Results 17,641-17,660 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Insurance Coverage (10 Mar 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. This includes, in accordance with section 94 of the Electoral Act 1992, the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisation arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible My Department works closely with Dublin City Council in relation to overall staffing requirements and will examine all staffing sanction requests on a case by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: This year, Exchequer funding of over €40 million will be provided for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. This represents a 10% in crease on the funding available in 2014. The Scheme is generally 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from each local authority. The allocation to Kildare County Council for 2014 was...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The continued deterioration of Sligo County Council’s financial position is of serious concern to me. While it is a matter for individual local authorities to manage their own day-to-day finances in a prudent and sustainable manner, my Department is in regular consultation with the Council in relation to its financial position, including in relation to the agreement of a long...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Seniors Alert Scheme (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 545 and 548 together. My Department manages the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities by providing grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms to enable older persons, of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Housing Sector (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme provides capital funding support, through local authorities, towards the costs of approved housing bodies in providing accommodation for persons with specific categories of housing need, including older people, people with an intellectual, physical or mental health disability, homeless people and returning emigrants. Subject to normal approval...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Eligibility (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 580 of 3 March 2015. In order for a property to be considered under the Mortgage to Rent scheme it must be purchased for less than €220,000 in the Greater Dublin Area and €180,000 in the rest of the country. These limits were determined by a working group which took account of available market data and the current social housing acquisition...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under section 255 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has certain investigatory powers in relation to the review of the performance by planning authorities of their functions under the Act. These powers are restricted to the review of the organisation and of the systems and procedures used by planning authorities in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Section 108 of the Local Government Act 2001 requires that each local authority shall prepare an Annual Financial Statement in accordance with the Local Authority Accounting in Ireland Code of Practice and Accounting Regulationsissued by my Department. Section 108 also requires that as soon as practicable after the preparation of an Annual Financial Statement, such statement, with a report by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (5 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. My Department works closely with Meath County Council in relation to staffing requirements and on 27 January 2015 my Department approved the post of Head of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Litter Pollution Legislation (5 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The primary purpose of the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009 is not to prescribe the content and format of election related public advertising material, but to limit the creation of litter. It is a requirement under section 19(1) of the Litter Pollution Acts, as amended by the Protection of the Environment Act 2003, that all forms of posters carry the name and address of the promoter or...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (5 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provided for the transfer of responsibility for the provision of public water services from the local authorities to Irish Water. The Act provides that Irish Water shall charge each customer for the provision of services provided by it in accordance with a water charges plan to be approved by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). A new water...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (5 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: All persons who are Oireachtas members (including office holders) must furnish, on an annual basis, a statement of interests, to the Standards in Public Office Commission. I have no concerns regarding TDs who are landlords and/or have other property interests influencing housing policy.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Litter Pollution (5 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department is informed by Dublin City Council that their protocol in relation to postering is operated strictly in accordance with the terms of the Litter Pollution Act 1997 as amended. Under the relevant provisions of the Act the City Council as owners of the structures in a public place, e.g lampstandards, have a right to determine the manner in which these posters may be erected. I...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Exemptions (5 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: In accordance with the provisions of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1992, refunds of motor tax are available in certain limited circumstances, such as where a vehicle has been scrapped, is being permanently exported or has been stolen and not recovered. The Regulations do not provide for a refund where a vehicle has been taken into a garage for repair.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Service (5 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Keeping Communities Safe (KCS), was published as national policy in February 2013, and is intended to keep fire safety and fire services in Ireland in line with international best practice. KCS sets down national norms and standards against which local authorities can benchmark their fire services. KCS underpins current good practice in relation to both fire-fighter and public safety, with a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (5 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 introduced a new standard procedure for assessing applicants for social housing in every housing authority. The aim of the new system is to move closer to a transparent, consistent and fairer approach to eligibility for social housing. The Regulations include maximum net income limits for each housing authority, in different bands according to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Library Services (5 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 259 together. I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 277 and 278 of 5th February, 2015. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fuel Laundering (5 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: As I outlined in the reply to Question No. 279 of 5 February 2015, I have written to my counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive, Minister Mark Durkan, to highlight again the problems being faced by border counties exposed to the consequences of environmental crime and I have signalled to him that this is an issue that I will be raising at the next meeting of the North South Ministerial...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Scheme Grants (5 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: As part of the Government Decision on Irish Water financing taken on 6 May 2014, the Government agreed that the subsidisation of group water schemes be reviewed to ensure equity of treatment with households on public water supplies. This approach to ensuring households in the group water sector receive equivalent support, while allowing for any transitional issues, to sustain improvement...