Results 17,481-17,500 of 20,884 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Conservation Grant (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: To promote sustainable use of water and to enhance water conservation in households, the Department of Social Protection will administer, on behalf of my Department, a €100 water conservation grant for households (principal private dwellings) that complete a valid response to Irish Water’s customer registration process. While Irish Water, as part of the transition phase,...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Property Tax Administration (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No. 8 on today’s Order Paper. My Department has advised local authorities of their provisional Local Property Tax allocations from the Local Government Fund for 2015. For certain local authorities, with stronger property bases, the amount of Local Property Tax receipts to be retained locally (80%) in 2015 will be greater than the level of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homelessness Strategy (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: On 20 May 2014, the Implementation Plan on the State's Response to Homelessnesswas published in which the Government's approach to delivery on its objective of ending involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016 was outlined. A copy of this plan is available on my Department's website at the following link: . This plan sets out a range of measures to secure a ring-fenced supply of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Reform (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Most of the provisions of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 only came into effect on 1 June 2014. Accordingly, 2015 will be the first full year of the operation of a number of significant changes in the local government system such as the unification of city/county councils in Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford, the establishment of municipal districts and a range of new governance...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme Applications (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The implementation of projects under my Department’s Capital Assistance Programme is a matter for each individual local authority. My Department issued approval in principle to the local authority in July 2012 for this project, subject to it complying with the requirements of the Capital Works Management Framework. Additional information in connection with this scheme sought by my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Social housing is a key priority for Government, as evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced for social housing in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020in November 2014, which sets out clear, measureable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of households...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Social housing is a key priority for Government, as evidenced by the increased provision made for the area in Budget 2015. The overall social housing funding provision for 2015 has been increased by in excess of €200 million, with capital funding increasing by €180 million, which will allow for significant expansion in social housing provision. The Social Housing Strategy 2020:...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Capital Assistance Scheme Applications (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The implementation of projects under my Department’s Capital Assistance Programme is a matter for each individual local authority. In this case, my Department issued approval in principle to the local authority in May 2014, subject to the proposal complying with the requirements of the Capital Works Management Framework and the Public Spending Code. Full approval can only be...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Data (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 125 together. The Government is acutely aware of the difficulties facing peoplein accessing housing and is undertaking a range of actions to address the matter. My Department’s Housing Land Availability Survey (HLAS) estimates that there is in excess of 25,000 hectares of undeveloped residentially zoned land nationally, which equates to a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Provision (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1e3 and 124 together. Social housing is a key priority for the Government, evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced for social housing in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020in November 2014. The Strategy builds on the provisions contained in Budget 2015 and sets out clear, measureable actions and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 131 together. Ireland is on course to comply with its greenhouse gas emission reduction target for the purposes of the Kyoto Protocol in the commitment period 2008 to 2012. The Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, which establishes a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol from 201 3 to 202 0, was agreed in 2012 but has not yet entered into...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Air and Water Pollution (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Air quality monitoring in Ireland is carried out to meet the requirements of EU Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, also known as the CAFE Directive. The Directive requires that certain minimum levels of monitoring are conducted for the purpose of assessment and management of air quality. The EPA has responsibility for the monitoring of air quality in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing Adaptation Grant (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Last year, E xchequer funding of over €37million was provided for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. I am pleased to be in a position to increase that funding by some 10% in 2015 to €40.4 million; individual allocations to local authorities will be made shortly. Through careful management of my Department’s housing budget in...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Legislative Measures (28 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020, published in November 2014, includes a commitment to commence Part 2 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 in the first quarter of this year.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Administration (27 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: In order for a property to be considered under the mortgage to rent scheme it must be purchased by an Approved Housing Body for less than €220,000 (per property) in the Greater Dublin Area and €180,000 (per property) in the rest of the country. These limits were determined by a working group which took account of available market data and the current social housing acquisition...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Noise Pollution (27 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: Currently, a person experiencing noise nuisance may contact their local authority, which may initiate proceedings on grounds of noise nuisance under the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992. This Act also provides for any person, or group of persons, to seek an order in the District Court to have noise giving reasonable cause for annoyance abated. The procedures involved have been...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Illegal Dumping (27 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 507, 512 and 537 together. I share the Deputies’ concerns regarding the media reports about an alleged pollution discharge to Lough Ross in Co. Armagh entering the River Fane system which is the source of the drinking water supply for Dundalk.  It is the responsibility of Irish Water to assess the risk of contamination to public water...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: National Lottery Funding Disbursement (27 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: The inclusion of Section 41(1) of the National Lottery Act 2013 , incorporating the new heading “natural environment” as one of the purposes for which the proceeds of the National Lottery may be applied, is to be welcomed. My Department is currently giving consideration to an appropriate mechanism for the disbursement of funds under this heading. It is worth noting that my...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mortgage to Rent Scheme Applications (27 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: 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 provides for an Approved Housing Body (AHB) to acquire...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Homeless Accommodation Provision (27 Jan 2015)

Alan Kelly: On 4 December 2014, I hosted a special Summit on Homelessness to reaffirm the Government's commitment to end involuntary long-term homelessness by the end of 2016. A number of actions arising from the Summit were considered at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy and Public Service Reform on 8 December and were then formalised into an Action Plan to Address Homelessness which...