Results 16,441-16,460 of 20,884 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Data (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department gathers quarterly data on staff numbers in local authorities. The data gathered does not provide detail in respect of grades within each local authority, and accordingly, the information requested is not available in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I assume that the Question refers to general purpose grants from the Local Government Fund. General purpose grants we re a contribution from my Department towards meeting the cost to local authorities of providing a reasonable level of services to their customers. The amount paid to local authorities from the Local Government Fund for general purpose grants in 2014 recognised the removal of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Section 26 of the Water Services Act 2013 provided powers to Ervia and Irish Water to request information from a number of parties to enable it to perform its functions. Within this context, the collection of data to enable Irish Water to carry out its functions is a matter for the utility and one in which I have no function. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Control of Dogs (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the replies to Questions Nos. 542, 543 and 559 of 6 May 2015 and 977 of 26 May 2015 which sets out the position in relation to the onus on dog owners and those in control of dogs to act responsibly by keeping their dogs under effectual control, irrespective of breed, and in relation to a review of the relevant legislation. I am satisfied that the restrictions under the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Disability Services Provision (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Under the terms of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, grants are available to assist households to have necessary repairs or improvement works carried out in order to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their homes. Three separate schemes are available as follows: - The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Applications (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: To be eligible for the AHB-mortgage-to-rent scheme a household must have had their mortgage position deemed unsustainable under the Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process, agree to the voluntary surrender of their home, be in negative equity, and be deemed eligible for social housing in accordance with section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2009. These criteria are the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Domestic Violence Policy (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The provisions of the Domestic Violence Act 1996, as amended, relating to safety, barring and protection orders etc , apply to local authority dwellings, as well as to private sector dwellings. Where a local authority tenant who has engaged in domestic violence subsequently ceases, for whatever reason, to reside in the family home, the authority may let the dwelling to one of the other...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Public Procurement Contracts (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department does not have 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...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Responsibility for the administration of the Rural Water Programme, which includes group sewerage schemes, has been devolved to local authorities since 1997. Pilot schemes were a feature of the 2013 and 2014 Rural Water Programmes in light of the increased grant level for group sewerage schemes which were announced in late 2012. However, it was decided that, with effect from 1 January 2015,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Generation (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department has not sought legal advice in relation to this case. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular planning case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned. Accordingly I have no function in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Septic Tank Inspections (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1064 and 1070 together. Local authorities carry out inspections of septic tanks and similar systems for a variety of reasons, including water quality issues at drinking water sources or within designated shellfish or bathing water catchments and arising from reports of pollution from members of the public. Separately, inspections are carried out based on the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Central Bank’s code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears requires all mortgage lenders to ensure that it has in place a Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) as a framework for handling such cases. My Department introduced such guidelines to local authorities in 2012 and, subsequently, issued revised guidelines in June 2014. These guidelines - Dealing with Mortgage Arrears...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Finance Agency (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Rates charged to local authority borrowers offer exceptional value by comparison to rates charged by commercial lenders. The current rate of 2.75% is approximately 1.5% lower than standard variable mortgage rate (saving borrowers €1,500 per annum on a €100,000 loan) and is the lowest rate available currently in the domestic mortgage market. The Housing Finance Agency (HFA)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Vehicle Registration (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: Prior to the setting up of the central vehicle register in 1993, vehicle registration numbers were issued at local authority level. Under current procedures, where a vehicle registered prior to that date is not recorded on the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF), a record can be created if the owner presents the original logbook or where details of the vehicle can be located either by...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (9 Jun 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 Commissioner for Valuation has sole responsibility for all valuation matters and the Valuation Act 2001 comes under the aegis of my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (9 Jun 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. Under section 10 of the Housing Act 1988, statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of homeless accommodation and related services rests with individual...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Sector Reform, which is chaired by the Taoiseach, meets generally on a monthly basis and the issue of homelessness has been an agenda item at each meeting to date in 2015. In addition, both I and my Department liaise with Government Departments, State Agencies, local authorities and a range of stakeholders on an ongoing basis in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1075 and 1081 together. The Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability were introduced on 1 November 2007. Information on Exchequer funding provided by my Department to each local authority for these schemes is available on my Department’s website at the following link: by selecting ‘Social and Affordable...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1078 and 1079 together. 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 connected within the boundary of their property. Responsibility for the repair of pipes under publicly owned roadways and pathways is a matter...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (9 Jun 2015)

Alan Kelly: The 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines are the present guidelines in place in relation to wind farms. In addition to providing appropriate day and night time noise limits, of either a lower fixed limit of 45 decibels or a relative fixed limit of 5 decibels over background noise together with a fixed night time limit of 43 decibels, the existing Guidelines also provide for a setback...