Results 2,501-2,520 of 20,763 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (20 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 to 146, inclusive, together. Under Section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 all housing authorities are required to make an allocation scheme determining the order of priority to be accorded in the allocation of dwellings to households qualified for social housing support and to households in receipt of such support who have been...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Staff (20 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group, now known as the Ervia group. Since the inception of Irish Water, robust information security and data protection policies have been in place through the adoption of the Ervia Group information security & data protection policies. This...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Data (20 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Under the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003, certain types of data controllers and data processors who have a legal presence or make use of equipment in the State are required to register with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) if they hold personal data in an automated form. My Department is registered with the ODPC for all of its personal data sets and activities and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (20 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Local Government Act 2001, as amended by the Local Government Reform Act 2014, provides the legislative basis for the local authority budget process. It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. The elected members of a local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (20 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I have not received a request from the Cathlaoireach and members of Sligo County Council as outlined in the Question. I met with the Chief Executive of Sligo County Council and his senior management team on 13 November 2014 to discuss the Council’s financial situation with them. The continued deterioration of Sligo County Council’s financial position is of serious concern to me,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (20 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department commenced a public consultation in December 2013 on proposed “draft” revisions to the existing 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines focussing specifically on the issues of noise, setbacks and shadow flicker. These draft revisions proposed: - the setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments, - a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Bonds (20 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Further to the establishment of Irish Water with effect from 1 January 2014, planning authorities were requested in Circular PS 21/2013 of 30 December 2013 to operate revised procedures in relation to the application of development contribution levies. In respect of planning permissions granted prior to 1 January 2014, planning authorities were advised that the full development contribution...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (25 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. My Department is providing funding under the scheme of in excess of €8 million over the two year period to mid–2016. This represents an increase in funding of more...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local and Community Development Programme Project Funding (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 483, 500, 518 and 535 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 €281 million over that period. It is being implemented on a transitional...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Priory Hall Development (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: An implementation group, chaired by Dr Martin McAleese, is in place to oversee the effective implementation of all aspects of the agreed Framework. The implementation group includes representatives of both former residents and buy-to-let owners, thereby ensuring that all of the Priory Hall homeowners are fully engaged and fairly treated. In relation to the refurbishment works, the position...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electromagnetic Fields Studies (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 485, 522 and 523 together. The issue of the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields was the subject of an Expert Group Report commissioned by the Government and published in March 2007. This report, entitled Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields, which considered issues such as digital signals, microwaves and mobile phone masts, is available...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I have no plans currently to introduce a direct debit payment option for motor tax and my Department has, therefore, not fully costed the introduction and implementation of a direct debit system. The introduction of such a system would also involve the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, which has responsibility for overseeing the operation of the National Vehicle Driver File and the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Conservation Grant (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Households that complete a valid response to Irish Water’s customer registration process will, in the case of primary dwellings, be eligible for a €100 water conservation grant, payable through the Department of Social Protection. This payment is being made available to support more sustainable use of water, as part of the Government’s objective of achieving greater...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Conservation Grant (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 489 together. Households that complete a valid response to Irish Water’s customer registration process will, in the case of primary dwellings, be eligible for a €100 water conservation grant, payable through the Department of Social Protection. This payment is being made available to support more sustainable use of water, as part of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Appointments (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 490 and 494 together. 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 under an independent chair, Mr. Kevin Foley of the Labour Relations Commission. This joint union/management group was...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Building Regulations Application (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 491 to 493, inclusive, together. Over 4,700 new construction projects have been notified to Building Control Authorities across the local government sector since the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 regulations came into operation on 1 March 2014. Evidence to date suggests that the Construction industry is responding well to the new...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Expenditure (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The continued deterioration of Sligo County Council’s financial position is of serious concern. Sligo County Council has incurred revenue deficits for the last 6 years, has an accumulated deficit of over €19m and also has long term debt of over €120m. It is a matter for each local authority, including Sligo County Council, to determine its own spending priorities in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Planning authorities may, when adopting the local area plan for their areas, adopt policies to curtail an excessive concentration of fast food outlets in particular areas. Under planning legislation the change of use of any premises to a takeaway or fast food outlet would require planning permission. In deciding whether or not to grant permission for a development, the relevant planning...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Motor tax can either be renewed in a local authority motor tax office or online at , which is maintained by the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF), under the auspices of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. I am not in a position to provide the cost of administering a single tax disc as cost information is not measured in this manner. Similarly, I am not in a position to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (25 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Motor tax is payable on an annual, half-yearly or quarterly basis. The rates applicable for the half-yearly and quarterly options are 55.5% and 28.25% of the annual charge, respectively. These relativities have remained generally consistent since the 1960s. The differential takes account of the extra workload for staff in motor tax offices and the National Vehicle and Driver File and the...