Results 3,601-3,620 of 20,793 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Noise Pollution (19 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: Currently, a person experiencing noise nuisance may contact their local authority, which may initiate proceedings on grounds of noise nuisance under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992. This Act also provides for any person, or group of persons, to seek an order in the District Court to have noise giving reasonable cause for annoyance abated. The procedures involved have been...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Data (19 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The number of staff employed by each local authority at the end of each year since 2008 is set out in the following table on a whole time equivalent basis (WTE). From 2013, a combined staffing figure was returned for Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council. From 2014, a combined staffing figure was returned for Waterford City Council and Waterford County Council and for Tipperary...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Litter Pollution (19 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009 provide the statutory framework to combat littering and include provisions relating to dog fouling.  Under the Acts, the primary management and enforcement response to littering (including dog fouling) is a matter for local authorities. It is a matter for each local authority to determine the most appropriate course of action to tackle litter...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (19 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: In the third quarter of 2014, rents were 5.6% higher nationally than in the same quarter of 2013, according to the most recent rent index from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB). Rents for houses were 4.3% higher while apartment rents were 7.3% higher than in the same quarter of 2013. In Dublin, which is seeing the highest rates of increase nationally, overall rents were higher by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Coastal Protection (19 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: A draft foreshore licence to cover proposed dredging works at Magheraroarty issued to the County Council's legal advisers in May 2014 and to date has not been returned to the Chief State Solicitor's Office. My Department has advised the County Council that dredging works should not commence in the absence of an executed licence. Funding for such works is a matter for Donegal County...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Funding (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 563 and 568 together. Irish Water has a €300m loan from the NPRF at an annual interest rate of 2.5%. There is no security for this loan but the loan is guaranteed by the Minister for Finance, for which a separate guarantee fee is payable. Irish Water has put in place facilities with commercial banks in the amount of €150m which are unsecured...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Implementation (24 Feb 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: Motor Tax Yield (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The income and expenditure from the Local Government Fund for the years 2008-2015 is set out in the tables below. The figures for the years 2008 – 2013 are from the Local Government Fund audited annual accounts which are available on my Department’s website at the following link: The figures for 2014 and 2015 are from the Revised Estimates Volume for 2015, which is available on...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Postal Voting (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 566,590,595,596,598,603 and 604 together. In order to be able to vote at elections and referendums, a person's name must be entered in the register of electors for a constituency in the State in which the person ordinarily resides. Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of certain categories of person who are entered in the register...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Data (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The staffing levels in my Department at the end of each of the years 2007 to 2014 along with the change in staffing levels from the previous year is set out in the table below. Year Staff at Year End (FTE) Difference (+/-) from Previous Year End (FTE) 2007 1441.46 67.67 2008 1332.12 -109.34 2009 1191.90 -140.22 2010 1176.53 -15.37 2011 812.21 -364.32...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under the Capital Assistance Scheme, a ‘Call for Proposals’ was issued in 2014 covering the period 2014- 2016. Projects submitted under this ‘Call’ are currently progressing through the various stages of design and development. However, given the ambition set out in the Social Housing Strategy 2020, I propose to issue a further ‘Call for Proposals’...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: Last year, exchequer funding of over €37 million was provided for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, with Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council receiving €3,030,439 and €1,077,562, respectively. I am pleased to be in a position to increase the national funding for the Schemes by some 10% in 2015 to €40.4 million...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Rates (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: Motor tax is based on the construction and use of a vehicle. There are two annual motor tax rates for tractors. An annual rate of €333 applies to tractors being used for general haulage purposes. An annual rate of €102 applies to tractors and agricultural engines provided they are being used solely for agricultural purposes. This includes vehicles being used by agricultural...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Library Services (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The management of library services, including the deployment of library resources in a local authority area such as Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, is a matter for the local authority concerned in accordance with the library development programme adopted by the elected members as a reserved function. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Construction Sector Strategy (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Dublin Housing Supply and Co-ordination Task Force was established under Action 2 of the Government’s Construction 2020Strategy with an immediate focus on addressing supply-related issues and to work closely with industry and other parties, including those responsible for key infrastructure such as schools, to identity and address any obstacles to viable and appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 273 of 5 February 2015, which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Protection Agency Expenditure (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: As provided for in the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992, the EPA is independent in its operations, and accordingly, I have no role in this matter. However, I am advised by the Agency that Section 50B of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended by the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010 and the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, may apply to judicial...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme Criteria (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: A Residential Tenancy Agreement under the Rental Accommodation scheme (RAS) involves a three way contractual relationship between landlord, tenant and the housing authority. Under the agreement, in return for a guarantee that the housing authority will pay an agreed monthly rent to a landlord under the scheme, the landlord agrees to fulfil certain terms and conditions. These terms and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (24 Feb 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. Under rates legislation the person liable for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Eligibility (24 Feb 2015)

Alan Kelly: The information requested is not available in my Department. The assessment of households for social housing support is a matter for individual housing authorities under the provisions of the Housing (Miscellaneous) Provisions Act 2009, the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 and having regard to the particular circumstances of each case. I am precluded from becoming involved in...