Results 3,941-3,960 of 20,793 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: A Departmental audit of the availability of local authority land was carried out in 2010 and a further survey of lands available for housing was carried out in 2012. The 2010 audit identified approximately 600 local authority owned sites intended for residential purposes.  The 2012 survey identified 525hectares of serviced land owned by local authorities as available for housing...

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

Alan Kelly: A pilot rent to buy Scheme was launched by Dublin City Council on 20 July 2010. I understand that all properties under the Scheme have been allocated and no further offers are being considered by the local authority at this time. In the context of the implementation of the Social Housing Strategy it is open to local authorities to explore the potential role of schemes of this kind in...

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

Alan Kelly: The allocation of funding to local authorities for the build and acquisition of social housing units in 2015 and 2016 will be based on the proposals they will be implementing to deliver social housing units in line with the targets of the Social Housing Strategy. My Department has received proposals from Sligo regarding their planned delivery of new social housing over the next 3 years...

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

Alan Kelly: Under the relevant actions of the Social Housing Strategy 2020, national targets for delivery of social housing on a local authority by local authority basis for 2015 are to be agreed, and work on targets for subsequent years initiated, by quarter 1 2015. This process is well underway and all local authorities have submitted delivery proposals, across all delivery mechanisms, for the years...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Social Housing Strategy 2020 builds on the provisions contained in Budget 2015 and sets out clear, measurable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list. Under the relevant actions in the Strategy national targets for delivery of social housing on a local authority by local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: 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, measurable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I understand that Galway City Council did not purchase any sites over the last five years for the provision of social housing. With the exception of 8.2 hectares currently being purchased from the Health Service Executive in Cherry Orchard and a Compulsory Purchase Order in respect of a site at Sackville Avenue, Dublin 3, Dublin City Council have advised that they have not bought any sites of...

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

Alan Kelly: When a new applicant applies for a Housing Needs Assessment, the relevant local authority determines what supports are available and most appropriate for that particular applicant. The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is deemed to be a social housing support under section 19 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, as amended, and accordingly households supported through HAP are...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (24 Mar 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 individual housing authorities. The purposes for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 866 and 919 together. I assume the Question relates to the proposed Kilmacreddock/Barrogstown Group Sewerage Scheme. Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, which includes group sewerage schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. The annual block grant allocations provided by my Department to the local authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Noise Pollution (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Section 107 of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Act 1992 provides local authorities with powers to require measures to be taken to prevent or limit noise. The Environment Section of Dublin City Council is the appropriate contact point for reporting a noise nuisance in this regard. However, these powers are aimed at mitigating noise of human origin emanating from any premises,...

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

Alan Kelly: My Department makes funding allocations to local authorities for the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. The detailed administration of these schemes, including the apportionment of funding between the various grant schemes and the assessment, approval and payment of grants to individual applicants under the various grant measures, is the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments (24 Mar 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: Irish Water Administration (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: There were three key elements to the Government's decision in November 2014 on water charges – making the charges more affordable, providing more certainty in relation to the charges and the introduction of a simpler charging structure. In making the charges more affordable the Government carefully examined Irish Water's operational expenditure. In that context, Irish Water's...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Air Pollution (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: National and EU standards in relation to emission concentrations, fuel quality and operating conditions are set to apply to a wide range of sources to minimise and limit any damage to the environment. In relation to industrial emissions, certain installations, including the seven referred to in the question, are subject to the licensing, monitoring and enforcement requirements of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I assume that this question relates to the potential role that geo-engineering may play in tackling the effects of climate change directly. I am not aware of any instances where such interventions are being planned. My focus, at this point in time, is to put in place appropriate mitigation measures at the National level to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this regard, the Climate Action...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Quality (24 Mar 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...

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

Alan Kelly: It is open to all local authorities to submit staffing sanction requests to facilitate the delivery of the Government's Social Housing Strategy. Each staffing sanction request is examined on a case by case basis having due regard to the continued delivery of key services in the context of staffing and budgetary constraints. The table sets out architect positions, including technician and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Retail Sector (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Planning permission for the redevelopment of the privately owned Ballymun Shopping Centre and the adjoining lands owned by Dublin City Council was granted in September 2009 for a period of 10 years. The proposed redevelopment of the area did not proceed at that time due to the prevailing economic conditions. However, the provision of commercial, retail and other services in Ballymun, and at...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Household Charge Exemptions (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Local Government (Household Charge) Act 2011 provides the legislative basis for the household charge. Under the Act, an owner of a residential property on the liability date of 1 January 2012 is liable to pay the household charge, unless otherwise exempted or entitled to claim a waiver. Section 4(4)(b) and section 4(6) of the Act provide that a waiver from the charge applies in 2012 and...