Results 16,821-16,840 of 20,884 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Expenditure (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Chief Executive of each local authority is responsible for managing and controlling the administration and business of the authority; this includes matters relating to procurement. I understand that most local authorities have a designated official with responsibility for procurement. The Local Government Strategic Procurement Centre, which is part of the Local Government Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Legal Services (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 818 and 819 together. The information requested is not held by my Department. The provision or procurement of legal services is the responsibility of individual local authorities.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Mortgages (15 Apr 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: NAMA Social Housing Provision (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: My Department continues to work closely with NAMA, the Housing Agency, local authorities and approved housing bodies in relation to the delivery of social housing. NAMA has made significant numbers of housing units available through the Housing Agency to local authorities and approved housing bodies for social housing. This includes units provided through the NAMA special purpose vehicle,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: Allocations of social housing units provided by approved housing bodies under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme are made by the approved housing body in consultation with the local authority. The approved housing bodies can opt to have all tenancies taken from the local authority housing waiting list, in which case funding of up to 100% of the approved cost of the social...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Semi-State Bodies Dividends (15 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: Irish Water is the only commercial semi-state Company under the aegis of my Department. Irish Water has not paid a dividend since its incorporation and in the medium term it is not envisaged that any dividends will be paid by Irish Water. The Housing Finance Agency plc. (HFA) is a company limited by shares, incorporated in 1982, under the terms of the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 as...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commencement of Legislation (2 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: Work is continuing to meet the commitment in the Government's Social Housing Strategy 2020to commence major provisions under Part 2 (Termination of Local Authority Tenancies, etc.) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, and it is expected that Statutory Instruments in this regard will be made shortly. With regard to Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, which...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (2 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability although 80% funded by my Department, is administered by the Local Authorities. The matter of payment to contractors is between the applicant and the contractor. The Local Authority will pay eligible grants where copies of all relevant invoices are received from the applicant and the works have been...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Policy Reviews (2 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The policy document Keeping Communities Safe, (KCS) was published in February 2013, as national policy for the future direction of fire services in Ireland and embeds the internationally accepted Risk Management Approach to safety. KCS was developed through a collaborative process which included consultation with stakeholders. The KCS development process had the benefit of oversight and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Commercial Rates (2 Apr 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. The Local Government (Rates) Act 1970 provides...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Septic Tank Grants (2 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2013, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, brought into operation a grants scheme to assist with the cost of remediation of individual septic tanks and domestic waste water treatment systems which are deemed, following inspection under the EPA's National Inspection Plan and the subsequent issue of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Safety (2 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: I assume the Question relates to the Reports on the "Area Risk Categorisation" process as outlined in Chapter 7 of “Keeping Communities Safe” (KCS). I can confirm that fire service management in all 27 fire services have prepared Area Risk Categorisations (ARCs) in accordance with KCS. These are local documents, reflecting the local view of fire risk as determined by local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Safety (2 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management commenced a project to develop a national 'Risk Based Approach' (RBA) to fire cover. This involved analysis of three years of fire services data and has enabled analysis and comparison of trends down to fire station level. The first phase of the RBA project was the production of the “Risk Based Management Report –...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Safety (2 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The policy document Keeping Communities Safe (KCS) was published in February 2013 by my Department. The document is the output of a review process undertaken by my Department through a collaborative process between central and local government. This involved expert professional input by Chief Fire Officers and fire services personnel. The development process also included stakeholder...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Safety (2 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: Fire services in Ireland are provided by the local authorities designated in accordance with the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003. The fire authorities provide a range of operational and fire safety services through 27 service delivery units currently, using an infrastructure of some 220 fire stations and 600 fire appliances and associated specialist equipment. My Department's National...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (2 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Government decided in December 2011, based on the recommendations in an independent assessment, to establish a public water utility company to take over the operational and capital delivery functions of local authorities in the water services area. The tender was advertised on the eTenders website, in accordance with public procurement guidelines. The award criteria used was published as...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: End of Life Vehicles Disposal (2 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: Enforcement of the End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Regulations is primarily a matter for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local authorities. However, as part of the Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI) Review, my Department published a report on the ELV system in November 2013. The report concluded that the Irish ELV system is not performing to the optimum level and outlined the...

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

Alan Kelly: Private vehicles registered after 1 July 2008 are taxed on the basis of CO2emissions. Private vehicles registered between January and June 2008 are taxed either on the basis of engine size or CO2emissions, depending on which basis carried the lowest tax for the vehicle at the time. In this instance, I understand that the correct basis of taxation is on CO2emissions.

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

Alan Kelly: In 2015, I expect that 7,400 social housing units will be delivered across all 31 local authority areas, broken down as follows: - 3,000 units under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative - leases, rental agreements and agreements with Approved Housing Bodies to facilitate leasing, build and acquisition - 2,000 Rental Accommodation Scheme - 1,400 to be built or acquired by local authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure (1 Apr 2015)

Alan Kelly: Budget 2015 marked a significant change in the trajectory of social housing funding and the total housing provision for 2015 will result in an investment of almost €800 million across a range of housing programmes. It is estimated that some €61.5 million (gross) will be spent on a range of housing programmes by the end of March with expenditure expected to accelerate as the...