Results 4,461-4,480 of 20,797 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social Insurance Payments (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department has no direct function regarding issues relating to PRSI and/or social welfare entitlements, both of which fall within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Data (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department gathers quarterly data on staff numbers in local authorities. The data gathered does not provide detail in respect of numbers employed in the building control section within each local authority, and accordingly, the information requested is not available in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commissions of Investigation (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1106 to 1108, inclusive, together. My Department has not established any Commissions of Investigation, under the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, since the Act came into effect.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: This amendment proposes to set out definitions of baselines and baseline years in respect of greenhouse gas emissions with a view to more wide-ranging amendments in sections 3 and 4 of the Bill. I will reserve my principal observations on the more wide-ranging amendments until later in the debate. As I do not agree with the proposed large-scale amendments to section 3, I consider this...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputies who tabled the amendment, Deputies Barry Cowen and Catherine Murphy, and their substitutes, Deputies Charlie McConalogue and Mick Wallace, who are proposing it, to include a reference to "climate justice" when the Government is considering for approval a national mitigation plan or a national adaptation framework. Few, if any of us, doubt the validity of the concept of...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The concept is not the issue, as we all subscribe to it. I am knowledgeable in this area and accept the spirit of the loose term. The issue is how it can be defined in law. We must be careful about inserting something into Irish legislation without having a clear definition. This is a major issue. We must ask whether it would have knock-on effects or unintended consequences down the line...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: We did not seek legal advice from the Attorney General, but I will do so, if necessary. Our legal advice from within the Department was clear.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I will speak on amendments Nos. 10 and 11 together. Amendment No. 9 has been ruled out of order and while Deputies are welcome to submit another version of that amendment on Report Stage, amendments Nos. 9, 10 and 11 all pull together. In practical terms, with amendment No. 9 having been ruled out of order, the provisions in amendments Nos. 10 and 11 do not add up. I say this genuinely. As...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: In fairness, it is not in my hands. It is the Bills Office-----

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I shall respond directly to a number of the comments made which I have taken on board. Obviously, we have our national climate change policy which commits us to having an 80% decarbonised economy by 2050 and carbon neutrality in agriculture. We also have our 2020 targets for greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, we do have targets. I have said what I have said about the targets being set...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I apologise to the Deputy. I did not write down his question. With regard to the mechanism he mentioned, I do not have any issue with it in principle.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: No. I do not believe that is fair.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: In general, it is a process that often occurs. Of course, it can be done.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: We have all been educated. There is a difference in the rules applied in the Chamber and here.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I do not have much to add except to say that I agree with the principle enunciated by the Deputy. However, we have very defined targets from a European process. I ask the Deputy to trust me on this issue. The European Union will push us to ensure we meet our targets. We are not far off achieving those targets. They are not that far away. I will be launching a consultation process on the...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I appreciate the concerns of people and I want to get the Bill enacted as soon as possible so the clock can start ticking. I mean that and this is why I have prioritised it in government. I want to get it done before the recess and as quickly as possible. I want to drive it on. Despite all the discussion and differences between us, there are many good elements in the Bill and I hope...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I said earlier that I will consider such requests. There are number of areas like this. I am not too sure about this but I will certainly consider it. There are other areas where I will definitely make amendments.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I strongly disagree with the Deputy on this amendment. I believe the Government should be the authority and be held accountable for these approved plans. It is elected to deal with these issues. Delegating approval to the Dáil would undercut the Government of the day, which should be held accountable and stand over its approval. I believe it would be detrimental to accountability if...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: What is the Deputy's logic?

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: It is precisely as I stated it also.