Results 5,321-5,340 of 20,798 for speaker:Alan Kelly

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

Alan Kelly: My Department works closely with Dublin City Council in relation to the Council’s overall staffing requirements. However, under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, it is the Chief Executive of the Council who is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority. Since 1 January 2015, my Department has...

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

Alan Kelly: As outlined by the Revenue Commissioners, Category C Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) vehicles include larger commercial vehicles, agricultural tractors, and buses with a minimum of 10 seats including the driver’s seat. This category also includes vintage vehicles. In Budget 2016, the Minister for Finance announced changes to the rates of motor tax to be paid for goods vehicles. The...

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 roads, railways and power transmission lines. The Board may, at its own discretion, hold...

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

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 668 and 669 together. The Social Housing Strategy 2020provides a comprehensive response to the need for social housing and targets the provision of over 110,000 social housing units to 2020, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management Regulations (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: In the discussions prior to the adoption of the 2007 Tyre Regulations, the Government made clear that this was the last opportunity for the tyre industry to embrace environmental compliance and take responsibility for the waste it produces. The 2007 Tyre Regulations were focused on matching what was placed on the market with what came off the market as waste. If the required improvement did...

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

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 673 and 674 together. A revised water charges regime was announced by the Government on 19 November 2014. The capped annual charges are €160 for single adult households and €260 for all other households until the end of 2018. Through conservation of water those on metered supply can reduce their costs and pay less than the capped costs. The...

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

Alan Kelly: As the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability are administered by local authorities, information regarding the income levels of applicants is not available in my Department. It is not possible therefore to say what an increase in the threshold would cost. The income limit for the scheme was amended from €65,000 to €60,000 in 2014 arising from...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (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. Funding from my Department for emergency accommodation and homeless services is provided to housing authorities on a regional basis under section 10 of the Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Applications (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under the Approved Housing Body (AHB) Mortgage to Rent scheme properties are offered to AHBs, which have expressed an interest in the scheme, by the Housing Agency. Financial details of the case are provided to enable the organisation make an informed choice as to the feasibility of the transaction. If an AHB cannot progress the case the Housing Agency is informed to enable it to seek an...

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

Alan Kelly: The Minister for Health and Children decided in 2008, on the basis of expert risk management advice, to discontinue the policy of distributing iodine tablets to households. The Radiological Protection Act 1991 (Ionising Radiation) Order 2000 provides that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government must prepare a plan, referred to as the National Emergency Plan for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Vehicle Registration (21 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I assume the Question is referring to motor tax, as there were no changes to Vehicle Registration Tax announced in Budget 2016. The changes to rates in motor tax will take effect for discs taken out with a commencement of 1 January 2016 or thereafter. Where tax is due for renewal prior to that date, owners of commercial vehicles will pay at the current rates. It should be noted that such...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Conservation Grant (21 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: The eligibility criteria for the Water Conservation Grant are set out in the Water Services Act 2014 (Water Conservation Grant) Regulations 2015. 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 grant in 2015 if they were normally resident at the principal private residence on...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (21 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 161 together. An Affordable Rental pilot scheme, which was announced as part of Budget 2016, is currently being developed by my Department, in the context of the implementation of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. €10 million has been made available from the proceeds of the sale of Bord Gáis Éireann for the scheme in 2016. This is to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (21 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: Arising from the Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013, a grants scheme is available to assist with the cost of remediation of septic tanks and domestic waste water treatment systems which are deemed to require repair or upgrading, following inspection under the EPA’s National Inspection Plan and the subsequent issue of an Advisory Notice by the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Expenditure (21 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: Local authorities are multi-purpose bodies responsible for an extensive range of services, which include public parks; libraries; open spaces and leisure amenities; planning and development; fire and emergency services; roads; maintenance and cleaning of streets and street lighting. Income from local sources such as commercial rates, housing rents, environmental and other waste charges...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Freedom of Information Data (21 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: The information in respect of Freedom of Information requests for the period January 2015 to date received by my Department is set out in the following table. Total FOI requests received January 2015 to date Completed within the initial four week timeframe 308 199 Cases may take longer than 4 weeks to be completed for a range of reasons, including the requirement for search and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (22 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was signed by Ireland in 1990 and ratified in 1992. It addresses rights and principles across a wide spectrum of areas – for example, education, health, justice and protection from violence. Housing is among areas referred to in terms of State Parties, in accordance with national conditions and within their means, taking...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Public Lighting (22 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I understand that the development in question is an unfinished housing development, which is in private ownership and has not yet been taken in charge. Longford County Council had initiated legal enforcement proceedings against the developer to have the estate completed satisfactorily. This is a matter for the local authority to address, but I understand that a programme of work to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Issues (22 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: Dublin City Council has made a proposal for the funding of this project under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme for sheltered housing. My Department is in active discussions with the Council regarding the costs and certain design issues and we await further information from the Council so that the proposal can be advanced.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Register of Electors (22 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: In law, the preparation of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local authority as a registration authority. It is their duty to ensure, as far as possible and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Register. The draft register is published on 1November each year and is generally available for examination at post offices, Garda stations and...