Results 5,301-5,320 of 20,798 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Ministerial Meetings (13 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I am aware of the social benefit accruing from the Housing Adaptation grant schemes that my Department funds in terms of facilitating the continued independent occupancy of their own homes by older people and people with a disability. While no specific meetings are planned with the organisation in question, I am happy to consider representations on behalf of any group of people who benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Remit (13 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides for the transfer of responsibility for the provision of public water services from local authorities to Irish Water. It also provides a mechanism whereby water services infrastructure taken in charge by local authorities pursuant to section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, may be subsequently transferred by Ministerial...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Animal Welfare (13 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department has no direct role in the management or operation of local authority dog shelters. Under the Control of Dogs Acts, local authorities are responsible for operating and managing dog control services in their administrative areas, including the management of dog shelters. Scanning for microchips in dog shelters is not compulsory and is a matter solely for consideration by the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Animal Welfare (13 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: The regulation of dog breeding establishments is a matter for local authorities in accordance with the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. Section 9 of the Act requires each local authority to establish and maintain a register of dog breeding establishments situated in their respective functional areas and persons intending to operate such establishments must apply to their relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (13 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: In November 2014 I announced a package of measures to ensure that domestic water charges are certain, affordable and clear. A range of flexible payment options are available. Irish Water facilitates bill payment through direct debit, electronic funds transfer, payment by cash at any retail outlet with a Paypoint or Payzone sign, or a post office where a bill can be paid in full or part...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme Administration (13 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: The total funding allocated by my Department under the Capital Assistance Scheme to Leitrim County Council in respect of the project concerned is €538,711. The Capital Assistance Scheme provides funding to local authorities for the advancement of sheltered housing projects that the authorities have agreed with approved housing bodies. The funding in this case relates to land costs of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Litter Pollution (14 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I am very aware of the problems posed to local communities by litter and graffiti. The role of my Department is to provide the legislative framework to address the issue. Under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to litter pollution, including the defacement of structures by writing or other marks, lie with local authorities....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (14 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I have no function in this matter and the information requested is not available in my Department. With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. It should be noted that the existing arrangements for all non-domestic customers are remaining in place with no changes for the time being in line with the Water Charges Plan approved by the Commission for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: The policy and operation of rent supplement is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection. The details of the particular case highlighted in the Question have been forwarded to the Department of Social Protection for further consideration. In order to qualify for rent supplement, a person must have been residing in private rented accommodation or accommodation for homeless persons or an...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: An Bord Pleanála is the independent statutory body assigned responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and certain other matters under the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended, and for the determination of applications for strategic infrastructure development including major road and railway projects. Under section 30 of the Act, I am specifically precluded from...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Conservation Grant (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: The legislative basis for the Water Conservation Grant is set out in Section 5 of the Water Services Act 2014 and statutory regulations under the section, inter alia, provide for the general administrative procedures for the scheme. Persons who register with Irish Water, as required under Section 5(2)(a) of the Water Service Act 2014, on or before 30 June 2015 shall be eligible to receive the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (20 Oct 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. The HSE are responsible for the provision of healthcare supports to the homeless while the Department of Social Protection oversees issues relating to social exclusion. A...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: The provisions of the Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 came into effect on 1 July 2013 and following a three month transition period, have been fully in force since 1 October 2013. The Act provides that, if a declaration is not made in the month of expiry of an existing motor tax disc or an existing declaration of non-use, a minimum of three months motor tax, along with any arrears due,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Funding (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. This includes capital expenditure on water and waste water services but excludes expenditure on the rural water programme. Total voted capital expenditure on water services in the years 2011 to 2015 is set out in the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 652 and 655 together. In October 2014, the European Council agreed on the 2030 climate and energy policy framework for the European Union. The European Council endorsed a binding EU target of an at least 40% domestic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990. The target will be delivered collectively by the EU in the most...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes designed to meet these needs rests with the individual housing authorities. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Administration (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: On 16 December, 2014, I issued a statutory direction to all authorities involved in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) statutory pilot, instructing them to take the necessary steps to ensure that households benefiting from HAP can avail of a move to other forms of social housing support, should they wish to do so, through the transfer option. I also directed that HAP recipients, who apply...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Policy (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: On 10 June 2015, my Department met with the Deputy and Deputy Patrick O’Donovan, along with representatives from the Irish Tyre Wholesalers and Retailers Association (ITWRA), to discuss the development of new producer responsibility arrangements for waste tyres. My Department had a further meeting with representatives of the ITWRA on 24 June, and a number of further contacts were...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: There is no requirement for local authority houses to remain empty for a period of six months before they can be reallocated after a tenant has vacated the premises. I expect that local authorities will re-let social housing units within the shortest possible time after they become vacant. In some cases, an amount of pre-letting refurbishment works may be necessary but these should be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Graffiti Issues (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I am very aware of the problems posed to local communities by graffiti. The role of my Department is to provide the legislative framework to address the issue. Under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to litter pollution, including the defacement of structures by writing or other marks, lie with local authorities. The Act...