Results 2,181-2,200 of 20,758 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (23 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department is working with housing authorities and other social housing providers to provide social housing for people on the housing waiting list. In 2014, it is expected that 6,000 additional social housing units will be delivered across all social housing programmes. The Social Housing Strategy, a Government commitment in Construction 2020, will provide the basis for an enhanced...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (23 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The non-commercial semi state agencies under the aegis of my Department do not make bonus payments to staff. Irish Water is the only commercial semi-state Company under the aegis of my Department. In that regard, I refer to the reply to Questions Nos 170 and 178 on today’s Order Paper.

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...

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

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 977, 978, 989, 1002, 1012, 1022, 1028, 1029, 1040, 1043 and 1054 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...

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

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 979 to 981, inclusive, 1009 and 1047 together. My Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State. The current Programme officially ended at the end of 2013 having operated for four years with funding of €281m over that period.  It is being implemented on a...

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

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 982 to 984, inclusive, and 1026 together. Irish Water has sent application packs to approximately 2 million households, which refer to the effective charging date and the fact that billing for domestic customers in receipt of public water services will start in January 2015.  Irish Water has informed my Department that as of 31 October 2014, it had...

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

Alan Kelly: With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. At the request of m y Department , Irish Water put in place specific arrangements to address the queries which public representatives may have in relation to matters pertaining to the operation of water services under the new utility. Irish Water has acknowledged that the level of service it has provided...

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

Alan Kelly: Following a review of allocations notified to local authorities earlier this year under my Department ’s Rural Water Programme, I approved a grant of €147,000 under the Programme towards a proposed group sewerage scheme at Ballybeg , Ennis, last month. As responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme has been devolved to local authorities since 1997,...

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

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 987 and 1039 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...