Results 3,981-4,000 of 20,793 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility (25 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: For a household to qualify for social housing support a housing authority must carry out an assessment to establish whether the household is in need of housing and meets certain eligibility criteria, including income limits. As part of a concerted effort to deal with the issue of mortgage arrears, the Social Housing Assessment Regulations were amended in 2011 to provide that a household may...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Plastic Bag Levy (25 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The amount s raised by the Plastic Bag Levy are available and contained in the published accounts of the Environment Fund, available on my Department's website at: . The 2014 Accounts have not yet been finalised. The proceeds of the environmental levy on the supply of plastic bags, collected by the Revenue Commissioners, and the environmental levy on the landfilling of waste, collected by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (25 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: There is insufficient information provided by the Deputy to allow my Department to answer the queries raised.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Bodies Data (25 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 195 together. Information in relation to the number of Chairpersons, the members of the Boards and the fees for each Board is set out in the table. Agency/Body Post Number of board members Remuneration Dublin Docklands Development Authority Chairperson 1 Nil - Member 7 €11,970 Housing Finance Agency Chairperson 1...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Administration (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non-Principal Private Residence 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. It is a matter for an owner, whether resident in Ireland or elsewhere, to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: 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 term financial plan. I have set aside an...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Statistics on local authority housing stock, including information on vacant stock and the average time taken to re-let available dwellings, are published annually by the Local Government Management Agency. The most recent statistics are in respect of 2013 and are available at the following link: .In 2014, Dublin City Council returned 467 vacant properties to productive use with funding...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The proposed refurbishment of 64 family units in two blocks at O'Deveney Gardens is one of a number of initiatives my Department has brought forward in order to address the need for emergency accommodation for homeless families in the Dublin region. The latest figures available to my Department indicate 371 homeless families in emergency accommodation in the Dublin region, many of which are...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Establishment (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Government has embarked on a programme of ambitious reform of the water sector, as the traditional water services system was in need of fundamental change.  Our public water infrastructure is deficient and inadequate as a consequence of decades of under-investment and the lack of a truly national approach that could maximise the impact of investment. An Independent Assessment...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Proposed Legislation (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: A total of 7 pieces of legislation, proposed or published, by my Department have been subject to the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure in the Oireachtas. As part of the Government's Political Reform Programme pre-legislative scrutiny was introduced to the Houses of the Oireachtas in 2011 and formalised in parliamentary procedure in November 2013. It is my intention to subject all legislation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Producer Responsibility Initiative scheme which I recently announced for tyres will comprise the following main features: -A s ingle compliance scheme for end- of-life tyres to be operated by Repak, - The ending of the option to “ self-comply” under the Regulations, - Formalisation of the existing recycling charge into a visible environmental management charge, - The...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Constitutional Amendments (26 Mar 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 the 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 of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Motor tax is based on the construction and use of a vehicle. In order to qualify for the commercial rate of motor tax, a vehicle must be constructed or adapted for use as a goods vehicle and used solely for the conveyance of goods in the course of trade or business. Licensing authorities have an obligation under Article 3 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing)(Amendment)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Data (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Exchequer funding of over €37 million was provided by my Department to local authorities in 2014 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. Combined with an additional 20% contribution by individual local authorities, there was an overall spend last year of €46.3 million in this area. I am pleased to confirm that the 2015 amount will...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Records (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Government decided on 17 April 2012 to establish Irish Water as an independent state owned company within the Bord Gáis Group (now Ervia). This was communicated to Bord Gáis Éireann (BGE) by letter, in which in it was indicated that achieving the transition of water services would require a collaborative approach with stakeholders, particularly recognising that Irish Water...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I understand that the term over-holder is used to describe former members of the Defence Forces and their families who have refused to leave military married quarters within 21 days of retiring or resigning from military service. Where such persons leave military quarters and are in need of housing, it is open to them to apply to their local authority for social housing support and be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (26 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Funding provided by my Department to local authorities for the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability is available on my Department's website at the following link:,by selecting 'Social and Affordable Housing', 'Housing Adaptation Grants by Area 2008 to date'. Exchequer funding of over €37 million was provided by my Department to local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (31 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 606 and 648 together. The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann (now Ervia), conforming to the conditions contained in the Act and registered under the Companies Acts. Section 5 of the Act provides that one share in Irish Water shall be issued to Ervia with the remaining shares...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (31 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 647 and 607 together. I refer to my replies to Questions Nos. 902 and 239 of 24 and 26 March 2015, respectively, which set out the position on these matters.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Conservation Grant (31 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: €130 million has been provided in my Department’s Estimate for the water conservation grant in 2015, which is intended to cover grant payments and all administration costs including staffing.