Results 17,081-17,100 of 20,895 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I had to do with the Christian Brothers educating me, as they did fantastically. The Deputy is well aware of the penalties in place for those who do not pay the €30 or €60 in water charges. They have been trashed out enough times across the floor of the Chamber. For those who will continue not to pay, it is not right to insinuate that local authorities will become boot boys...

Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: When it has been concluded.

Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Being straight with the Deputy, I do not intend to make anyone a boot boy for Irish Water. Is that not direct enough?

Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: They are matters for Irish Water. The Deputy cannot expect me to come into the House and know the exact cost of every single advertisement placed by Irish Water. The process will be that consultation will take place, the legislation will then be brought to the Government and before the Houses, like in all other circumstances. Decisions on the mechanisms to be put in place to ensure...

Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: We are in the middle of the consultation process.

Other Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 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 to...

Seanad: Establishment of Electoral Commission: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I welcome the opportunity to be back in the Seanad today. As my colleagues are aware, I was in this House last December when we had a good discussion on the Government's plans to establish an electoral commission. I said then, and I will say it again now: for me personally, and I say this genuinely and not passively, I would love to have dealt with this issue at the beginning of a longer...

Seanad: Establishment of Electoral Commission: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: I will arrange for it to be given to the Senator. This was evident in December during our previous debate. However, there are a wide range of views on what exactly such a body will do and how it should work. A key lesson from international experience identified in the consultation paper is that significant changes in electoral governance ideally need to command broad political and public...

Other Questions: Rural Development Plan (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Deputy Tom Fleming should get that greenway going, for God's sake.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Water Remit (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: It was never intended that the assets would transfer on 1 January 2014. It was planned that transfers would take place on a phased basis. As work progressed on the identification and the various assets and liabilities became clear, there was a need to ensure that loans did not automatically transfer with the assets. As the Deputy is aware, because we discussed it in this House, legislation...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Water Remit (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Water Remit (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Water Remit (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: The local government fund is set aside, and I am happy that the fund will service the demands of the local authorities as set out in the Estimates we dealt with yesterday. Local authorities will not incur any expenditure on water service assets. In regard to the €47 million from last year, we will provide the funding for what is required in 2015 but as the Deputy is aware, assets...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: As Deputy Murphy is well aware, in November 2014 I announced a package of measures to ensure that domestic water charges are certain, affordable and clear. In relation to the payment of charges, a range of easy pay options will be in place, including direct debits, electronic funds transfer, payment by cash at any retail outlet with a paypoint or payzone sign or, importantly, a post office...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: We are very confident that the Irish people will work with us on the plan that has been announced. I was pretty disappointed that I did not see Deputy Paul Murphy in Killarney last weekend. Perhaps he was outside but we could not see him among the 400 to 500 people who were there. The reality is that people are signing up to Irish Water. We are very happy with the volume of people signing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Deputy Murphy should tell that to the people of Tipperary.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: Deputy Murphy can try to lecture the people of Tipperary but to be honest, I am sure they will not listen to him. I like the fact that the Deputy is predicting the electoral demise of many different groups, including my own party, 14 months from an election. That shows a level of arrogance that I am sure the people will judge. We are quite satisfied with the plans that are in place. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: When did the Deputy meet the representatives of group schemes to articulate his opposition?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Water Charges Administration (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: On what date? When? What did they say to Deputy Murphy? Did he listen to them? He has not even met them. The facts are that these people know the value of water. The facts are that these people knew they had to come together to deliver water. Can Deputy Murphy not understand that water is a resource that must be paid for into the future? We need a different funding model or else we...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Irish Water Remit (4 Mar 2015)

Alan Kelly: On 14 January 2015, I signed an order under section 12 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013. This order provided for the transfer to Irish Water of all underground water services assets previously vested in any local authority across the country. Further orders for the transfer of assets are currently being drawn up and I expect shortly to sign an order for the transfer of approximately...