Results 15,561-15,580 of 20,884 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 652 and 655 together. In October 2014, the European Council agreed on the 2030 climate and energy policy framework for the European Union. The European Council endorsed a binding EU target of an at least 40% domestic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 1990. The target will be delivered collectively by the EU in the most...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes designed to meet these needs rests with the individual housing authorities. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Assistance Payments Administration (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: On 16 December, 2014, I issued a statutory direction to all authorities involved in the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) statutory pilot, instructing them to take the necessary steps to ensure that households benefiting from HAP can avail of a move to other forms of social housing support, should they wish to do so, through the transfer option. I also directed that HAP recipients, who apply...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Environmental Policy (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: On 10 June 2015, my Department met with the Deputy and Deputy Patrick O’Donovan, along with representatives from the Irish Tyre Wholesalers and Retailers Association (ITWRA), to discuss the development of new producer responsibility arrangements for waste tyres. My Department had a further meeting with representatives of the ITWRA on 24 June, and a number of further contacts were...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: There is no requirement for local authority houses to remain empty for a period of six months before they can be reallocated after a tenant has vacated the premises. I expect that local authorities will re-let social housing units within the shortest possible time after they become vacant. In some cases, an amount of pre-letting refurbishment works may be necessary but these should be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Graffiti Issues (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I am very aware of the problems posed to local communities by graffiti. The role of my Department is to provide the legislative framework to address the issue. Under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to litter pollution, including the defacement of structures by writing or other marks, lie with local authorities. The Act...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department works closely with Dublin City Council in relation to the Council’s overall staffing requirements. However, under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, it is the Chief Executive of the Council who is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority. Since 1 January 2015, my Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Rates (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: As outlined by the Revenue Commissioners, Category C Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) vehicles include larger commercial vehicles, agricultural tractors, and buses with a minimum of 10 seats including the driver’s seat. This category also includes vintage vehicles. In Budget 2016, the Minister for Finance announced changes to the rates of motor tax to be paid for goods vehicles. The...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: An Bord Pleanála is the independent statutory body assigned responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and certain other matters under the Planning and Development Act, 2000, as amended, and for the determination of applications for strategic infrastructure development including major roads, railways and power transmission lines. The Board may, at its own discretion, hold...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 668 and 669 together. The Social Housing Strategy 2020provides a comprehensive response to the need for social housing and targets the provision of over 110,000 social housing units to 2020, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management Regulations (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: In the discussions prior to the adoption of the 2007 Tyre Regulations, the Government made clear that this was the last opportunity for the tyre industry to embrace environmental compliance and take responsibility for the waste it produces. The 2007 Tyre Regulations were focused on matching what was placed on the market with what came off the market as waste. If the required improvement did...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Funding (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 673 and 674 together. A revised water charges regime was announced by the Government on 19 November 2014. The capped annual charges are €160 for single adult households and €260 for all other households until the end of 2018. Through conservation of water those on metered supply can reduce their costs and pay less than the capped costs. The...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: As the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability are administered by local authorities, information regarding the income levels of applicants is not available in my Department. It is not possible therefore to say what an increase in the threshold would cost. The income limit for the scheme was amended from €65,000 to €60,000 in 2014 arising from...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (20 Oct 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. Funding from my Department for emergency accommodation and homeless services is provided to housing authorities on a regional basis under section 10 of the Housing...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Applications (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under the Approved Housing Body (AHB) Mortgage to Rent scheme properties are offered to AHBs, which have expressed an interest in the scheme, by the Housing Agency. Financial details of the case are provided to enable the organisation make an informed choice as to the feasibility of the transaction. If an AHB cannot progress the case the Housing Agency is informed to enable it to seek an...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Emergency Planning (20 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Minister for Health and Children decided in 2008, on the basis of expert risk management advice, to discontinue the policy of distributing iodine tablets to households. The Radiological Protection Act 1991 (Ionising Radiation) Order 2000 provides that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government must prepare a plan, referred to as the National Emergency Plan for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Litter Pollution (14 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I am very aware of the problems posed to local communities by litter and graffiti. The role of my Department is to provide the legislative framework to address the issue. Under the Litter Pollution Act 1997, the primary responsibility for management and enforcement responses to litter pollution, including the defacement of structures by writing or other marks, lie with local authorities....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (14 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: I have no function in this matter and the information requested is not available in my Department. With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. It should be noted that the existing arrangements for all non-domestic customers are remaining in place with no changes for the time being in line with the Water Charges Plan approved by the Commission for...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Nitrates Action Programme Implementation (13 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Nitrates Directive and Ireland's National Nitrates Action Programme are given legal effect by the consolidated European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended. The objective of the Regulations is to protect ground and surface waters, including drinking water sources, primarily through the management of livestock manures and other...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (13 Oct 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under my Department’s Capital and Current expenditure, funding is provided to housing authorities in respect of a range of social housing initiatives. Details of expenditure under the se initiatives for Westmeath and Longford County Councils for the years referred to, up to the end of the third quarter of 2015, are as follows: Westmeath County Council - 2008 € 2009 ...