Results 2,781-2,800 of 20,763 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Topical Issue Debate: Offshore Islands (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank Deputy Harrington for raising this matter. I am aware that it is extremely important to him and to most of the Deputies who live in coastal constituencies. Along with Deputy McCarthy and a number of others, he has raised this matter on previous occasions. My Department's local community development programme, LCDP, is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the...

Topical Issue Debate: Offshore Islands (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I understand the issues facing many of these islands. I have been on them, particularly when I was an MEP or, more appropriately, when trying to become an MEP. The islands are fantastic places and there is general acceptance that the vital infrastructure already put in place needs to be maintained. Subject to available funding, we will do everything we can, working with the Department of...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Housing Rents (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. With regard to the issue he raised about the housing body, I know what he was referring to. As he is aware, discussions took place last night in order to solve the problem. I am happy that it is certainly moving in the right direction. Having said that, I share some of the Deputy's concerns and attitudes in respect of ensuring common...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Housing Rents (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: This is something on which Deputy Ellis has considered views. In fairness, we are not a million miles apart on it. We agree. The two-year interim period is the period that we will use to sort out any issues that may arise. That is why I wanted it to be a two-year period. We need something consistent and fair and that shows tenants in the same bands are treated in the same way. Over the...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I move amendment No. 1:In page 3, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following:""customer", "local authority", "occupier", "premises" and "property" have the meanings assigned to each of them, respectively, in section 2 of the No. 2 Act of 2013;".This is a technical amendment which provides that the definitions of terms used in the Bill are the same as those used in the Water Services...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: To clarify, this amendment is purely to address a drafting issue.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I did not rule out of order any of the amendments. These decisions were made beyond me. Section 2 is a very important part of the Bill as everyone is aware. The provision safeguards the public ownership of Irish water and it provides for the holding of a plebiscite if any future Government proposes to change the ownership of Irish Water. Personally I do not think this will ever happen. I...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The source of information used to compile its customer database is a matter for Irish Water, pursuant to powers given to the company under section 6 of the Water Services Act 2007 and section 26 of the Water Services Act 2013. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives and has contacted all Oireachtas members to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Social Housing Strategy 2020, approved by Government and published last month, builds on the provisions contained in Budget 2015 and sets out clear, measurable 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, through...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Applications (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department has been in contact with Mayo North East Leader Partnership and I understand that they have not received any application in the name of the promoter referred to in the Question.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (9 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: Local Authority Funding (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: It is a matter for each local authority, including Sligo County Council, 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 have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which include adopting the annual budget...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: As housing authorities, local authorities are responsible for the identification of the social housing need in their area and the development of appropriate responses to the need identified. My Department is working with all local authorities on the planning and development of new social housing units that could be advanced in 2015 and beyond to meet the social housing need in their areas....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Expenditure (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: 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 have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which includes adopting the annual budget, and are democratically...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU Regulations (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 424 and 446 together. The development of European standards is principally a matter for the CEN (ie the European Committee for Standardisation ) of which the National Standards Authority of Ireland is a member . My Department’s role relates to overseeing the implementation of the overarching Construction Products Regulation (and its predecessor , the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 425 and 426 together. Local authorities have statutory responsibility, under section 33 of the Waste Management Act 1996, to collect, or arrange for the collection of, household waste within their functional areas. In recent years and following a transitional phase in some cases whereby local authorities continued to offer services in parallel with private...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) provides support, through the local authorities, towards the approved costs of housing bodies in providing accommodation for persons with specific categories of housing need. The provision of CAS properties is funded through the capital funding programme and local authorities do not make a rental payment to the approved housing body in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department, the Housing Agency and NAMA continue to work together with housing authorities and approved housing bodies in identifying suitable NAMA housing units and bringing them into social housing use. When considering the acquisition or leasing of units for social housing the relevant local authority initially carries out an assessment of the proposal. To date my Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Rents (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Household Budget facility provided by An Post is available to those local authority tenants who are paid certain social welfare benefits through An Post, and allows tenants to have their rent and other utility bills deducted from these payments. The facility is available in all local authority areas to use as they deem appropriate, and tenants must agree to apply to use the facility for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Cathaoirleach of a municipal district or, in the case of the Borough District of Drogheda, the Mayor, takes precedence at all meetings and proceedings of the municipal district members in accordance with section 31(4)(b) of the Local Government 2001 Act, as amended by the Local Government Reform Act 2014.