Results 3,301-3,320 of 20,765 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Funding (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Until 1 January 2014, local authorities were responsible for the delivery of public water services and the provision of grant support/subsidies for the group water and sewerage sector and private wells. The operational costs of public water services were met from a combination of non-domestic water charges and funding from own resources, mainly through the block grant provided from the Local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Records (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 895 to 897, inclusive, together. In most instances, minutes or a note of meetings within my Department, including meetings that I attend, and between Department officials and semi-State companies would be recorded. However, if a meeting was simply a briefing on issues, there may simply be a record of the meeting having taken place with progress on the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 898 to 900, inclusive, together. The programme for Governmentsets out a commitment to the introduction of water charges based on usage. The Government decided that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and, therefore, decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. While Bord...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 901 to 903, inclusive, together. The assessment of households for social housing support, and the allocation of such support, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated regulations. The assessment, allocation and provision of social housing support in County Meath...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies Data (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department’s agency modernisation/rationalisation programme has seen a significant reduction in the number of agencies , with further reductions planned for 201 5 with the dissolution of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. Details regarding the number of agencies under the aegis of my Department which have been merged or abolished and the associated savings are contained in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Decentralisation Programme Data (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The headquarters of my Department is located in the Custom House, Dublin and decentralised offices are located in Wexford and Ballina. My Department also has a number of staff based in other regional locations due to the nature of their work, for example, those who work in the various inspectorates and in the local government audit service. Met Éireann’s headquarters is located in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and that the CER must perform its functions in a manner that best serves the interests of customers of Irish Water. It is not specified that this only relates to customers who have registered with the company. ...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters Installation (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels including the delivery of water services capital infrastructure. This includes responsibility for the domestic metering programme. The first phase of the domestic metering programme began in August 20 13 and will be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Transport Legislation (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under the Road Traffic Acts, responsibility for which rests with my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, rickshaws are considered to be pedal cycles when used on the road. As issues arising in relation to the carrying of passengers by rickshaws on public roads are understood to be primarily of a road safety nature, any question of strengthening the legislation in this...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water shall collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Rents (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 916 to 920, inclusive, together. Section 31 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, as amended, provides for the introduction of a national differential rents framework that will result in a significant harmonisation of local authority differential rent levels nationally, while retaining some discretion for individual authorities in setting rents...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 921 and 927 together. Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for a new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses which will replace the 1995 scheme and the once–off 2011 scheme, which closed in June 2014 and June 2013, respectively. The Social Housing Strategy 2020, which was published in November...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Inniúlacht sa Ghaeilge sa Stát Seirbhís (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Mar chuid dá Phleanáil d’Fhórsa Saothair, rinne mo Roinn imscrúdú ar líon na bpost ina bhfuil inniúlacht sa Ghaeilge agus sa Bhéarla ag teastáil. Fuarthas nach bhfuil poist den chineál sin sa Roinn, ag an am seo, agus dá bhrí sin níl aon phoist faoi leith ainmnithe le riachtanas dátheangach. Tá é seo tugtha...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department engaged the services of photographers on a number of occasions since February 2011. The details of the engagements are set out in the table below: Year Event Photographer Cost 2011 Ireland’s Best Kept Towns Ceremony Maxwell Photography €932 2011 Tidy Towns National Awards ceremony The Picture Rooms €600 2011 Meeting of the National...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Public Relations Contracts Data (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: No public relations firms were engaged by my Department for the years 2012, 2013 or 2014. As part of the promotion of a sponsorship campaign for the Tidy Towns competition, Pembroke Communications was engaged in 2011. In relation to my Department’s policy for the engagement of external expertise, this is generally only considered where the issues involved require expert skills or...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department’s role in relation to homelessness involves the provision of a national framework of policy, legislation and funding to underpin the role of housing authorities in addressing homelessness at local level. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with the housing authorities, in this instance...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I intend to establish a Referendum Commission, in accordance with section 2 of the Referendum Act 1998, in respect of the proposed referendums to be held in 2015 once the relevant Constitution Amendment Bills have been initiated in the Dáil.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Consultancy Contracts Data (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The expenditure by my Department on consultancies during 2014 is set out in the following table: Consultant Purpose of Consultancy 2014 Expenditure Bid Management Services Professional services regarding procurement document. €2,583 Deloitte & Touche Expert Assistance in the Local Government Shared Services Programme. €66,036 Duncan Lawrence Environmental Ltd....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (14 Jan 2015)

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 published on 26 November 2014. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU Directives (14 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I understand the Deputy’s question to relate to EU Directives which remain to be transposed into national law wholly or partly by my Department. There is currently 1 Directive, for which my Department has primary responsibility, which is outstanding for transposition. This is the Directive on Sulphur Content in Marine Fuels, which was due to be transposed by 18 June 2014. The...