Results 17,401-17,420 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: I assume that the Deputy is referring to funding available under my Department’s Communal Facilities Grant Scheme , which supports additional facilities provided as part of social housing projects under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme. An approved housing body that is advancing a project under the Capital Assistance Scheme may apply for support under the Communal...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 764 and 777 together. The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020includes a commitment to make, in the second quarter of 2015, the Regulations necessary to introduce a new tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses under Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. The scheme will operate along the lines of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: Social housing is a key priority for Government, as evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020in November, 2014. The targeted social housing provision of over 110,000 social housing units, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Freedom of Information Requests (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department received fifty Freedom of Information requests relating to Irish Water in the period 1 January 2014 to 10 April 2015. Of those requests, twenty three were answered within the statutory timeframe. A further ten were completed within an extended period, which was required for additional consideration of the request and which was notified to the requestor. Fourteen requests were...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: Motor tax offices in Donegal are under the remit of Donegal County Council, and I have no function in relation to specific offices within the functional area of the Council.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Finance Agency (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Housing Finance Agency plc. ( HFA) has 11 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) staff. The Agency meets its own costs from its operations as required by its establishing legislation, the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981. The Agency’s running costs are set out in its Annual Reports and Accounts, copies of which are available on the Agency’s website at: , and are also available in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Disposal (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: Previous arrangements for producer responsibility in relation to waste tyres in Ireland involved two separate compliance schemes, with an option also for self-compliance. However, the Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI) review published by my Department last year concluded that the system is not functioning as intended, with a lack of basic information, poor structure, poor environmental...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Funding (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: No Exchequer funds have been provided for the establishment costs of Irish Water. The only Exchequer funding provided to Bórd Gáis or Irish Water in 2012 or 2013 was a grant of €0.57m to Irish Water in 2013 to fund the cost of a pilot study in relation to Phase 2 of the Water Metering Programme which is targeted at metering those properties that were not meterable in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The collection of waste by waste collectors is subject to compliance with applicable environmental and other relevant legislation, primarily the Waste Management Act 1996 and conditions attached to each waste collector’s collection permit issued under the Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007. Waste collection in individual local authority areas may also be subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 778 and 795 together. Together with Minister of State Coffey, I recently announced social housing targets for local authorities to 2017 which are available at the following link on my Department’s website: . The detailed breakdown of these targets for each local authority area will be issued directly to the local authorities concerned shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Language (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department adopted, in 2013, its third Irish Language Scheme, prepared under section 15 of the Official Languages Act 2003 and confirmed by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The current Irish Language Scheme details the steps being taken to promote the use of the Irish language within my Department and aims to continue to deliver and build on the commitments outlined in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessnesswas published in May 2014 and sets out the Government's approach to delivery on its objective of ending involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. A copy of this plan is available on my Department's website at the following link: This plan sets out a range of measures to secure a ring-fenced supply of accommodation to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: Whenever an election or referendum takes place, my Department places advertisements in the national papers advising eligible voters who are not registered to vote to take the opportunity to apply for inclusion in the supplement to the register of electors so that they can take part in that election or referendum. In the case of referendums specifically, the role of any Referendum Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Postal Voting (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: In order to be able to vote at elections and referendums, a person's name must be entered in the register of electors for a constituency in the State in which the person ordinarily resides. Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of certain categories of person who are entered in the register of electors - whole-time members of the Defence Forces; members of An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Grant Payments (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: An allocation of €130m for the grant scheme has been provided in my Department’s Estimate for 2015 which is intended to cover grant payments and all administration costs including staffing. This is based on an estimate of up to 1.3 million households applying for the grant. This estimated level of demand for 2015 takes account of the number of primary residences recorded in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: National Oversight and Audit Commission Remit (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The National Oversight and Audit Committee has met on 5 occasions to date.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: While the physical regeneration element of Ballymun is largely completed, the social regeneration programmes are continuing. Therefore current considerations regarding tenure mix will continue and for that reason it is not proposed, at this stage, to alter the current arrangements regarding the payment of rent supplement in Ballymun. However, the position will be kept under review.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Polling Stations (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The primary role of my Department in electoral matters is to provide an appropriate policy and legislative framework for a modern and efficient electoral system. Within that framework, local returning officers are responsible for all matters in connection with the actual conduct of elections and referendums, including the selection, appointment and training of polling station and count staff...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Illegal Dumping (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: Actions against illegal waste activity are a matter for the local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency. My Department provides a legislative and policy framework through which the enforcement authorities operate in this regard.  Penalties available under the Litter Pollution Acts for litter offences range from an on-the-spot fine of €150, to a maximum fine of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 799 to 803, inclusive, together. My Department provides funding to local authorities for various social housing supports, including for adaptations and extensions to the social housing stock to meet needs of local authority tenants with a disability or to address serious overcrowding. Funding provided by my Department meets 90% of the cost of such works, with...