Results 5,841-5,860 of 21,489 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Government’s climate change policy is entirely consistent with the outcome of the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, which includes a requirement for Parties to assess, every five years, their progress towards meeting their climate commitments and to submit new plans to strengthen them. Ireland has already made its commitment to the international process as part of the European Union,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electoral Divisions Establishment (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: The constituencies which will apply at the forthcoming general election are specified in the Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act, 2013. I am not aware of any disputes, or differences of legal opinion, in relation to the definition of the constituencies of Wicklow and Dún Laoghaire specified in that Act. The Wicklow constituency is specified as consisting of the county of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Enforcement of motor tax and the instruments used to facilitate enforcement measures, including the application of number plate recognition technology to pursue the non-payment of tax, are matters for An Garda Síochána. Any changes to the requirement for display of motor tax discs on vehicle windscreens would need to be considered in the context of any potential application of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Data (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: The package of commitments on mortgage arrears announced by Government in May 2015 included a number of amendments to the Approved Housing Body Mortgage to Rent Scheme which will enable more properties to qualify for the Scheme, and make it more flexible and accessible to borrowers. The principal amendment to the scheme is to increase the valuation thresholds applicable which should enable...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Credit Ratings (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Irish Water does not currently have a credit rating from international credit agencies. The Company’s Business Plan for 2015 to 2021 sets out its strategy to secure a rating by 2019, based on establishing a strong record in relation to its financials, funding and capital investment by that time.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Expenditure (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 616 and 617 together. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 requires Irish Water to seek the consent of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (and the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform) to borrow money. Following the commencement of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Expenditure (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 requires Irish Water to seek the consent of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (and the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform) to borrow money. Following the commencement of Section 35 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority and I as the Minister for the Environment, Community...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Three new regional waste management plans, which cover the entire country, were launched in May 2015 and are available to view and download on each individual Waste Management Planning Lead Authority’s website as well as on the Environmental Protection Agency’s website, . Section 13 of the Plans addresses, inter alia, historic and legacy landfills in each waste management...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform Expenditure (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 623, 625 and 656 together. The Government’s decision to replace town authorities with a new model of municipal governance was designed to strengthen local government within counties and to address widely acknowledged and long-standing weaknesses and anomalies in the previous system, including divided administration between town and county...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Pending the undertaking of the necessary analysis of the range of issues that would arise with such a proposal and the making of related decisions on the structures and functions of a directly elected mayor for Dublin, it is not possible to provide an estimate for the costs involved. It would, however, be prudent at this stage to assume that the costs would be significant and would not...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Funding (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: An Independent Assessment published in 2012 reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of the delivery of water services through 34 local authorities, and concluded that there was a fragmentation of leadership and co-ordination, difficulty in attaining economies of scale, difficulty in delivering projects of national importance and an aging and poor quality network. The report concluded that the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Funding (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: The abolishment of water charges is not simply an issue of financing Irish Water on an annual basis. There are a number of funding, investment and legal issues which would have to be addressed. Firstly, Article 9 of the Water Framework Directive requires member states to take account of the “polluter pays” principle. As part of the first round of River Basin Management...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Expenditure (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Irish Water is a regulated utility and its operating and capital plans are reviewed by the Commission for Energy Regulation, which approves an “allowed revenue” for the regulatory period, i.e. Quarter 4 2014 to end 2016 – this represents the total costs (including depreciation and the return on capital employed) which Irish Water can recover from customer’s bills,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 629 and 652 together. The overall outcome of the Paris Conference means that the long-term objective that Ireland has already established in its April 2014 National Policy Position, and that is now underpinned by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, namely to pursue substantial decarbonisation of the energy, transport and built environment...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: An estimate of the total cost to local authorities in respect of elected member representational payments and allowances for 2015 is set out in the following table. This estimate is based on the amounts for which provision is made under the Local Government (Expenses of Local Authority Members) Regulations 2014 and other associated regulations/circulars issued by my Department. Payment...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 631 to 634, inclusive, together. My Department provides funding under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. There are three separate grants available and local authorities receive an overall allocation, with the responsibility for the apportionment between the three schemes being a matter for each authority. Information...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Part 7 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides the legal framework for the establishment and operation of Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs) to consider matters connected with the formulation, development, monitoring and review of policy which relates to the functions of a local authority and to advise the authority on those matters. The SPC system is intended to give councillors and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) consist mainly of voluntary or co-operative organisations registered under the Companies Acts, societies registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts and/or Trusts incorporated under the Charities Acts. They are independent bodies and the appointment of members to the Boards of AHBs is a matter for the bodies themselves. Notwithstanding that, the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Expenditure (17 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Responsibility for the administration of my Department’s Rural Water Programme, under which funding is provided for the schemes referred to, including up to end 2013 for small public scheme works, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. The selection, prioritisation and approval of individual scheme proposals and applications for advancement and funding under the programme,...