Results 17,001-17,020 of 20,884 for speaker:Alan Kelly

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.

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 know what the Deputy means.

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 is just outside Nenagh.

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 am inside it.

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 am not in Offaly; I am in Tipperary.

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, I am in Tipperary.

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, I am in Tipperary.

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

Alan Kelly: Ballinskelligs to Dingle.

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 hope there will not be any 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: There was a great overlap. There are no right or wrong answers to some of the questions asked. It is matter of coming to a consensus on many of the issues raised, drilling down to gather as much information as possible and making decisions on that basis. There is no such thing as best practice; there is just practice and there are circumstances. One can take the Kilmeaden cheese approach...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (10 Mar 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 annual rate on valuation (ARV), which is applied...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Rates (10 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Income from Motor Tax currently accrues to the Local Government Fund. The Fund historically provided local authorities with finance to fund some of their day-to-day activities, including elements of water services costs, through General Purpose Grant allocations. Following the establishment of Irish Water, the water-related element of General Purpose Grants which previously went to local...