Results 2,621-2,640 of 20,763 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The legislation on this will be before the Houses this week and also early in the new year. Deputy Paul Murphy will obviously have his chance to debate all of this in some detail. If people enter into a reasonable payment plan, they will avoid all of the issues in question. I do not envisage anyone being thrown out of a local authority house in any way. I am in charge of local...

Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for his consistency, if nothing else. I have said this before and I will say it again: I do not envisage any person being evicted due to water charges and Irish Water.

Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I am in charge of local authorities and when people are evicted it is usually for anti-social behaviour, although evictions are rare. Sometimes neighbours cannot live with the anti-social behaviour of others and evictions ensue, but I do not envisage evictions connected to water charges. The way for people to deal with problems with water charges is through a payment plan, and various...

Other Questions: Radon Gas Levels (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for her important question. The national radon control strategy, which was published on 17 February 2014, was developed by an inter-agency group and sets out some 48 recommendations under six thematic areas. The ultimate aim is to reduce the number of radon-related lung cancer cases. While it is envisaged that the recommendations set out in the strategy will be addressed...

Other Questions: Radon Gas Levels (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter which, to be honest, is concerning. As I outlined, a programme of work is under way. I have asked my officials to assess the matter and, through the analysis being carried out, ascertain whether a higher level of concern is warranted than when the process started. That would mean that we might need quicker intervention measures. I will return to...

Other Questions: Radon Gas Levels (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Deputy has raised a good question. The work of the EPA is ongoing. The public awareness campaign has been moderately successful. On the map to which I referred certain areas have been identified as having higher than normal levels or spikes. That is where the EPA has concentrated its campaign. Having said that, there is a necessity to intensify the campaign to create an organic...

Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Project Funding (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. She has spoken about it previously and I accept that it is a source of concern. Within the constraints of the prevailing budgetary situation I have been particularly mindful of the need to prioritise funding for the local and community development programme, until March 2015, and its successor, the social inclusion and community activation...

Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme Project Funding (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I have already confirmed to the House that I am prepared to meet them. There is no issue in that regard; it is a question of agreeing a time. That is my commitment. The process must be gone through. It has begun and it is necessary to undertake it as part of the tendering process. It needs to be executed. I am determined to ensure a fair solution to the issues involved which have been...

Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Accommodation Provision (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank all Deputies for their contributions. I do not doubt their sincerity in trying to find solutions to this very complex issue. I too want to offer my condolences to the family and friends of Jonathan Corrie. It is quite shocking that he died so close to where we operate every day in trying to solve these issues. I do not want to turn this into a political shouting match because that...

Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Accommodation Provision (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: We are not covering it.

Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Accommodation Provision (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Sorry, I meant to answer that.

Topical Issue Debate: Homeless Accommodation Provision (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank Deputy Wallace. That was an amazing contribution from him. We all have responsibilities in this House. We all have responsibilities towards everyone we deal with, and so does Deputy Wallace. We all have responsibilities to ensure we do our utmost to make sure people do not get into poverty and are not left in difficult situations. It is imperative we all do that. I certainly...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides for the transfer of responsibility for the delivery of water services from the local authorities to Irish Water and, with effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for the provision of public water services, including responsibility for the charging of non-domestic customers. The Act provides that Irish Water can collect charges from...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Nuclear Plants (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Pursuant to the legislative prohibition, under section 18 (6) of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 , on the use of nuclear energy for electricity generation in Ireland, the Government does not support the use of nuclear power within the State on grounds of public health and safety, environmental protection and security. While we do not have a nuclear power industry in this country, it is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Social Housing Strategy 2020 , approved by Government and published last week, builds on the provisions contained in Budget 2015 and sets out clear, measureable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list. The total targeted provision of over 110,000 social housing units will...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Consultative Group (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: In my reply to Question Nos. 494 and 490 of 25 November 2014, I responded to queries from the Deputy on the remit and composition of the Irish Water Consultative Group. As stated in the reply, the 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Funding (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation for homeless persons and related services rests with housing authorities. My Department provides funding to housing authorities towards the operational costs of homeless accommodation and related services under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988. Housing authorities provide additional funding from their own resources....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Offshore Islands (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Priority Question No. 83 on today’s Order Paper. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Remit (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Under the Water Services Act 2007, responsibility for repair and maintenance of the internal water distribution system from the main stopcock to the house and within the house rests with the homeowner. However, the Government has agreed to provide additional funding to Irish Water for their capital investment to include a free first fix scheme. Irish Water has submitted a draft first fix...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (2 Dec 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 turbine...