Results 6,241-6,260 of 20,884 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (26 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: Article 29(1) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 to 2015 provides that any person or body, on payment of the prescribed fee, may make a submission or observation in writing to a planning authority in relation to a planning application within five weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application. Article 29(3) of the Regulations provides that where a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: County Development Plans (26 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, each planning authority’s development plan must set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area concerned and be consistent with all relevant and up to date national plans, policies and strategies. Designation of settlements as a small town or moderate and sustainable growth town or...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (26 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: Local authorities are obliged to include data on current and long-term development contribution debtors in their Annual Financial Statements. As the audited figures for 2015 are not yet available, figures from the audited Annual Financial Statements for 2014 for the City and County Councils are set out in the following table. Included also are comparative figures, where available for 2011 and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Illegal Dumping (26 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: Enforcement action against illegal waste activity is a matter for the local authorities and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Environmental Enforcement. My Department provides the legislative framework under which both local authority and EPA enforcement action is initiated and also continues to provide significant financial support to a network of local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (26 Apr 2016)

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 pursuant to the Valuation Act 2001. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. My Department does not hold any data on the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Applications (26 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: On 5 February 2016, I announced total funding of €56.25 million for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. At local level, the detailed administration and processing of these grants, including the assessment, prioritisation, approval and payment of individual grants to applicants, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. I...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (26 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: The extent of the challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in line with our EU and international commitments, is well understood by Government, as reflected in the National Policy Position on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development, published in April 2014, and now underpinned by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, which was enacted in December 2015.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (26 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 455 together. The management of local authority housing, including the collection of rents from tenants, is a matter for individual local authorities. My Department does not hold the detailed data on rent arrears in the format requested. My Department does gather data on the total local authority rent arrears, on a local authority by local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (26 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: Through the Social Housing Strategy 2020I have put in place the necessary framework, targets and funding to increase the supply of social housing by 110,000 additional units by 2020. The Strategy has been supported by two successive budgets, with €1.7 billion allocated to social housing in 2015 and 2016. Under the Strategy, local authorities can acquire suitable private housing with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Constituency Boundaries (26 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: Section 5 of the Electoral Act 1997 provides for the establishment of a Constituency Commission upon the publication by the Central Statistics Office of preliminary census results. Census 2016 was taken on 24 April 2016 and the Central Statistics Office expects to publish the preliminary results in July of this year. The function of the Constituency Commission is to make a report on the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (26 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: The Waste Management (Collection Permit) Regulations 2007, as amended, require a waste collector to weigh household waste and charge on a per kilogramme pay by weight basis. A service fee may also be charged. In the case of multi-unit complexes, such as apartment blocks who share bins, such fees will be charged to the management company or person who arranges for the collection of the waste...

Irish Water: Statements (27 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: I thought I had seen it all, but if the media are reporting what I believe is probably accurate, we are heading back to the past. If that is the case, politics is failing. The issue of water charges has been a consistent blight on the political system for many years. We have to recognise that it has recently divided society because it followed a period of horrendous austerity during which...

Irish Water: Statements (27 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: Then there was the "Prime Time" programme on 1 March. It is my view that if the suspension or abolition goes ahead, it will cost us more in the long run. There is one vital question: are Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael acting within the law? Does the decision to suspend water charges run contrary to EU law and, in particular, Article 9 of the water framework directive? Ireland did have...

Irish Water: Statements (27 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: The prospect of privatisation is another myth. I cannot imagine any private entity ever wanting to own thousands of kilometres of Victorian pipes while having to adhere to the strict regulations set down by the EPA and the HSE on water quality. However, a referendum on future public water ownership may help to address people's concerns and the Labour Party will support it if it finally puts...

Irish Water: Statements (27 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: I am concerned that the deal being proposed between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael has been made without any engineering expertise or the knowledge of the people who have to implement water investment, that is, the management of Irish Water. If those in Right2Water really believe water is a human right - and I could not agree more - they might pay attention to the United Nations whose...

Irish Water: Statements (27 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: Decisions on Irish Water were rushed too quickly after the last Government came in. I accept that.

Irish Water: Statements (27 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: I believe we are rushing this decision too. I fear we are about to throw that away and keep our water system in the 19th century.

Irish Water: Statements (27 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: The Labour Party stands by the people who choose to pay. We further stand behind acting responsibly and our values regardless of the political consequences. If one does not govern by one's values but rather governs based on public opinion alone, one will never achieve anything.

Irish Water: Statements (27 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: A former politician once stood in this house and accused Fianna Fáil of economic treason.

Irish Water: Statements (27 Apr 2016)

Alan Kelly: Today, Fianna Fáil is guilty of environmental treason and the Labour Party stands behind the important public service of water provision.