Results 1,661-1,680 of 20,758 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, which includes funding for new group water schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. Generally, the selection and approval of individual scheme proposals for advancement and funding under the programme is a matter for the local authorities. The National Rural Water Services Committee, which has a role in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Deposits (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: The private rented sector is an increasingly important element of the housing market, with the proportion of households in the sector almost doubling in the period 2006-2011. I am conscious of the difficulties caused by rising rents and the problem of sourcing suitable accommodation, especially in Dublin and other urban centres. The most recent published data from the Private Residential...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Rates (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: Motor tax is payable on an annual, half-yearly or quarterly basis. The rates applicable for the half-yearly and quarterly options are 55.5% and 28.25% of the annual charge, respectively. These relativities have remained generally consistent since the 1960s. The estimated additional annual income from the increased charges for half-yearly and quarterly discs is in the region of €50m....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Community Development Projects (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: I assume the Question relates to my Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP). The LCDP is one of the State’s main social inclusion programmes. Its aim is to tackle poverty and social exclusion through partnership and constructive engagement between Government and its agencies and people in disadvantaged communities. The programme currently provides funding...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Septic Tank Grants (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services (Amendment) Act 2012 assigns responsibility to the EPA to make a National Inspection Plan for domestic wastewater treatment systems. The National Inspection Plan 2013: Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systemswas adopted and published by the EPA in February 2013. The Plan provided for a minimum of 1,000 inspections to be carried out by the local authorities in the 12 month...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for the delivery of water services capital infrastructure. Irish Water has recently published its Proposed Capital Investment Plan for 2014 – 2016 and this is available on the Irish Water website, The plan outlines a number of priorities to be delivered including eliminating Boil Water Notices, improving water quality, tackling leakage...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Expenditure (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: On 16 January 2014, details were announced of the capital allocations under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. Every local authority received increased funding for grants compared to the 2013 allocations. The schemes are funded by 80% recoupments available from my Department , together with a 20% contribution from the resources of the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Expenditure (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: The original value of the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2007 -2013 was €427 million. In late 2011 the European Commission offered Member States that were part of the Financial Stabilisation Mechanism an opportunity to avail of an increased co-financing rate from 55% up to 85%. The increased rate was to apply to 2012 and 2013 expenditure only. This reduced the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: Unpaid non-domestic water charges form part of the Gross Debtor Balance held on the local authority accounts. A working group represented by the Water Services Transition Office (WSTO), Irish Water and my Department was established to agree an appropriate methodology for the valuation of the closing 2013 non-domestic water debtors in the books of the local authorities. Work on this is now at...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Library Services Staff (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: Public Library Authority Statistics – Actualsfor the years 2002 to 2011, published by the then An Chomhairle Leabharlanna, are available at . The audit statistics for 2011 indicate total opening hours of 10,462 as compared to 10,626 at the end of 2008, constituting a 1.54% decrease. The Service Indicators in Local Authorities, published by the Local Government Management Agency...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from each customer in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Rented Accommodation Costs and Controls (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: The private rented sector is an increasingly important element of the housing market, with the proportion of households in the sector almost doubling in the period 2006-2011. I am conscious of the difficulties caused by rising rents and the problem of sourcing suitable accommodation, especially in Dublin and other urban centres. The most recent published data from the Private Residential...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters Installation (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services Act 2013 provides for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group and assigns the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the water metering programme. The meter installation programme commenced in August 2013 and Irish Water has indicated to my Department that it expects to have 4 50 ,000 meters...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Persons Supports (17 Sep 2014)

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. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with individualhousing authorities and the purposes for which housing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: In 2001 , the Oireachtas considered and approved an amendment to Section 22 of the Waste Management Act 1996 to provide that the making of a waste management plan should become an executive function of the relevant local authority. The amendment was seen as necessary to ensure the timely adoption and implementation of waste management plans, required under both national and EU legislation and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: My overall plans in relation to the future delivery of social housing will be set out in the new Social Housing Strategy which is currently in preparation, with the intention that it will be considered by Government in the coming weeks. It will contain clear, measureable actions to increase the supply of social housing, based on innovative solutions that will harness new funding streams, in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: In April 2014, the Government approved the General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low-Carbon Development Bill. The Bill, which is listed among the Bills expected to be published during the Autumn Sessionas part of the Government’s Legislation Programme, is currently being drafted within the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. Once the final Bill is approved by Government, my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Establishment (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 1 on today’s Order Paper. In advance of the enactment of the Water Services (No.2) Act 2013, the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) did not have full economic regulatory powers in relation to the water sector, but did have powers to provide advice to the Minister. In that context on 22 October 2013, my predecessor approved a request from the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department commenced a public consultation in December 2013 on proposed “draft” revisions to the existing 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines focussing specifically on the issues of noise, setbacks and shadow flicker . These draft revisions propose: -The setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments, -A...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (17 Sep 2014)

Alan Kelly: Certain planning matters in relation to County Wicklow have recently been brought to my attention. My Department is currently examining the position with regard to these matters, following which I will respond in respect of the issues raised.