Results 2,381-2,400 of 20,763 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises and equipment for use by the fire service personnel, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act s 1981 and 2003. My Department, through the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Capital Programme (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The implementation of projects under my Department’s Capital Assistance Programme is a matter for each individual local authority. In this case, my Department issued approval in principle last May, subject to the proposal complying with the requirements of the Capital Works Management Framework and the Public Spending Code. Full approval can only be given by my Department when the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Social housing is a key priority for Government, as evidenced by the increased provisions made for the area in Budget 2015. The overall social housing funding provision for 2015 has been increased by excess of €200 million, with capital funding increasing by €180 million, which will allow for significant expansion in social housing provision. T he specific allocations to be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 to 217, inclusive, and 222 and 223 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Introduction (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218, 219, 225 and 226 together. Irish Water is in the process of compiling the relevant data to ensure that customers can be billed accurately based on the tariff structure approved by the CER. Irish Water has sent validation packs to approximately 2 million households, which refer to the effective charging date and the fact that billing for domestic...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Application (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Building regulations, which are primarily concerned with the safety and wellbeing of persons in and around buildings, set down mandatory performance standards for buildings, and these performance standards are reviewed and upgraded over time. The statutory requirements are set out in twelve parts (classified as parts A to M) included under the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations 1997...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: 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. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is responsible for, inter alia, ensuring that water services are provided by Irish Water...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: In December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setbacks and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions propose: - The setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments, - A mandatory minimum setback of 500 metres between a wind...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Community and Voluntary Sector (13 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. Applications for a new round of funding, which commenced on 1 July 2014, were subject to an appraisal process. My predecessor was anxious to make funding available to as many...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together. It is a matter for local authorities to set and attach specific conditions to a waste facility permit, or certificate of registration and for the Environmental Protection Agency to set and attach such conditions as may be necessary in relation to a waste licence. Enforcement action against illegal waste activity is a matter for the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Numbers (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The number of staff sanction requests for contract or permanent positions submitted to my Department from 1 January 2014 to date, is set out in the table below. LOCAL AUTHORITY Staff sanction requests received since 1 January 2014 Cork City 10 Dublin City 194 Galway City 19 Carlow 28 Cavan 51 Clare 52 Cork 77 Donegal 152 Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Funding (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Full details of operational expenditure by local authorities on water services are not available in my Department. However, t he Annual Financial Statement of each local authority provides an analysis of their current and capital expenditure, including all water services provided by them, in addition to expenditure on the group water sector, private installations and public conveniences....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services Investment Programme was a multi-annual investment plan for the provision of major water and sewerage schemes. The first rolling 3-year Water Services Investment Programme was launched in July 2000 to meet identified water services needs. The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013was the last such plan, and is available in the Oireachtas library along with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: In October 2013 Ireland received Infringement notification by Letter of Formal Notice from the European Commission in relation to perceived failures to fulfil obligations under Articles 3, 4, 5, 10 and 12 of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). My Department provided detailed material in relation to the various agglomerations, and Ireland’s efforts to bring...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The steering group was established in June 2011 to oversee the independent assessment on the transfer of responsibility for water provision from local authorities to a water utility which was required under the Programme of Financial Support for Ireland with the EU/IMF/ECB. The group is chaired by my Department at Assistant Secretary level.As well as my own Department, membership is drawn...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Staff (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: As stated in the reply to Questions Nos 239 and 240 of 6 November 2014, the employment terms and conditions for Irish Water staff are a matter for the company. I understand that the pay model is not a new model put in place by Irish Water but was inherited from the parent company Ervia. Like other commercial semi-state bodies, pay models are negotiated between management and unions and are...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Appointments (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Irish Water Consultative Group was established to facilitate engagement with the Unions and staff on the roll-out of the Water Sector Reform Implementation Strategy , and had its inaugural meeting in September 2012. This joint union/management group was established , with Mr. Kevin Foley of the Labour Relations Commission as an independent chair , to provide a mechanism for regular...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Safety Regulations (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply given to Question No. 171 of 27 February 2014 which sets out the statutory framework in relation to the control of building activity in general and in the context of the particular problems which have arisen in relation to the properties referred to in the question. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: In order to support housing authorities in the control and management of social housing stock, Part 2 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for a new court procedure for the repossession of local authority dwellings in the case of a breach of the tenancy agreement, including anti-social behaviour. The Act also strengthens the powers of housing authorities to obtain...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites (13 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, local authorities are required to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become or continue to be a derelict site. To this end, they have been given substantial powers under the Act in relation to any such sites, including powers to require specified...