Results 17,001-17,020 of 20,895 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Legislative Programme (11 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The data requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of legislative amendments tabled is not collated in my Department. Information relating to all legislation enacted by the Oireachtas, including legislation sponsored by my Department, is available in the Legislative Observatory section of the website of the Houses of the Oireachtas at or on the Irish Statutebook website at .

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Agencies Staff Recruitment (11 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I have no responsibility in regard to this matter which falls within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Eligibility (11 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for a new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines. The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020, published in November 2014, includes a commitment to introduce the new tenant purchase scheme by the second quarter of 2015. Full details of the new scheme will be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Expenditure (11 Mar 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. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with individual housing authorities. The purposes...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Domestic Violence Policy (11 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Where an individual who has left their home due to domestic violence is considered to be homeless by a housing authority, under Section 2 of the 1988 Housing Act, the housing authority may arrange for them to be placed in temporary emergency accommodation without having to be entered on the waiting list. Where a social housing assessment is an appropriate longer-term response to a case of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management Regulations (11 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The treatment and management of waste material is subject to a registration and permitting system by local authorities or licensing by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as appropriate, and governed by the Waste Management (Facility Permit & Registration) Regulations 2007 or the Waste Management (Licensing) Regulations 2004, as appropriate. Environmental standards in relation...

Topical Issue Debate: Litter Pollution (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: On the Deputy's last point, discussions on that issue are under way and I will inform the Deputy of the outcome when I know it. The solution that has been put in place, namely, the negotiated agreement, has had a dramatic impact and the statistics prove it. That said, I agree with the Deputy that the figure that pertains is still of concern. I will consider whether a further agreement is...

Topical Issue Debate: Litter Pollution (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: As the fourth Minister, I might give Deputy Kitt a slightly different answer. On foot of the success of the plastic bag levy, my Department commissioned a study on the possible extension of environmental levies to other materials that are problematic from a litter perspective. With regard to chewing gum, the study recommended that either a levy on sales be put in place or that a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Thank you, I am pleased to be in the hands of the Vice Chairman today.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Very safe. I thank the members of the committee for inviting me to discuss this extremely important topic. This is the beginning of a very important process. We have given ourselves a significant and important task, to set up an electoral commission in Ireland. I will be brief in my opening remarks because I would be better off hearing from the members of the committee and starting the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I have no doubt that he does. Does the Vice Chairman know this is recorded?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I could not agree more.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: It depends on its functions, how we define them and the result of the committee’s deliberations. I do not believe we should change the voting system. It depends on what we set out for the commission. Its remit could cover what the Vice Chairman suggested if we wanted. It is a matter for us to discuss and on which to decide as part of the process. Personally, I would not change the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: It was tried twice by referendum and defeated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I just caught the eye of the Senator coming in and thought of that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: No. On issues such as that, there would have to be constitutional change. The commission can make recommendations but it has to be completely independent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Of course it must be accountable but it must act in an independent manner. I am open in regard to the question of the relationship between the Minister, the Department and its functions and whether these should be moved. Who the commission liaises with within the structure outlined - that is through the Minister - and how that works needs to be defined also. There are significant options...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I will consider whatever recommendations the committee brings to me and we will draft legislation on that basis.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: To be fair, this is not like any other form of legislation I bring to a committee. This is not about the Government driving something forward or having a defined view. We need a general view and consensus of many of the issues we are discussion in this regard. How we run elections into the future is fundamental to our democracy, so we need to get consensus and general agreement on all of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Electoral Commission: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The lake is there.