Results 3,861-3,880 of 20,793 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisation arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible My Department works closely with Dublin City Council in relation to overall staffing requirements and will examine all staffing sanction requests on a case by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: This year, Exchequer funding of over €40 million will be provided for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. This represents a 10% in crease on the funding available in 2014. The Scheme is generally 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from each local authority. The allocation to Kildare County Council for 2014 was...

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

Alan Kelly: The continued deterioration of Sligo County Council’s financial position is of serious concern to me. While it is a matter for individual local authorities to manage their own day-to-day finances in a prudent and sustainable manner, my Department is in regular consultation with the Council in relation to its financial position, including in relation to the agreement of a long...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Seniors Alert Scheme (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 545 and 548 together. My Department manages the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities by providing grant assistance towards the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms to enable older persons, of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Voluntary Housing Sector (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme provides capital funding support, through local authorities, towards the costs of approved housing bodies in providing accommodation for persons with specific categories of housing need, including older people, people with an intellectual, physical or mental health disability, homeless people and returning emigrants. Subject to normal approval...

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

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 580 of 3 March 2015. In order for a property to be considered under the Mortgage to Rent scheme it must be purchased for less than €220,000 in the Greater Dublin Area and €180,000 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: Planning Issues (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under section 255 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has certain investigatory powers in relation to the review of the performance by planning authorities of their functions under the Act. These powers are restricted to the review of the organisation and of the systems and procedures used by planning authorities in...

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

Alan Kelly: Section 108 of the Local Government Act 2001 requires that each local authority shall prepare an Annual Financial Statement in accordance with the Local Authority Accounting in Ireland Code of Practice and Accounting Regulationsissued by my Department. Section 108 also requires that as soon as practicable after the preparation of an Annual Financial Statement, such statement, with a report by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Thank you, I am pleased to be in the hands of the Vice Chairman today.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Very safe. I thank the members of the committee for inviting me to discuss this extremely important topic. This is the beginning of a very important process. We have given ourselves a significant and important task, to set up an electoral commission in Ireland. I will be brief in my opening remarks because I would be better off hearing from the members of the committee and starting the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I have no doubt that he does. Does the Vice Chairman know this is recorded?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I could not agree more.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: It depends on its functions, how we define them and the result of the committee’s deliberations. I do not believe we should change the voting system. It depends on what we set out for the commission. Its remit could cover what the Vice Chairman suggested if we wanted. It is a matter for us to discuss and on which to decide as part of the process. Personally, I would not change the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: It was tried twice by referendum and defeated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I just caught the eye of the Senator coming in and thought of that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: No. On issues such as that, there would have to be constitutional change. The commission can make recommendations but it has to be completely independent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Of course it must be accountable but it must act in an independent manner. I am open in regard to the question of the relationship between the Minister, the Department and its functions and whether these should be moved. Who the commission liaises with within the structure outlined - that is through the Minister - and how that works needs to be defined also. There are significant options...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I will consider whatever recommendations the committee brings to me and we will draft legislation on that basis.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: To be fair, this is not like any other form of legislation I bring to a committee. This is not about the Government driving something forward or having a defined view. We need a general view and consensus of many of the issues we are discussion in this regard. How we run elections into the future is fundamental to our democracy, so we need to get consensus and general agreement on all of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The lake is there.