Results 16,961-16,980 of 20,895 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Data (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The information requested in not available in my Department. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisation arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: It is a matter for each local authority, including Sligo County Council, to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which include adopting the annual budget...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Severe Weather Events Response (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Government decided on 11 February 2014 to allocate funding of up to €69.5 million to local authorities in the areas worst affected by the first phase of severe weather in respect of the damage caused between 13 December 2013 and 6 January 2014. This was intended to support communities by restoring roads, coastal protection, amenities/facilities and other public infrastructure...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Drainage Schemes (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The functions of 13 joint drainage committees were transferred to local authorities by order under section 231(1) of the Local Government Act 2001 with effect from I January 2003 and a further 7 of these committees were transferred by order from 1 January 2015. From these dates the functions of these committees have vested in each of the local authorities that formed the committee in respect...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 895 to 897, inclusive, together. The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill, published in January 2015, provides for the establishment of a National Expert Advisory Council on Climate Change to provide independent advice to Ministers and the Government on the development of National Mitigation Plans and National Climate Change Adaptation Frameworks...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Climate Change Policy (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The deadline of 24 months referred to within the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill represents a maximum deadline and all reasonable efforts will be made to provide for a National Mitigation Plan in advance of that legislative deadline. In developing the National Mitigation Plan, it will be necessary however to ensure that the Plan will comply with the principles and requirements...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Freedom of Information Requests (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Secretary General in my Department does not act as a decision maker or a reviewer, in respect of requests for records under the Freedom of Information Act. As with any other officer, he may however be asked to check his records for any which may be pertinent to a particular request. Following receipt of a request for records made under the Freedom of Information Act, an officer...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. It is the occupier of a property that is liable to pay domestic water charges and legislation provides that the owner is the occupier unless the contrary is proven. Irish Water is providing landlords with the opportunity...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Quality (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 903 and 904 together. The implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive requires the extensive monitoring of groundwater quality and the inclusion of programmes of measures in each river basin management plan to ensure continuing improvement in the quality of groundwater. In transposing the Directive, the European Communities Environmental...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Administration (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 907, 910 and 912 together. There are currently two mortgage-to-rent schemes in operation through my Department. A scheme exists whereby a local authority (LA) can acquire ownership of properties with unsustainable local authority mortgages, thus enabling the household to remain in their home as a social housing tenant (LA- mortgage-to-rent). The other scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Nuclear Plants (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Ireland has been regularly involved in the consultation process on the new-build nuclear programme in the UK since the programme was announced in 2009. Ireland's priority is the safety of the Irish people and the protection of our environment, including the shared marine environment of the Irish Sea. In this regard, my Department and the EPA's Office of Radiological Protection (formerly the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: It is a matter for each housing authority, as part of its housing management functions, to determine the conditions in relation to succession to local authority tenancies in its area. I understand that the conditions vary from one authority to another, but any prospective successor would typically have to have resided in the property for a specified period, prior to the death of the family...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rental Accommodation Scheme Administration (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: A Residential Tenancy Agreement under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) involves a three way contractual relationship between landlord, tenant and the housing authority. Under the agreement, in return for a guarantee that the housing authority will pay an agreed monthly rent to a landlord under the scheme, the landlord agrees to fulfil certain terms and conditions. These terms and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The funding that is provided by my Department to local authorities for social housing supports the development of new social housing units and also the purchase of units that may be privately owned. A similar approach applies to funding sanctioned by local authorities to approved housing bodies, which can be for either new build or the acquisition of existing housing units. There are...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fire Stations Provision (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Service Act, 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Supply Contamination (24 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Regulation 13 of the European Union (Drinking Water) Regulations 2014, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas library, requires all water suppliers to ensure that substances used in the preparation or distribution of water intended for human consumption, or impurities associated with such substances, do not, either directly or indirectly, reduce the protection of human health provided...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (12 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The overall package of measures on Irish Water financing announced by Government last November is designed to make water charges more affordable for customers. The charges structure was revised with a view to making it simpler and fairer, providing more clarity and certainty to households. The overall cost for those who register with Irish Water, net of the €100 water conservation...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Wind Energy Guidelines (12 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: In December 2013, my Department published proposed “draft” revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed: - The setting of a more stringent day and night noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments, - A mandatory minimum setback of 500 metres between a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (12 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the replies to Questions Nos. 128 and 131 of 28 January 2015 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (12 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Exchequer funding of over €37 million was provided by my Department to local authorities in 2014 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. Combined with an additional 20% contribution by individual local authorities, there was an overall spend last year of €46.3 million in this area. I am pleased to confirm that the 2015 amount will...