Results 5,421-5,440 of 20,798 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (4 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department has no involvement or role in operational matters, such as those raised in the Question, which are solely a matter for the relevant local authority, in this case Dublin City Council.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Data (4 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: The number of staff employed by Tipperary County Council at the end of each year since 2010 is set out in the table below on a whole time equivalent basis (WTE). As you will be aware, prior to 2014, North Tipperary County Council and South Tipperary County Councils were separate authorities and therefore returned separate staffing returns to my Department; however, the overall staffing total...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (4 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 to 244, inclusive, together. It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process, having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (4 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: Housing authority administration of homeless services is organised on a regional basis and funding from my Department for homeless services is also provided on a regional basis. Dublin City Council is the lead authority for the Dublin Region, which also includes South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. My Department is engaging with Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (4 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: Planning legislation provides that any person or body, on payment of the appropriate fee, may make a submission or observation in writing to a planning authority in relation to a planning application within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt of the application by the planning authority. The legislation does not provide discretion for planning authorities to hold oral...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rental Costs (4 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: The most recent data from the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) for Q2 2015 show that on an annual basis, nationally, rents were 7.1% higher than in Q2 2014. Rents for houses were 6.4% higher, while apartment rents were 7.6% higher than in the same quarter of 2014. These annual rates of increase were driven mainly by the Dublin market. Overall, in the 12 months to the end of Q2 2015,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (4 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: In December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setbacks and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed: - the setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments, - a mandatory minimum setback of 500 metres between a wind turbine...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Staff Data (4 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: Approximately 3% of the staff in my Department are proficient to carry out their duties completely through the medium of Irish and these staff can be directed towards particular work areas requiring Irish as and when required. My Department continues to provide staff with the opportunity to improve their Irish language skills by offering language training at a number of different levels....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (4 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department has a wide and diverse business agenda, including protecting the environment, providing necessary housing supports and fostering community and rural development in partnership with local government and other local development bodies. In order to deliver on this broad business agenda, my Department allocates significant resources to a wide range of organisations, including local...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Guidelines (5 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: In December 2013, my Department published proposed draft revisions to the noise, setbacks and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 wind energy development guidelines. These draft revisions proposed the setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments; a mandatory minimum setback of 500 m between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Guidelines (5 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: We received 7,500 submissions with much detail and it is a very technical area, as the Deputy will agree. We are developing technical appendices and my Department is doing a considerable volume of work. Technically complex work is being undertaken by Marshall Day Acoustics and others. In the finalisation of the guidelines, we must be cognisant of our 2020 renewable energy targets. In the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Guidelines (5 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Deputy probably needs to put down a question to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy White, to ask his opinions. Given that the Deputy has personalised this regarding my Labour Party colleagues-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Wind Energy Guidelines (5 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: Will the Deputy let me answer the question? If he talks to my Labour Party colleagues, he will find there is not one iota of a difference between us on the issue. He should talk to the Deputies and Senators. This is a complex issue. I am very strong on the need for proper, good planning guidelines. I am well aware of the issues, projections and the type of turbines that are being...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Provision (5 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: Well said.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Data (5 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: Is the Deputy saying that we should not have given them the funding? Should we have given them nothing at all?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (5 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy. A shortage of supply is at the heart of rising rents and the Government is addressing it on a number of fronts. Construction 2020 is aimed at dealing with issues in the property and construction sectors and ensuring that any bottleneck that might impede the sector in meeting demand is addressed. It is being worked through constantly. As the House knows, social housing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (5 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: It was strange to remark that supply was not the issue. Of course it is. If there is enough supply, people have options in the market and rents will not be as high. In the long term, the most important issue is private and public supply. We just discussed the social housing programme in detail. The €4 billion package will take fours year to implement but it will help with supply....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (5 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Deputy would know more about them than I would.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (5 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Deputy's response was very ironic. There is no issue with vested interests in any form and I would not tolerate that in any way. I am not under the control of any form of vested interest. A small percentage of landlords are trying to act in an unscrupulous way, which is unacceptable. However, we also need landlords to supply stock because we need a mixture of social and private...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (5 Nov 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Private Residential Tenancies Board is doing much work in the area and I presume the Deputy has seen the awareness campaigns.