Results 2,661-2,680 of 20,763 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Seniors Alert Scheme (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department manages the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities by providing grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms to enable older persons, of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. The scheme is administered by...

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

Alan Kelly: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants in this sector. Receipt of a determination order is the official...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Eligibility (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: There are currently two mortgage-to-rent schemes in operation through my Department. A scheme exists whereby a local authority (LA) can acquire ownership of properties with unsustainable local authority mortgages thus enabling the household to remain in their home as a social housing tenant (LA- mortgage-to-rent). The other scheme provides for an Approved Housing Body (AHB) to acquire...

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

Alan Kelly: Action 23 of the Government’s Construction 2020 Strategy, which was published in May 2014, committed to examining the possibility of enabling local authorities, should they wish to do so, to adopt new measures to incentivise the use and development of vacant and underutilised sites in urban areas. In this regard, the Government have recently given approval for the preparation of a new...

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

Alan Kelly: 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. Details of Irish Water’s costs are outlined in their...

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

Alan Kelly: The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020, published on 26 November, includes a commitment to examine the possibility of introducing a "housing passport". This measure has the potential to enhance significantly the responsiveness of the social housing system to changing housing needs by allowing households in receipt of, or qualified for, social housing support in one local...

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

Alan Kelly: I refer to my reply to Question No. 87 on today’s order paper which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020, which I launched last week. The HAP scheme will bring all social housing supports provided by the State under the aegis of local authorities. The scheme will remove a barrier to employment by allowing recipients to remain in the scheme if they gain...

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

Alan Kelly: Chapter 4 of Part 2 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, relating to rental accommodation arrangements, has not been commenced to date because it is dependent on commencement of section 31 of that Act concerning rent schemes and charges, which was amended in 2013 and in 2014. Commencement of section 31 is due to begin in the coming months and, when the provision is fully in...

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: Constitutional Amendments (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: A proposal for a Government response to the recommendations in the Fifth Report of the Convention on the Constitution, that citizens resident outside the State and citizens resident in Northern Ireland be given the right to vote in Presidential elections, is being prepared in my Department. In line with the Oireachtas resolution establishing the Convention, the Government, when providing its...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the pyrite remediation scheme and while the Act provides that the scheme can be amended, replaced or revoked, this can only be done in accordance with the scope of the Act. The provisions of the Act apply only to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave resulting from the presence of reactive...

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

Alan Kelly: Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, sets out the process by which local authorities can take in charge housing estates. A new Planning and Development Bill is currently in preparation, in which section 180 will be updated to improve and streamline the taking in charge process. My Department is engaging with the City and County Management Association (Planning...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme by the Pyrite Resolution Board for certain dwellings affected by significant pyrite damage. The report of the independent Pyrite Panel (July 2012) provides the framework for the remediation scheme and the eligibility criteria are reflective of the conclusions and recommendations of the report. The Panel...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Collection (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non Principal Private Residence (NPPR) Charge. The NPPR Charge of €200 per annum, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence. Under the Act, it is a function of a local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: 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 local authorities require sanction from my Department....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies Reports (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The National Economic and Social Council (NESC) advises the Taoiseach on strategic policy issues relating to sustainable economic, social and environmental development. NESC produces reports with strategic, long-term analyses of key economic and social development issues affecting Ireland.As the NESC Report No. 140, Home Ownership and Rental: What Road is Ireland On?,is not due to be...

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

Alan Kelly: European Mobility Week is an annual campaign on sustainable urban mobility which runs from 16 to 22 September every year. The aim is to encourage local authorities across the EU to introduce and promote sustainable transport measures and to invite their citizens to try out alternatives to car use. It is a matter for individual local authorities to decide upon their participation in European...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Library Services Provision (2 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The management of library services, including the deployment of library resources in a local authority area , is a matter for the local authority concerned.

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

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 493 and 494 together. Consequent on ECJ case C-215-06, section 23 of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010 amended section 34 of the Planning and Development Act 2000to provide that an application for permission for retention of unauthorised development may not be accepted by a planning authority in respect of development which should have been...