Results 18,061-18,080 of 20,884 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authorities Management (11 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department, pursuant to section 134(10) of Local Government Act 2001, as amended by Section 49 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, issued supplementary guidelines to local authorities on 24 November 2014, regarding the preparation of local authority corporate plans for the period 2015-2019. Timescales for the adoption of corporate plans are laid down in Sections 134(2) and 134(5) of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Finances (11 Dec 2014)

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: Irish Water Establishment (11 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Water Services Act 2013 and the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provide that Irish Water may borrow money for the purposes of carrying out its functions but before borrowing any money, the consent of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Minister for Public...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Apprenticeship Programmes (11 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, apprenticeships in the local authorities are a matter for the Chief Executives.

Homelessness: Statements (10 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Yes.

Homelessness: Statements (10 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank the House for providing me with this opportunity to update Deputies on the further actions we are taking to address the issue of homelessness. I assure Deputies of the commitment of my Government colleagues to taking on the issue in a focused and co-ordinated way. I commend and thank politicians on all sides and political persuasions for the manner in which they have worked with me...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Air Pollution (10 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 165 together. 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 EPA has responsibility for the monitoring of air quality in Ireland, and monitors a range of atmospheric pollutants, based on data obtained from the...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Waste Management (10 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for licensing all radioactive material used in public and private hospitals throughout Ireland. Radioactive material is used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes to provide clinical information on both the function and structure of tissues and organs in the body and in the treatment of cancer. Waste may be produced during these...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Departmental Funding (10 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department has no role in the internal operations of any private organisations and, therefore, does not have a role in relation to staff or employment matters, which are for the Board of the company, as the employer, to manage. However, the Government recognises that like all other sectors of our economy, the community and voluntary sector has had to deal with reduced funding in recent...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (10 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, the management and maintenance of the local authority housing stock is the responsibility of the relevant housing authority. My Department provides funding to local authorities for works the refurbishment of vacant properties and returning them to productive use. €30 million has been available in 2014 targeting the return of 1,960 vacant and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (10 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Question No.413 of 9 December 2014 which sets out the position in this matter.

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Housing Rents (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: This is something on which Deputy Ellis has considered views. In fairness, we are not a million miles apart on it. We agree. The two-year interim period is the period that we will use to sort out any issues that may arise. That is why I wanted it to be a two-year period. We need something consistent and fair and that shows tenants in the same bands are treated in the same way. Over the...

Topical Issue Debate: Offshore Islands (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I understand the issues facing many of these islands. I have been on them, particularly when I was an MEP or, more appropriately, when trying to become an MEP. The islands are fantastic places and there is general acceptance that the vital infrastructure already put in place needs to be maintained. Subject to available funding, we will do everything we can, working with the Department of...

Topical Issue Debate: Local Authority Housing Rents (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. With regard to the issue he raised about the housing body, I know what he was referring to. As he is aware, discussions took place last night in order to solve the problem. I am happy that it is certainly moving in the right direction. Having said that, I share some of the Deputy's concerns and attitudes in respect of ensuring common...

Topical Issue Debate: Offshore Islands (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I thank Deputy Harrington for raising this matter. I am aware that it is extremely important to him and to most of the Deputies who live in coastal constituencies. Along with Deputy McCarthy and a number of others, he has raised this matter on previous occasions. My Department's local community development programme, LCDP, is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the...

Confidence in Taoiseach and Government: Motion (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: Fianna Fáil closed more post offices when it was in government.

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I did not rule out of order any of the amendments. These decisions were made beyond me. Section 2 is a very important part of the Bill as everyone is aware. The provision safeguards the public ownership of Irish water and it provides for the holding of a plebiscite if any future Government proposes to change the ownership of Irish Water. Personally I do not think this will ever happen. I...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: I move amendment No. 1:In page 3, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following:""customer", "local authority", "occupier", "premises" and "property" have the meanings assigned to each of them, respectively, in section 2 of the No. 2 Act of 2013;".This is a technical amendment which provides that the definitions of terms used in the Bill are the same as those used in the Water Services...

Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: To clarify, this amendment is purely to address a drafting issue.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Irish Water Administration (9 Dec 2014)

Alan Kelly: The source of information used to compile its customer database is a matter for Irish Water, pursuant to powers given to the company under section 6 of the Water Services Act 2007 and section 26 of the Water Services Act 2013. Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives and has contacted all Oireachtas members to provide...