Results 19,221-19,240 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters (5 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: There are no devices commercially available for purchase that would enable a householder to remotely read their water meter. The meter can, of course, be read manually by removing the boundary box lid and frost plug and reading the numeric flow register on the meter which records the cumulative usage. Water meter reading on behalf of Irish Water will be carried out using a receiver in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Redeployment (5 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Office of Public Works leased buildings in Tubbercurry, Co Sligo, on a temporary basis, for the former Department of Community , Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs (CEGA). Those offices were provided as an advance office for the decentralisation of that former Department to Charlestown, Co. Mayo. Following a reconfiguration of Government Departments, the Community Division of CEGA transferred...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Quality (5 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 577, 581, 558 and 559 of 21 October 2014. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (5 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services (No.2) Act 2013 provides Irish Water with the power to charge for water services. The Act also provides that the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) will be responsible for the economic regulation of Irish water and the charges to be levied by Irish Water will be subject to the approval of the CER. Following a public consultation process, the CER announced its decision...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Library Services Funding (5 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Under Section 78 of the Local Government Act 2001, the provision of premises and facilities in the public library service is a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority. My Department provides some capital funding towardsapproved refurbishment / renovation and new library projects carried out by local authorities, subject to availability of resources. My...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Exemptions (5 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 came into effect on 1 July 2013. The primary purpose of the Act is to replace the system whereby a vehicle was declared off the road retrospectively with a system under which the vehicle must be declared off the road in advance. The system of making retrospective declarations had become a means of evasion of motor tax estimated to have cost the taxpayer...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Funding (5 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: As detailed in the EU regulatory framework, a maximum of 20% of the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP) can be spent on administration by the Local Action Group contracted to deliver the Programme in their area. It should be noted that the funding amount available did change during the programme period. However, all Local Action Groups were fully informed of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Appointments to State Boards (5 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Since July 2011, my Department’s website has been used as the primary mechanism for seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced persons, for consideration as members or chairpersons of the boards of State bodies under my Department’s aegis. Positions have, where appropriate, been listed on the Department’s website and, more recently, on...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 came into effect on 1 July 2013. The primary purpose of the Act is to replace the system whereby a vehicle is only declared off the road when the owner next goes to tax it with a system under which the vehicle must be declared off the road in advance. This is aimed at closing an evasion loophole, costing taxpayers an estimated €50m per annum,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Radiation Monitoring Systems (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Information in relation to the roll- out of Smart Meters is publicly available on the Commission for Energy Regulation ’s (CER) website,. I have no function in relation to the roll-out of smart meters. Under the Irish Water metering programme, each water meter has a low power radio unit fixed to the top which enables it to be read periodically from a passing van. This is known as...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Yield (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Income from Motor Tax currently accrues to the Local Government Fund. The Fund has historically provided local authorities with finance for funding some of their day-to-day activities, including elements of water services costs, through General Purpose Grant allocations; for non-national roads; and funding for certain local government initiatives. As a result of the introduction of Local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Quality (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. Under the European Communities (Drinking Water) Regulations 2014, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, suppliers of drinking water, including Irish Water, are required to ensure that the water supplied complies with the chemical and microbiological parameters set out in the Regulations....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Constitutional Convention Recommendations (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 967 and 968 together. The Government has already responded to the recommendation in the Fourth Report of the Convention on the Constitution for the establishment of an Electoral Commission. The preparatory work on this task has commenced in my Department and the Government Legislation Programme provides for the publication of an Electoral Commission Bill in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pensions Levy (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 states that any public servant who is a member of a public service pension scheme, is entitled to a benefit under such a scheme, or receives a payment in lieu of membership in such a scheme, is subject to a deduction from their remuneration. In 2008, retained firefighters were given the option of joining the Local Government...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Redeployment (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 970 and 971 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 in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Under existing arrangements, motor tax is payable in person or by post via motor tax offices in twenty six local authorities. It is also payable online at any time, with some 62% of vehicle owners who are eligible to do so now taxing their vehicles online. I have no plans currently to provide for the collection of motor tax through the post office network. The operation of the motor tax...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 973, 1035 and 1042 together. Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for a new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses. The scheme will operate along the incremental purchase model currently being applied in purchase schemes for local authority apartments and new local authority houses under the Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Sector Funding (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The funding scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. A new round of funding commenced on 1 July 2014 , to run for a period of 24 months. Pobal is managing the scheme on behalf of my Department , given that organisation's significant...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Funding (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: As detailed in the EU regulatory framework, a maximum of 20% of the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 can be spent on administration by the Local Action Group contracted to deliver the Programme in their area. It should be noted that the funding amount available did change during the programme period. All Local Action Groups were fully informed of the changes and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Irish Water has informed my Department that it offers customers a choice of validating their details and claiming their allowances either by telephone, web or post. The Irish water contact centre has handled a number of calls from customers who required assistance with completing the form. In these instances , the contact centre has updated the customers’ details to ensure...