Results 18,741-18,760 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: May I deal with Deputy Stanley's questions?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: I am not 1 million miles away from the midlands myself.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: I will do my best. The answer to Senator Landy's question about AHB regulation is "Yes", that will be coming through shortly and in place by 2016. There will certainly be a discount in place in the tenant purchase scheme. It is not going to be offered in the same way as it was in the past. I think it needs to be improved, to be honest. I will be straight about this; a number of Deputies...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: I was just about to give the Deputy that figure. It will be in excess of 22,000 units. These figures were in the public domain last week. The Deputy has read and digested the strategy. The current figure is 22,273 units, but I would like to increase it somewhat, if possible. The Deputy need not have concerns about reform. The changes being considered are meant to facilitate people....
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: Members of the committee can work it out among themselves. In principle there is no issue.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: There is a structure to this. We have to adhere to the structure. It just needs a format to work with. In principle I agree with the Deputy that we need to find actions based on it. We have added a further 20% to the budget for homelessness. Just weeks ago I gave another €4 million for Dublin alone. I am not convinced it is all about funding. There may be isolated issues...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: That would be no problem. I will go through the process of what is going to be involved but, in principle, I have no objection.
- Other Questions: Radon Gas Levels (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter which, to be honest, is concerning. As I outlined, a programme of work is under way. I have asked my officials to assess the matter and, through the analysis being carried out, ascertain whether a higher level of concern is warranted than when the process started. That would mean that we might need quicker intervention measures. I will return to...
- Other Questions: Radon Gas Levels (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: The Deputy has raised a good question. The work of the EPA is ongoing. The public awareness campaign has been moderately successful. On the map to which I referred certain areas have been identified as having higher than normal levels or spikes. That is where the EPA has concentrated its campaign. Having said that, there is a necessity to intensify the campaign to create an organic...
- Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Project Funding (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. She has spoken about it previously and I accept that it is a source of concern. Within the constraints of the prevailing budgetary situation I have been particularly mindful of the need to prioritise funding for the local and community development programme, until March 2015, and its successor, the social inclusion and community activation...
- Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Project Funding (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: I have already confirmed to the House that I am prepared to meet them. There is no issue in that regard; it is a question of agreeing a time. That is my commitment. The process must be gone through. It has begun and it is necessary to undertake it as part of the tendering process. It needs to be executed. I am determined to ensure a fair solution to the issues involved which have been...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: The implementation group to which Deputy Cowen referred is chaired by Ms Bairbre Nic Aongusa, who is sitting to my left, and it meets on a monthly basis to oversee the implementation of some 80 actions. As part of that, Ms Nic Aongusa meets representatives of Dublin City Council to discuss the range of social housing actions which must be executed and also the issue of homelessness. The...
- Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for his consistency, if nothing else. I have said this before and I will say it again: I do not envisage any person being evicted due to water charges and Irish Water.
- Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: I am in charge of local authorities and when people are evicted it is usually for anti-social behaviour, although evictions are rare. Sometimes neighbours cannot live with the anti-social behaviour of others and evictions ensue, but I do not envisage evictions connected to water charges. The way for people to deal with problems with water charges is through a payment plan, and various...
- Other Questions: Radon Gas Levels (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for her important question. The national radon control strategy, which was published on 17 February 2014, was developed by an inter-agency group and sets out some 48 recommendations under six thematic areas. The ultimate aim is to reduce the number of radon-related lung cancer cases. While it is envisaged that the recommendations set out in the strategy will be addressed...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: For the record, I was not involved in any of that. I believe the Bills Office issued the Bill before it was signed off on by the Cabinet. It was re-issued. I was not even aware of it.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: Yes, although I suppose I should not be discussing what happens at Cabinet. The Bill was published.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Future Plans: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: In fairness, a human error was made in the Bills Office.
- Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: The legislation on this will be before the Houses this week and also early in the new year. Deputy Paul Murphy will obviously have his chance to debate all of this in some detail. If people enter into a reasonable payment plan, they will avoid all of the issues in question. I do not envisage anyone being thrown out of a local authority house in any way. I am in charge of local...
- Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (2 Dec 2014)
Alan Kelly: After this issue was first brought to my attention by Councillor Martin Farren, a further investigation took place. It is not about pyrite but mica, which is unique territory. We need to see the analysis and where we can go. My Department will be helpful and progress the matter to obtain some satisfaction for the people who should never have been put in this place by shabby and disgraceful...