Results 15,141-15,160 of 20,884 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (2 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 561 and 590 of 1 December, 2015 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Regeneration Projects Status (2 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Kildare County Council submitted a proposal to my Department in 2008 seeking funding approval for a Remedial Works Scheme at St. Patrick’s Park, Rathangan, County Kildare. Following a detailed examination of the proposal, my Department provisionally approved funding of €6.8 million for the scheme in July 2011 with 10% of the cost to be met by the local authority. Kildare...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (2 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Since being established, the Social Housing Proposals Clearing House Group has received 25 proposals for funding social and affordable housing, using both existing mechanisms and new approaches. These are from a broad spectrum of entities which include financial institutions, developers, fund managers, financial services providers, Approved Housing Bodies and others. The Clearing Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Quality (2 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 528 of 24 November 2015. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (2 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: On the basis of advice received from the Office of the Attorney General, there is no basis for charging motor tax on articulated vehicles at the goods rate from 21 October 2015, the date of the judgment of the Court of Appeal in relation to such vehicles. Accordingly, arrangements have been made to refund owners of articulated vehicles on amounts overpaid on or after that date. The position...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (2 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 174 together. The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive sets out requirements for the collection, treatment and discharge of urban waste water, with the objective of protecting the environment from the adverse effects of waste water discharges. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the environmental regulator responsible for the licensing,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (2 Dec 2015)

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 individual housing authorities and, in that context, the...

Rent Certainty and Prevention of Homelessness Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Is it round two?

Rent Certainty and Prevention of Homelessness Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Unlike Sinn Féin, we are taking the steps that are needed to address the problems in the housing sector. They are complex and will take time. Houses take time to build. I would love to have a miracle and for them to be up immediately, but there is a time lag between the actions being taken and delivery of new housing on the ground. Sinn Féin claims the Government has created...

Rent Certainty and Prevention of Homelessness Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: I will be opposing this Bill. At the outset however, I thank Deputy Ellis for providing this opportunity for Members to discuss again what they all will agree is an extremely important topic, as well as the major reforms the Government is implementing in the private rental sector in Ireland to provide rent certainty for both tenants and landlords and the wide range of actions I and my...

Rent Certainty and Prevention of Homelessness Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: I see the Deputy still can make his-----

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electromagnetic Fields Studies (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department has commissioned a study to review and report on international developments on the potential health effects of electro-magnetic fields. This study is examining international research developments in to non-ionising radiation (NIR) and electromagnetic fields (EMF) which have taken place since the publication in 2007 of a report by the then Department of Communications, Marine...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 546 and 560 together. 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 Commissioner for Valuation has sole responsibility for all valuation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: A revised water charging regime was announced by the Government on 19 November 2014. The capped annual charge is €160 for single adult households and €260 for all other households until the end of 2018. All households now know what their capped bills will be until the end of 2018, which is particularly important for larger households or those with high usage due to medical...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Motor tax can be paid online or by post or in person in 26 local authority areas. Some 67% of vehicle owners now tax online. The annual cost of maintaining the National Vehicle and Driver File, including the online system and the technological facilitation of the collection of motor tax in local authorities, is €12.5m. The cost of administering the service via the network of motor tax...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Library Services Funding (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: A draft Libraries Capital Investment Programme is being developed by my Department for investment in library infrastructure over the period 2016-2021. The proposed library at Kinnegad has been identified by Westmeath County Council as a priority investment and, accordingly, will be considered in that context.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Library Services Staff (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, it is a matter for each local authority Chief Executive, for the purposes of discharging responsibilities, under section 149 of the Act, for the efficient and effective operation of his or her authority, to make such staffing and organisational arrangements as are deemed necessary for the purposes of carrying out the functions for which he...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant Applications (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability are administered by local authorities, in this case Dublin City Council, with funding from my Department. There is no difficulty with funding availability under the schemes from my Department and I understand that Dublin City Council is in contact with the applicant in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Political Reform (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: The process of parliamentary reform is an ongoing one. The Programme for Government outlined an ambitious agenda for Dáil Reform to be introduced in a phased process over the lifetime of the Government. On foot of this, since 2011 the operation of the Dáil has been steadily reformed to enhance the legislative role of elected members and improve the working of the House. The measures...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Vacant Site Levy (1 Dec 2015)

Alan Kelly: There is no time limit requirement under the planning laws relating to the bringing into use of properties after their completion. However, the recently enacted Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 introduced a new measure, the vacant site levy, which is aimed at incentivising the development of vacant, underutilised sites in urban areas. In the context of the Act, the term...