Results 14,441-14,460 of 20,797 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Climate Change: Statements (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: It is great to see such a large crowd here today. I feel like calling a quorum, but I will not. This is probably the most important issue facing us in the world and not one single representative is inside the Chamber. I am sure the Acting Chairman will agree it is incredible and he may wish to speak to people about it. I find it deeply ironic that this House is debating climate change...

Climate Change: Statements (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: I also ask those who call themselves of the left to examine their climate change credentials when it comes to their water policy. While many things have been said about water in this House, the fact remains that the greatest energy user in the Irish public sector is our water treatment system. It consumes 490 GW hours of energy each year, which is a lot for those who do not know. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: Funding support from my Department has been made available to all local authorities, including Sligo County Council, to support their continued work to return vacant social housing units to productive use. This funding support was confirmed to Sligo County Council at a recent meeting between the Council and my Department. As stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question 452 of 20 April 2016,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Data (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 794 of 14 April 2016. The tabular information provided in that reply which gave total spending in the years by local authority, has been updated to present the data on an annualised basis by local authority. Water Services Investment Programme* Water Services Investment Programme* Rural Water Programme Local Authority Wastewater € Water...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: Funding support from my Department has been made available to all local authorities, including Kerry County Council, to support their continued work under the programme to return vacant social housing units to productive use. This funding support was confirmed to Kerry County Council at a recent meeting with my Department. Alongside that funding programme, my Department has also recently...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Services (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 459 of 20 April 2016. My Department issued Circular letter FPS3/2016 on 22 April 2016 advising each local authority of the indicative level of funding proposed to be made available to them through the new National Taking In Charge Initiative (NTICI). The €10m being made available in 2016 is distributed across the following three measures: -...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rent Controls (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015, enacted on 4 December 2015, introduced a number of measures to address rent stability and housing supply. In relation to rent stability, the Act provides, inter alia, that the minimum period between rent reviews for tenancies is being increased from 12 to 24 months and this new provision will apply for a 4 year period. In addition, the minimum...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: The provision of fire services in local authority areas, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigades, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. The annual rate on valuation (ARV), which is applied to the valuation for each property determined by the Valuation Office, to obtain the amount payable in rates, is decided by the elected members of each local authority during the annual budget process. The latest available audited local authority financial...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Funding (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: The current scheme of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability was introduced in 2007 and has encompassed the schemes for Essential Repairs Grants, Disabled Persons Grants, and the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme. The current Housing Adaptation Grants provide a strong level of funding to support older people for the continued independent occupancy of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: The spreading of sewage sludge from both local authority treatment plants and septic tank systems must be carried out in accordance with relevant environmental and other applicable legislation, including the provisions of the Waste Management (Use of Sewage Sludge in Agriculture) Regulations 1998, as amended, and the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Data (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: Information on the funding provided and grants paid to each local authority by my Department under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, since the grants were introduced, is available at the following link:. The detailed administration of the grants, including the assessment, approval and prioritisation of grants to applicants under the various grants...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: My Department provides grant assistance to Local Authorities under a scheme known as the Improvement Works in Lieu (of Local Authority Housing) Scheme. This enables the authorities to repair, improve or extend privately-owned houses occupied or intended to be occupied by an approved housing applicant, as an alternative to the provision of local authority housing. The administration of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: My Department has met with groups who represent persons with special needs and has also been in contact with the HSE and the waste management industry to discuss the issue and to try to find a workable and fair solution to this important matter. Notwithstanding the complexity of the issues involved, I am satisfied that a number of possible solutions are being explored as a matter of urgency.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Estates (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: All provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000 came into operation over the period 1 November 2000 to 28 April 2004, inclusive. Section 180 of the 2000 Act relating to the taking in charge of estates by planning authorities came into operation on 21 January 2002 by way of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (Commencement) (No. 3) Order 2001 which was signed by the then Minister...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: Procurement in relation to social housing build developments, from pre-planning through to construction, arises primarily in relation to procurement of consultants and procurement of contractors. These follow either national or EU procurement requirements, depending on the cost involved, as required by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Carrying out procurement as part of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 304 and 305 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme continues to be rolled out across the country on a phased basis and is now operational in 19 local authority areas. A detailed breakdown of the Quarter 1 2016 data is currently being prepared, including the number of households transferring from the Rent Supplement scheme in this period. This detailed breakdown will be published on my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: NAMA Property Sales (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: Since December 2011, my Department together with the Housing Agency, local authorities, and approved housing bodies have been working with the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) in order to facilitate the provision of residential properties for social housing use. The properties under consideration are part of the security for loans that NAMA has acquired. In the majority of cases,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Data (4 May 2016)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 308 and 309 together. The Social Housing Strategy 2020targets the provision of over 110,000 social housing units, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households mainly through the Housing Assistance Payment. Social housing targets have been set for each local authority out to 2017 and are...