been looked for by the Deputy and Deputy Catherine Murphy. The first part of the amendment states:15. (1) The Advisory Council shall have regard to any guidance given by the Minister to it in relation to the exercise of its functions under this Act. I accept 15(2) and...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: That is twice today that I have done that.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The committee is well aware of my views on this. I do not wish to repeat them except to say I will oppose the amendment.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I said the Deputy has put forward a similar argument before. There is disagreement on this and I do not want to repeat the argument except to say that I will oppose these amendments.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I will look at it before Report Stage.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I thank members for the amendments put forward. I will reflect on the issues on which I said I would reflect before Report Stage and I look forward to the debate then. I thank members and the Chairman for their time.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electoral Reform (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: To be registered to vote a person must be ordinarily resident in a constituency. Provision is made in the Electoral Act 1992 for persons to be deemed to ordinarily resident if they intend to resume residence within eighteen months after giving it up. I have no plans to amend this provision generally. However it may be subject to consideration in the analysis that I am undertaking of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pension Provisions (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1018 and 1065 together. In 2008, retained fire-fighters were given the option of joining the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS) and receive a pension and retirement lump sum based on their pensionable remuneration and length of service. Retained fire-fighters who opted not to join the scheme receive, on retirement, a gratuity of 1/8th of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Maintenance (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department provides funding to local authorities for various social housing supports, including for adaptations and extensions to the social housing stock to meet the needs of local authority tenants with a disability or to address serious overcrowding. Funding provided by my Department meets 90% of the cost of the works, with each local authority providing the remaining 10%. On 28 May...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Irish and British Governments engage on a regular basis on climate policy matters in the context of EU business, at both the European Council, which the Taoiseach attends, and in the Environment formation, which I attend. In particular, both Governments share a strong position in support of a progressive EU policy response to climate change and pro-active EU leadership in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Pre- tender budget proposals are currently been considered by my Department and a decision on this matter should be made shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: In accordance with the provisions of the Waste Management Act 1996, the preparation and adoption of a waste management plan, including in respect of infrastructure provision, is the statutory responsibility of the local authority or authorities concerned, and under section 60(3) of the Act I am precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by a local authority,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Register of Electors (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: In law, the preparation of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local authority as a registration authority. It is their duty to ensure, as far as possible and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Register. Section 111(1) of the Electoral Act 1992, as applied to the taking of a poll at a referendum by section 32 of the Referendum Act 1994,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Preparatory work is well underway in developing Ireland’s first National Mitigation Plan (NMP) in anticipation of the enactment of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015. Development of the NMP is being guided by a long-term vision of low-carbon transition which is based on the following ambition as set out in the National Policy Position, published in April 2014: -...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Air Quality (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1027, to 1029, inclusive, together. To protect our environment, EU Directives set out air quality standards for a wide variety of pollutants. The current standards are contained in the 2008 Clean Air for Europe (CAFE) Directive (Directive 2008/50/EC) and the Fourth Daughter Directive (Directive 2004/107/EC of 15 December 2004 relating to arsenic, cadmium,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under Section 33 of the Waste Management Act 1996, a local authority is required to collect, or arrange for the collection of waste within its functional area. Almost all local authorities have now exited the waste collection market. Collection of waste by a private operator is subject to compliance with applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, primarily the Waste...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The information requested is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible. The most up-to-date balances, broken down by local authority, will reflect the position as at 31 December 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Among the measures included in the Government’s waste policy, A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland, which was published in July 2012, was the establishment of an interdepartmental working group to report to Government with options to minimise the impact of waste charges on low- income households. The working group, which comprises representatives of my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Funding allocations for 2015 in respect of adaptation works to local authority housing have been made and are set out on my Department’s website at the following link: .

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (9 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 metres between a wind...