Results 2,581-2,600 of 20,763 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Establishment (27 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides for the transfer of water services functions from local authorities to Irish Water. With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for the provision of public water services. Section 12 of the Act provides for the transfer of property from a local authority to Irish Water. Section 13 of the Act provides that any rights or liabilities...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (27 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The provision of social housing services is a matter for each local authority as the housing authority for its area. Each authority has responsibility for identifying their area’s social housing need and responding as required, including in relation to the availability of units for particular categories of need.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Proposed Legislation (27 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Maritime Area and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill is included on the ‘A’ list of Bills in the Government’s Legislation Programme, as a Bill expected to be published in the period up to beginning of the next Oireachtas session in mid-January 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Marine Resources (27 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The development of a framework for maritime spatial planning is one of the actions set out in Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth – An Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland - Implementation of actions identified in the plan is supervised by the Marine Coordination Group, which is chaired by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Marine Coordination Group’s consideration...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Staff (27 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Government has decided that there should be a single non-executive Board at Ervia Group level with responsibility for Irish Water and the gas network subsidiary. The size of the Ervia board will be expanded to ensure there will be adequate expertise and experience in respect of water services. Legislation on these matters will be published shortly. The term of appointment for Directors of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Expenditure (27 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: The first phase of the metering programme, covering over 1 million properties is expected by Irish Water to cost €539m excluding VAT. In July 2013, Irish Water and the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission (NPRF) entered into a two year €250m bridging loan facility, which benefits from a State Guarantee.  The NPRF has recently agreed to an increase in the amount of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Expenditure (27 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 213 together. The establishment of Irish Water is an integral component of the Government’s water sector reform strategy and involves major organisational change. The establishment of a high performance utility will lead to lower costs and improved services in the future, providing much better outcomes for customers and the environment. ...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Funding (27 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: All decisions in relation to Local Government Fund income and expenditure for 2015 will be finalised as part of the Revised Estimates Volume process. It is envisaged that the subvention to Irish Water in 2015 will be some €399m.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Yield (27 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: Non-domestic users of public water and waste water services are now customers of Irish Water. Local authorities, acting as agents of Irish Water under Service Level Agreements, have continued billing, collections and billing/metering query functions in relation to non-domestic customers. The local authority water tariffs that applied prior to 1 January 2014 still apply to non-domestic...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (27 Nov 2014)

Alan Kelly: In the case of primary dwellings registered with Irish Water and where a meter is installed, an allowance of 21,000 litres per annum will be provided in respect of each child under the age of 18 ordinarily resident in the dwelling. In the case of unmetered dwellings with children, the capped charge to apply is based on the numbers of adults in the dwelling i.e a single adult dwelling or a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Authority Funding (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: That is no problem.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Authority Funding (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I assure Deputy Cowen that the local authorities will not be at a loss. There are three key elements to the Government's recent decision on water charges - we sought to make them more affordable, as everyone knows; we sought to provide certainty in respect of the charges; and we sought to put in place a more complete charging structure. In making the charges more affordable, the Government...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Authority Funding (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Deputy can be fully assured definitively that local authorities will not be at a loss as part of this process. While there were no discussions within the timeframe with the LGMA or CCMA, discussions are ongoing on a continuous basis on all these issues anyway. There will be no effect on local authorities. The €59 million figure is believed to be the cost and it was arrived at...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Authority Funding (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Deputy will get them.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Authority Funding (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: We are very confident about the analysis that was made and the €59 million figure. When there is a breakdown in 2015, we will be able to supply the figures, as will be required. The Deputy has raised this issue previously and I am aware of his concern in this regard, but I assure him that this process will not leave local authorities at a loss. That was never the intention and, as...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: EU Directives (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I should have indicated previously that subsequent questions dealt with social housing and homelessness. I concur with the comments made by Deputies Barry Cowen and Brian Stanley on this issue. They are probably aware of the announcement I made earlier today. We will address the issue in subsequent questions. Article 9 of the water framework directive of 2000 requires member states to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: EU Directives (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: This has been bandied about, and there have been different interpretations in previous years. We do not have a derogation. As a consequence of the circumstances of the country, our current situation and that of the past number of years, and the manner in which the agreement with the troika was signed up to by the previous Administration, not only do we not have a derogation, but, as a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: EU Directives (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I have heard these arguments. We do not have options of the scale to which he referred. However, that is not to say we should not be implementing some of the measures he mentioned to a larger degree. I agree with him completely about conservation. It is a necessity that we, as a society, adopt a similar approach in our conservation policy to that which pertains to recycling. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Water Administration (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I do not know if the Deputy was present when I commented on the issue of homelessness, but it will be addressed in later questions. In December 2013 all of the local authorities signed individual service level agreements with Irish Water. Under these agreements, local authorities are conducting certain water services such as operations and maintenance of plants on behalf of Irish Water. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Water Administration (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: On the last issue, I presume everything has been done appropriately. If the Deputy has a specific question on the issue, I will get back to him directly if he sends his query to me. The requirements in this regard are set out, but I do not have a direct role in the matter. However, I am intent on ensuring the review process for the service level agreements will be conducted in a...