Results 1,921-1,940 of 20,758 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (1 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water is responsible for public water services and can collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. If a customer is in receipt of a wastewater disposal service from Irish Water, they will be charged accordingly. The Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations 2007 provide for the authorisation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Election Management System (1 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 to 179, inclusive, together. Provisions for elections to Seanad Éireann are set out in Article 18 of the Constitution, in the Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937 and the Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act 1947. These Acts make provision for the nomination of candidates for general elections and bye elections having regard as necessary to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (1 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 182 together. I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 550, 571, 580, 581, 582, 587 and 594 of 30 September 2014. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters (1 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 183 together. The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group and assigned the necessary powers to allow Irish Water to undertake the water metering programme. Irish Water has informed my Department that each water meter has a low power radio unit...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (1 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 184, 187 and 189 together. 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 its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (1 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Pursuant to the so-called EU Effort-Sharing Decision of 2009 (Decision No. 406/2009/EC), Ireland has ambitious, legally binding greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for each year between 2013 and 2020, inclusive. Under the Decision, emissions in the year 2013 should be no more than the average of those same emissions in the years 2008 to 2010.  In the year 2020, the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (1 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: It is a matter for each local authority to manage its own finances in a prudent and sustainable manner. Under the Local Government Act 2001, a decision to borrow money is a reserved function of the elected members of a local authority. Section 106 of the Act determines that local authorities must obtain the consent of the appropriate Minister to undertake borrowing. Local authorities are...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (1 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 591of 30 September 2014 which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Finance (Excise Duties) (Vehicles) Act 1952 provides for the making of regulations for refunds of motor tax. The current regulations have been in force since 1992 and provide for the surrender of a motor tax disc in certain limited circumstances, such as where the vehicle has been stolen, scrapped or where the owner ceases to use the vehicle due to illness. For administrative reasons, the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Status (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Since 1 January 2014 Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. The Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant has operated since 2003. While there was initially an odour issue, major improvements have been carried out which have abated the odour significantly. Irish Water is continuing to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Community Development Initiatives (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 551, 552, 553, 554, 557, 558, 559, 560 and 579 of 30 September 2014, which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The primary functions of the Board are to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants in the private rented residential sector. Section 153 of the Act provides for a Board of up to 15 members...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 584 of 30 September 2014. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Appointments to State Boards (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Since July 2011, my Department’s website has been used as the primary mechanism for seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced persons, for consideration as members or chairpersons of the boards of State bodies under my Department’s aegis. It should be noted that in the case of certain appointments, statutory selection procedures must be followed or...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Government’s Construction 2020 – A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector, published in May 2014, aims to build a competitive, innovative and sustainable construction sector. It provides for a National Framework for Housing Supply to be established on a statutory footing with an annual National Statement of Projected Housing Supply and Demand published every June. The...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Staff (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Irish Water is currently recruiting to build up its internal capabilities and the recruitment of staff is an operational matter for the organisation. It was agreed by the Steering Group for the Water Sector Reform Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Leader Programmes Funding (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: There are 35 Local Development Companies (LDCs) contracted, on my Department’s behalf, to deliver the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP) throughout the country. In line with the ‘bottom-up’ approach to rural development the LDCs are the principal decision-makers in relation to the allocation of project funding. Such decisions are made in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme Funding (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Capital Assistance scheme provides support, through the local authorities, towards the approved costs of housing bodies in providing accommodation for persons with specific categories of housing need, including older people, people with an intellectual, physical or mental health disability, homeless people, returning emigrants and victims of domestic violence. While initial annual...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme commenced in 1991 to provide mortgage finance to approved housing bodies by way of loans from the Housing Finance Agency , to meet the cost of social rented accommodation for low-income families. From the scheme’s commencement to end-2013, the housing bodies have provided over 10,000 units of accommodation with loans approved to the value of over...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: NAMA Social Housing Provision (2 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department is working closely with NAMA, the Housing Agency, local authorities and approved housing bodies in relation to the delivery of social housing. Information in relation to the delivery of NAMA sourced units, including a full breakdown by county, of units delivered on quarterly basis, is available on the Housing Agency’s website: . Since the process began in December 2011...