Results 16,161-16,180 of 20,884 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Financial Resolution (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: I move:THAT provision be made in the Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014 to amend section 1 of, and the First Schedule to, the Finance (Excise Duties) (Vehicles) Act 1952 to provide in secondary legislation for the physical characteristics, uses to which a vehicle may be put, and the supporting documentation required in determining eligibility for motor tax at a particular rate...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts Expenditure (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department does not hold the information requested. The procurement of products or services by a local authority is a matter for the authority concerned. Procurement legislation and associated guidance are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Guidelines by the Office of Government Procurement under the aegis of the Department of Public Expenditure and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. My Department works closely with Dublin City Council in relation to the Council’s overall staffing requirements. The Council’s staffing requests...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Exchequer Savings (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: The current salaries for local authority Chief Executives are set out in the table below. Local Authority Chief Executive Salary Dublin City Council €175,721 Cork County Council Fingal County Council South Dublin County Council €150,977 - Cork City Council Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Kildare County Council Meath County Council Limerick City...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Quality (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: Earlier this month I announced a National Strategy to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water which has been approved by the Government. The Strategy was prepared by my Department and the Department of Health in consultation with Irish Water, the Health Service Executive and the Environmental Protection Agency. As part of the Strategy I will be establishing a new grant scheme to assist...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under a Ministerial Direction, which issued on 27 January 2015 and is time bound for a six-month period until 26 July 2015, key local authorities are required to prioritise homeless and other vulnerable households in the allocation of tenancies under their control in accordance with Section 22 of the Housing Act 1988. In the case of the four Dublin local authorities, the minimum proportion...

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

Alan Kelly: The First Report of the Convention on the Constitution included a recommendation that the constitution should be changed to provide for a voting age of 16 years. The Government accepted the recommendation and committed to holding a referendum on the proposal. I am not in a position to indicate when such a referendum might be held. However, the Taoiseach indicated in the Dáil on 9 June...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Data (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: Action to deal with anti-social behaviour is primarily a matter for An Garda Síochána. Local authorities are responsible under the Housing Acts for the management and maintenance of their housing stock and the management of their estates, including taking appropriate measures to counter anti-social behaviour. The powers of local authorities in this area were significantly enhanced...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: Responsibility for the administration of my Department's Rural Water Programme, under which funding is provided, amongst other measures, for water conservation in group water schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. The selection, prioritisation and approval of individual group scheme proposals for advancement and funding under the programme, within the overall priorities...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: The project in question was originally approved by my Department in May 2014 for the development of 8 units of sheltered housing for the elderly, at an estimated cost of €1.153m. There were initial delays in advancing the project due to difficulties with ownership of the site for the development, which I understand are now resolved. However, the approved housing body and Waterford...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department’s learning and development budget for 2015 is €400,000, which includes €85,000 in respect of learning and development in Met Éireann. This is in respect of 721 FTE staff at 1 January 2015. The savings that would be associated with a 2.5%, 5% and 10% reduction to the learning and development allocations in 2015 are set out in the table below. ...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: The amount invoiced to my Department in 2014 to which professional services withholding tax was applied was €1,833,549.06, of which €392,774.12 related to payments in respect of the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments. The potential saving, had a 10% reduction applied, would have been € 183,354.91.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: Payment of salaries to staff of my Department is made in line with pay scales approved by the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform. If the salaries of my Special Advisors were capped at the first point on the Principal Officer scale, the saving in 2015 would be in the region of €11,080 (not including Employer’s PRSI).

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Expenditure (1 Jul 2015)

Alan Kelly: Information in relation to Board member fees, on which calculations of the impact of fee reductions can be based, is set out in the table below. Agency / Body Post Number of board members Remuneration Dublin Docklands Development Authority Chairperson 1 €20,520 Member 7 €11,970 Housing Finance Agency Chairperson 1 €11,970 Member 10 €7,695 ...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Control of Dogs (30 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos 602 and 603 of 23 June 2015. Section 11(7) of the Control of Dogs Act 1986 gives the local authority discretion, after 5 days following the making of an entry in the register, to dispose of or destroy in a humane manner, stray dogs unclaimed by their owner having given notice to that owner or person in charge of the dog, if such owner or other person is...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Register of Electors Data (30 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 595, 596, 631 and 635 to 637, inclusive, together. The June 2015 position paper of the Union of Students of Ireland - Voter RegistrationReform, referred to in Question 631, sets out a number of recommendations in relation to the register of electors and on wider electoral matters which I have noted. The recommendations made regarding the register of electors...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (30 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: A reply has now issued in relation to the correspondence concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (30 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services Act 2007 provides that the property owner is responsible for the maintenance and replacement of any water or wastewater pipes, connections or distribution systems which are located within the boundary of their property. Responsibility for the repair of pipes under publicly owned roadways and pathways is a matter for Irish Water.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure (30 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department is currently reviewing the unit cost ceilings for the construction of dwellings to be used for social housing. When finalised they will be notified to the local authorities. As a guide, in May 2015 the first phase of construction projects under the Social Housing Strategy was announced. Overall, there were 100 building projects delivering over 1,700 units of accommodation,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (30 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Officials from my Department met with a number of individuals on 18 June in relation to housing and homelessness issues. During this meeting it was suggested that the group’s various points of concern be set out in a document and submitted to my Department for consideration. This has not been received to date but, upon receipt, I will give consideration to the document and to the...