Results 19,261-19,280 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

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

Alan Kelly: The meter installation programme commenced in August 2013 and will be completed by mid- 2016. Four regional main contractors covering eight meter regions were appointed by Irish Water following a public tendering process in 2013. Irish Water has informed my Department that its tendering process is fully compliant with public procurement rules. Given the value of the contract for the domestic...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Services for People with Disabilities (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: 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 local authorities require sanction from my Department....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Asbestos Remediation Programme (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: There is no funding available from my Department or local authorities for the removal of asbestosin residential properties and garages or in buildings in general. The prevention of exposure to the harmful effects of asbestosis the focus of occupational safety and health legislation concerning asbestosin the workplace. Specific Regulations regarding the protection of workers from the risks...

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

Alan Kelly: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. I do not consider legislation of the kind outlined to be necessary. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for...

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

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1010 and 1071 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: Irish Water Staff (4 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. To manage the transition process a number of governance structures have been put in place by the Department which the Managing Director of Irish Water attends. A Water Sector Reform Steering Group, representative of...

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

Alan Kelly: Under Class 3(c) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, the installation of a solar panel on, or within the curtilage of a house, or any buildings within the curtilage of a house, is exempted development, and therefore does not require planning permission, subject to a number of conditions and limitations. These conditions and limitations do not include a restriction...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Property Taxation Exemptions (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non-Principal Private Residence Charge. The NPPR Charge, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence. The self-assessed Charge is set at €200 per annum and liability for it...

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

Alan Kelly: There is currently a civil remedy available concerning branches or roots of neighbouring trees encroaching on a person’s property. I will, however, give consideration to the issue of trees acutely impacting on neighbouring properties and possible regulatory measures to address this. The UK model is one legislative option in this regard and will be taken into account in that context. ...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Application (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Building Regulations set down the minimum, legally enforceable standards that must be applied to the design and construction of buildings. The statutory requirements are set out in twelveparts (classified as parts A to M) included under the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations 1997-201 4 . Technical guidance documents (TGDs) are published to accompany each of the twelveparts in order...

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

Alan Kelly: Since 1 January 2014 Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of water services and is responsible for dealing with queries. I understand from Irish Water that queries from the general public to Irish Water are received in the form of phone calls, post, email or other online media format (twitter etc.). Since the start of the year Irish Water has responded to 314,559 calls; the average...

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

Alan Kelly: Under Regulation (EU) No. 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing Council Directive 89/106/EEC (known as the Construction Products Regulation or the “CPR”), manufacturers are required to provide robust and reliable information in a consistent way for construction products...

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

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1019 and 1052 together. Most meters for public utilities are located at the point where the connection enters the household. In the case of water services, under the provisions of the Water Services Act 2007, households’ pipes internal to the curtilage of a property are considered the responsibility of the householder, and thus water meters are being...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Dormant Accounts Fund Administration (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: In accordance with the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2012, a new Disbursement Scheme was approved by Government in December 2013 and was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 18 December 2013. The 2012 Act also provides for the preparation of an Action Plan each year to give effect to the Scheme. A Dormant Accounts Action Plan for 2014 was adopted on 1 July 2014. The plan will...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Applications (4 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: Waste Management Regulations (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: As part of the Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI) Review, my Department published a report on waste tyres in November 2013, which concluded that the current system is not functioning as intended , with a lack of basic information, poor structure, poor environmental outcomes in the form of large stockpiles of waste tyres and somewhere between 24% - 50% of waste tyres unaccounted for. The...

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

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1024 and 1057 together. The Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann, conforming to the conditions contained in the Act and registered under the Companies Acts. Section 4 provides that Irish Water is registered as a private company limited by shares under t he Companies Act. ...

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

Alan Kelly: Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, sets out the process by which local authorities can take in charge housing estates. When taking an estate in charge under the terms of this provision, a planning authority must take in charge , among other things, any, sewers, water mains or drains within the attendant grounds of the development. The Water Services (No. 2) Act...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Remit (4 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 t he CER announced its decision...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Anti-Social Behaviour (4 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1030 and 1044 together. Housing authorities have substantial powers under the Housing Acts 1966 to 2014 to manage their housing stock, including , in the case of anti-social behaviour , powers to recover possession of dwellings and to seek court order s excluding persons from social housing accommodation or estates for periods of up to 3 years. Housing...