Results 19,121-19,140 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (12 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives and has contacted all Oireachtas members to provide details of an improved level of service which it is aiming...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters Installation (12 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Irish Water is committed to reusing previously installed meter boxes where possible. Water Meter installation contractors examine each case to establish if existing meter boxes can be reused. In this instance it was not possible to reuse the pre-existing boxes as they were flooded with water and therefore not suitable to have a meter installed. 

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Numbers (12 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together. The moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service was introduced in March 2009 in response to the financial crisis. My Department operates a delegated sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for implementation of the moratorium in relation to local authorities, and any exceptions to the moratorium...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (12 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: It is a matter for each local authority, including Sligo County Council, to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which include adopting the annual budget...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff (12 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department currently supports an ambitious programme of regeneration which seeks to address key aspects of disadvantage in communities and large social housing estates and flat complexes through holistic programmes of physical, social and economic regeneration. Some €70m is being provided in 2014 to support the completion or continuation of regeneration projects at a number of...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol: Motion (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: That is what is in the proposed legislation.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol: Motion (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputies for their comments. On the issue of the bogs, I assure Deputy Stanley that we will look into that. On the issue of the Doha Amendment ratification, I would point out to Deputy Murphy that we are one of the first countries to engage in the ratification process. We are one of the early movers, which sends a signal out to the rest of the community. If we benchmark...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol: Motion (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I presume we can come back to it at some point.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol: Motion (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: If Members do not mind, I shall amalgamate my comments on their concerns as there was a bit of overlap. I shall first address a very real issue. I accept there is genuine concern about the legislation. My plan is to publish it next month, if at all possible, and I believe we will meet that deadline. As Members are probably aware, it is on the priority list of all legislation with a view...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol: Motion (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank the sub-committee for its invitation. The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention is an international agreement which committed certain parties to internationally binding greenhouse gas emission reduction targets during the period 2008 to 2012, inclusive. The EU and its member states, including Ireland, made reduction commitments in respect of this first commitment...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Administration (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The draft operational programme for the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which includes LEADER, was submitted to the European Commission in July 2014. The approval of the Programme involves an iterative process between Ireland and the European Commission and it is hoped that the Programme will receive final approval before the end of 2014. In anticipation of Commission approval, my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Funding (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Irish Water's costs in the coming years will be funded through a mix of revenue from the domestic and non-domestic sector, third party finance (including bank lending and capital markets facilities) and State support which may be in the form of both equity and subvention. Following a recent consultation process the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) announced its decision on the Water...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Remuneration (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The appointment to an Irish local authority of persons who are not serving employees of an Irish local authority on or after 1 January 2011 must be at the minimum point of the scale.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Applications (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I understand that Mayo North East Leader Partnership ( MNELP ) is awaiting additional information from the project promoter in relation to the project mentioned in order to process the claim for payment.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Funding (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The establishment of Irish Water is an integral component of the Government’s water sector reform strategy and involves major organisational change. The establishment of a high performance utility will lead to lower costs and improved services in the future, providing much better outcomes for customers and the environment. Details of Irish Water’s costs are outlined in its...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Proposed Legislation (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: In April 2014, the Government approved the General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Bill. The Bill is listed among the Bills expected to be published during the Autumn Session,as part of the Government’s Legislation Programme. Drafting of the Bill is currently being finalised within the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. I intend to seek Government approval to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 487 and 493 together. With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 488, 489, 510 and 515 together. I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 1024 and 1057 of 4 November, which sets out the position on the public ownership of Irish Water. I will keep the provisions of the Water Services Acts in relation to the critically important issue of public ownership of Irish Water under review. An Independent Assessment published...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. I have asked Irish Water to compile the information requested and to forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Expenditure (11 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The establishment of Irish Water is an integral component of the Government’s water sector reform strategy and involves major organisational change. The establishment of a high performance utility will lead to lower costs and improved services in the future, providing much better outcomes for customers and the environment. The Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) reviewed the...