Results 3,421-3,440 of 20,793 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The extent of the challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in line with our EU commitments, is well understood by Government, as reflected in the National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development,published in April 2014 , and in the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Bill 2015, published last week. The National Policy Position provides a high-level policy...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Conservation Grant (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: To promote sustainable use of water and to enhance water conservation in households, the Department of Social Protection will administer, on behalf of my Department, a €100 water conservation grant for households (principal private dwellings) that complete a valid response to Irish Water’s customer registration process. While Irish Water, as part of the transition phase,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Property Tax Administration (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 8 on today’s Order Paper. My Department has advised local authorities of their provisional Local Property Tax allocations from the Local Government Fund for 2015. For certain local authorities, with stronger property bases, the amount of Local Property Tax receipts to be retained locally (80%) in 2015 will be greater than the level of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: On 20 May 2014, the Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessnesswas published in which the Government's approach to delivery on its objective of ending involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016 was outlined. A copy of this plan is available on my Department's website at the following link: . This plan sets out a range of measures to secure a ring-fenced supply of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Most of the provisions of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 only came into effect on 1 June 2014. Accordingly, 2015 will be the first full year of the operation of a number of significant changes in the local government system such as the unification of city/county councils in Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford, the establishment of municipal districts and a range of new governance...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme Applications (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The implementation of projects under my Department’s Capital Assistance Programme is a matter for each individual local authority. My Department issued approval in principle to the local authority in July 2012 for this project, subject to it complying with the requirements of the Capital Works Management Framework. Additional information in connection with this scheme sought by my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Social housing is a key priority for Government, as evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced for social housing in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020in November 2014, which sets out clear, measureable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of households...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Social housing is a key priority for Government, as evidenced by the increased provision made for the area in Budget 2015. The overall social housing funding provision for 2015 has been increased by in excess of €200 million, with capital funding increasing by €180 million, which will allow for significant expansion in social housing provision. The Social Housing Strategy 2020:...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme Applications (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The implementation of projects under my Department’s Capital Assistance Programme is a matter for each individual local authority. In this case, my Department issued approval in principle to the local authority in May 2014, subject to the proposal complying with the requirements of the Capital Works Management Framework and the Public Spending Code. Full approval can only be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 125 together. The Government is acutely aware of the difficulties facing peoplein accessing housing and is undertaking a range of actions to address the matter. My Department’s Housing Land Availability Survey (HLAS) estimates that there is in excess of 25,000 hectares of undeveloped residentially zoned land nationally, which equates to a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1e3 and 124 together. Social housing is a key priority for the Government, evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced for social housing in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020in November 2014. The Strategy builds on the provisions contained in Budget 2015 and sets out clear, measureable actions and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 131 together. Ireland is on course to comply with its greenhouse gas emission reduction target for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol in the commitment period 2008 to 2012. The Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, which establishes a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol from 201 3 to 202 0, was agreed in 2012 but has not yet entered into...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Air and Water Pollution (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Air quality monitoring in Ireland is carried out to meet the requirements of EU Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, also known as the CAFE Directive. The Directive requires that certain minimum levels of monitoring are conducted for the purpose of assessment and management of air quality. The EPA has responsibility for the monitoring of air quality in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Last year, E xchequer funding of over €37million was provided for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. I am pleased to be in a position to increase that funding by some 10% in 2015 to €40.4 million; individual allocations to local authorities will be made shortly. Through careful management of my Department’s housing budget in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Legislative Measures (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020, published in November 2014, includes a commitment to commence Part 2 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 in the first quarter of this year.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (29 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. The Local Government (Rates) Act 1970 provides for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (29 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department does not hold information on the number of households on local authorities’ housingtransfer lists. The management of these lists is a matter for individual housing authorities and the numbers fluctuate continually as , for example, households are granted transfers in accordance with an authority’s allocation scheme to take up other accommodation options .

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (29 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Motor tax is payable on an annual, half-yearly or quarterly basis. The rates applicable for the half-yearly and quarterly options are 55.5% and 28.25% of the annual charge, respectively. These relativities have remained generally consistent since the 1960s. The differential takes account of the extra workload for staffing in motor tax offices and the National Vehicle and Driver File Unit...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Proposed Legislation (29 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Programme for Governmentincludes a commitment to take further steps to address noise pollution, inter alia , through consideration of the introduction of fixed payment notices (also known as on-the-spot fines). The development of new noise legislation by my Department is being considered in the context of this commitment. However, as indicated in the Government’s Legislation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Data (29 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 509 of 27 January 2015 which sets out the position in this matter. A breakdown by local a uthority of the mortgage to rent cases completed under both the Approved Housing Body Mortgage to Rent Scheme (AHB MTR) and the Local Authority Mortgage to Rent Scheme (LA MTR) to date is provided in the table below: Authority AHB-MTR LA-MTR Overall Carlow 3...