Results 1,981-2,000 of 20,758 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Constitutional Convention Recommendations (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: 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 2015. The Government expects to respond to the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Data Protection (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 to 211, inclusive, and 215 together. Under the Water Services Acts 2007-2013, Irish Water may request its customers and certain specified persons or bodies, including the Minister for Social Protection, to provide it with information so that it can perform its functions under these Acts. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Expenditure (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, every local authority received increased funding for 2014 compared to the 2013 allocations. An allocation to local authorities of €38.4m for 2014 was made for these grants on 16 January 2014. Some changes to the terms and conditions governing these schemes were introduced following a review in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Vehicle Registration (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has established an Inter-Departmental Working Group on issues relating to the Irish haulage industry which includes representation fr om my Department. The Working Group’s discussions are ongoing at present. Any structural change to the basis of taxation for commercial vehicles to gross design vehicle weight, including factoring in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commissions of Investigation (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department engaged MacCabe Durney Barnes in February 2014 to commence an independent Planning Review, in accordance with section 255 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. This review is expected to be completed this month. No further reviews have been decided upon at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Scheme Grants (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Grants of 75% of the approved costs or €2,031.58, whichever is the lesser, are available under my Department’s Rural Water Programme for the provision or necessary improvement of an individual water supply in a house. Details of the conditions applying to the grants scheme, including the type of works that may qualify, can be obtained from local authorities, to whom...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group and assigns the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the water metering programme. The installation programme commenced in August 2013 and will be implemented nationally as quickly as possible. Up to 300,000 households may not be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Since 1 January 2014 Irish Water is responsible for the public water and wastewater systems and infrastructure. Individual householders have always been, and continue to be, responsible for the water distribution system and sewage drains within the boundary of their own property. In the case of local authority houses, works previously carried out, including repairs to sewage systems, were...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I assume the Question relates to how Irish Water proposes to bill group water schemes which receive their water from Irish Water as distinct from schemes which have their own sources. Such schemes were previously customers of local authorities for the bulk supply of this water. The group scheme is now a customer of Irish Water for the bulk supply of such water and the Commission for Energy...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Since 2001, national water pricing policy has required local authorities to recover the costs of providing water services from all non-domestic users of these services, including farms. This policy provided for charges based on actual metered consumption and is consistent with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I am not aware of any concerns expressed in relation to the organisation referred to in the Question, which was funded by my Department under the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) in the Community and Voluntary Sector until the end of June 2014 . Applications for a new round of funding under the SSNO , which commenced on 1 July 2014, were subject to an appraisal process, for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Election Management System (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. The Local Elections Regulations 1995 make provision in Part 4 for the appointment, duties and expenses of returning officers for local elections. Regulation 8 provides that the expenses of the returning officer shall be met by the local authority.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The online application form concerned is a matter for Irish Water in the first instance. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. They may be contacted via email at or by telephone on 1890 278 278. However, clarification was sought from Irish Water and I have been informed that the online application is designed to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: 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 assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Since 2001, national water pricing policy has required local authorities to recover the costs of providing water services from all non-domestic users of these services, including nursing homes which operate on a commercial basis. This policy provided for charges based on actual metered consumption and is consistent with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive. With effect from 1...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: 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 assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: A planning authority has power, under section 202(2) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, to make an order declaring an area to be an area of special amenity, where it considers that this should be done by reason of: (a) its outstanding natural beauty, or (b) its special recreational value, and having regard to any benefits for nature conservation. As Minister, I have power under...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fuel Laundering (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Enforcement in relation to illegal diesel laundering activities is primarily a matter for the Revenue Commissioners from the point of view of avoiding loss of revenue to the Exchequer. My Department assists local authorities in carrying out their role as competent auth orities under waste legislation , which involves the taking of necessary measures, on behalf of the State, to ensure that any...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: 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 each customer in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Rates (9 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Motor tax is payable on an annual, half-yearly or quarterly basis. The rates of duty applicable for half yearly and quarterly options are 55.5% and 28.25% of the annual charge respectively. This additional cost element takes account of the extra workload for staff in motor tax offices and the National Vehicle and Driver File unit, and the resultant administrative costs and printing costs that...