Results 15,961-15,980 of 20,884 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: At €50.5 million, the funding that I announced for 2015 for Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability is an increase of some 10% on the funding that was available last year. This increase will enable local authorities to deliver an increased level of service to their citizens. In this regard, while it is a matter for each local authority to manage the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Conservation Grant (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: To be eligible for the water conservation grant, a person must have registered their principal, private residence with Irish Water on or before 30 June 2015. Based on current projections, my Department estimates that the total cost of the grant in 2015 will be approximately €130 million, which includes a projected administration cost of €6.1 million. Irish Water will shortly...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: The 2030 Climate and Energy Framework, as agreed at the European Council in October 2014, provides for a binding target to reduce EU greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% below the 1990 level by 2030. To achieve the overall 40% target, the sectors covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) will have to reduce their emissions by 43% compared to 2005. Emissions from sectors...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Bituminous Fuel Ban (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: The ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous fuel (or ‘smoky coal ban’ as it is commonly known) was first introduced in Dublin in 1990 in response to severe episodes of winter smog that resulted from the widespread use of smoky coal for residential heating. The ban proved very effective in reducing particulate matter and sulphur dioxide levels in Dublin. As...

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

Alan Kelly: Cypermethrin is not currently monitored under the current Water Framework Directive (WFD) monitoring programme and is not listed as a pollutant under the current European Communities Environmental Objectives (Surface Waters) Regulations 2009. However, Cypermethrin is listed in the new Priority Substances Directive 2013/39/EU which is expected to come into force in Irish law later in 2015....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: National Postcode System Implementation (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 845 and 846 together. The compilation and maintenance of the register of electors is the responsibility of local authorities as registration authorities. The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) assists authorities in this process by maintaining the authorities’ computerised records that make up the register – the Electoral Register or...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing for People with Disabilities (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: The National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability (NHSPWD) 2011 – 2016 and the associated National Implementation Framework are joint publications my Department and the Department of Health. These documents set out the Government’s broad framework for the delivery of housing for people with disabilities through mainstream housing policy. They were developed as part of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: Section 35(1) provides for the making of bye-laws by local authorities in relation to the presentation of waste. The approval of a draft bye-law, the consideration of submissions in relation to such draft bye-law and the making, amendment or revocation of a bye-law made under the Local Government Act 2001, are each functions reserved to the elected members of individual local authorities.

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

Alan Kelly: The Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009 provide the statutory framework to combat littering. Under the Acts, the primary responsibility for litter management and enforcement rests with the local authorities. It is a matter for each local authority to determine the most appropriate course of action to tackle litter pollution locally within the legislation provided, including the most...

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

Alan Kelly: Any complaints concerning environmental noise, including low-frequency noise, should be directed to the relevant local authority. The reported noise source determines how a complaint is investigated and addressed by the local authority. A public information leaflet How to Make an Environmental Complainthas been prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assist members of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: 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 levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority and all rates income accrues to the local government...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department is currently conducting a review of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines focused specifically on noise, proximity and shadow flicker. As part of this process, my Department wrote to the Department of Health in September 2013 inviting any input that they might have on the health aspects, if any, of wind farms. Preliminary feedback was received from a Deputy Chief Medical...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Electoral Reform (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: Subject to age and residency requirements, a registered elector's citizenship determines the polls at which he or she is entitled to vote. Irish Citizens alone are entitled to vote in Presidential elections and referendums. While electoral law is subject to ongoing review, I have no proposals at present to extend the current arrangements for voting by non-Irish citizens in referendums.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Property Valuations (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: The package of commitments on mortgage arrears announced by Government recently includes a number of amendments to the Approved Housing Body Mortgage to Rent Scheme, which will enable more properties to qualify for the scheme and make it more flexible and accessible to borrowers. The principal amendment to the scheme, which took effect from 1 July, is to increase the valuation thresholds...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 856 and 859 together. I am aware of the amendment to section 41 of the National Lotteries Act 2013 that, pursuant to section 44 of said Act, enables National Lottery monies paid into the Central Fund to be allocated for the purposes of the natural environment, as well as potentially for a range of other stated purposes. Lottery funding is a limited resource...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: The latest summary of social housing assessments, as of 7 May 2013, provides data on the number of households on local authority waiting lists at that date across a range of categories broken down by authority, including details on the length of time spent by households on housing lists. The full 2013 results are available on my Department’s website at . The 2013 figures are the most...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: Insofar as this relates to a matter which is a condition of a planning permission or planning permissions, enforcement of planning control is a matter for the planning authority, which can take action if a development does not have the required permission, or where the terms of a permission have not been met. Planning authorities have substantial enforcement powers under the Planning and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme Criteria (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: Local authorities are responsible for administering the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) in accordance with the statutory provisions of the Scheme, as well as guidelines and directions issued by my Department. No instruction has issued from my Department to local authorities on the matter referred to. The RAS is targeted at those in receipt of rent supplement for 18 months or more....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: The implementation of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is a key Government priority and a major pillar of the Social Housing Strategy 2020. The HAP scheme will bring all social housing supports provided by the State under the aegis of local authorities. The scheme will remove a barrier to employment by allowing recipients to remain in the scheme if they gain full-time employment. HAP...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Register of Electors (14 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: An application for inclusion in the supplement to the register of electors must be signed by the applicant in the presence of a member of An Garda Síochána from the applicant’s local Garda station who must first be satisfied as to the person’s identity before signing, dating and stamping the form. The Garda may request photographic or other identification. Where the...