Results 3,501-3,520 of 20,793 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Data (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: In order for a property to be considered under the mortgage to rent scheme it must be purchased by an Approved Housing Body for less than €220,000 (per property) in the Greater Dublin Area and €180,000 (per property) in the rest of the country. These limits were determined by a working group which took account of available market data and the current social housing acquisition...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Quality (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under the European Union (Drinking Water) Regulations 2014, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, suppliers of drinking water are required to ensure that the water supplied is wholesome and clean. Water which is wholesome and clean is defined as water which is free from any micro-organisms and parasites and from any substances which in numbers or concentrations constitute a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Exemptions (10 Feb 2015)

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, 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. The NPPR Charge is based on self-declaration and therefore the onus is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Eligibility (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, the allocation of dwellings in accordance with an allocation scheme is a matter for the housing authority concerned and I have no power to intervene in individual cases. It is of course important that dwellings are allocated efficiently and effectively by local authorities. If the Deputy wishes to send me specific...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.  The annual rate on valuation (ARV), which is applied to the valuation for each property determined by the Valuation Office to obtain the amount payable in rates, is decided by the elected members of each local authority during the annual budget process. Rates income data are published by local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Finance Agency Funding (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: I assume that the Question refers to income-related loans that were advanced by individual local authorities to individual borrowers between 1982 and May 1986. The Housing Finance Agency (HFA) advanced the associated funds to local authorities. A total of €403 m was advanced by local authorities under the pre - May 1986 income-related loan scheme for 15,571 mortgages. On 30 June...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2013, which is available in the Oireachtas Library, lists the water services schemes and contracts that were to be progressed under the programme. The timing of the commencement of contracts within that period was a matter for individual Water Services Authorities, subject to the requirement for my Department’s approval at key...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Bituminous Fuel Ban (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous fuel (or ‘smoky coal ban’ as it is commonly known) was first introduced in Dublin in 1990 in response to severe episodes of winter smog that resulted from the widespread use of smoky coal for residential heating. The ban proved very effective in reducing particulate matter and sulphur dioxide levels in Dublin. As...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 578, 583 and 603 together. 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. Accordingly, the collection of water charges is now the statutory responsibility of Irish Water....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Septic Tank Grants (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 579 and 582 together. Neither I, nor my Department, have any direct role in monitoring the implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s ( EPA) National Inspection Plan for domestic waste water treatment systems by the local authorities.  However, the EPA has conducted a review on the implementation of the Plan for the period from 1 July...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Animal Welfare (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: As indicated in my reply to Question Nos. 553, 554 and 555 of 20 January 2015, animal health and welfare policy is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013, the provisions of which apply to all animals including those in dog pounds. As indicated in the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s reply...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: It is a matter for each local authority to bring forward proposals in relation to its proposals on social housing provision and in the context of the Social Housing Strategy 2020: Support, Supply and Reform published in November 2014, a Dublin Social Housing Delivery Taskforce has been established, to respond to the current supply challenge in the Dublin area, including facilitating mixed...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Road Projects (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The reply to correspondence is the responsibility of the local authority concerned and I have no function in relation to this particular matter. Responsibility for road matters rests with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. The Local Government Act 2001 (Section 237A) Regulations 2003 provide, inter alia, that it shall be an objective of a local authority to seek to deal with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: One of the main causes of rising rents in some areas is a lack of supply in the market. The Social Housing Strategy 2020, which I published in November 2014, sets out clear, measureable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, while the implementation of the range of actions under the Government’s Construction 2020 Strategy will also support increased supply in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (10 Feb 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. The occupier of a property is liable to pay the water charges bill, and legislation provides that the owner is the occupier unless the contrary is proven. Irish Water is providing landlords with the opportunity to prove that...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Yield (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 590 and 600 together. Irish Water's costs in the coming years will be funded through a mix of revenue from the domestic and non-domestic sector, third party finance and State support which may be in the form of both equity and subvention. The Government decisions on levels of funding and the approach to free allowance were informed a high level...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under the Water Services Acts 2007-2013, Irish Water has statutory powers to request its customers and certain specified persons or bodies to provide it with information so that Irish Water can perform its functions under these Acts including the collection of data to develop its customer database. In particular, section 26 of the Water Services Act 2013 provides Irish Water with the power...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: Article 10(2) of the Constitution states that "all land and all mines, minerals and waters which belonged to Saorstát Éireann immediately before the coming into operation of this Constitution belong to the State to the same extent as they then belonged to Saorstát Éireann". With specific regard to Irish Water, the Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Constitutional Convention Recommendations (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Fourth Report of the Convention on the Constitution included a recommendation in relation to direct democracy or citizens’ initiatives. The recommendation was that there should be a right for citizens to petition on influencing the legislative agenda and to petition for referendums. In response, the Government has pointed to the fact that constitutional referendums are already...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (10 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: In 2014, my Department provided funding of some €7.9 million to local authorities towards the cost of adaptations and extensions to social houses to meet needs of tenants with a disability or to address serious overcrowding. This was an increase of funding in excess of €1.0 million on the funding provided in 2013. Under the initiative Laois County Council received...