Results 19,001-19,020 of 20,984 for speaker:Alan Kelly

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it.The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: A planning authority has power, under section 202(2) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, to make an order declaring an area to be an area of special amenity, where it considers that this should be done by reason of: (a) its outstanding natural beauty, or (b) its special recreational value, and having regard to any benefits for nature conservation. As Minister, I have power under...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fuel Laundering (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Enforcement in relation to illegal diesel laundering activities is primarily a matter for the Revenue Commissioners from the point of view of avoiding loss of revenue to the Exchequer. My Department assists local authorities in carrying out their role as competent auth orities under waste legislation , which involves the taking of necessary measures, on behalf of the State, to ensure that any...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (8 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: With effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water can collect charges from each customer in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Administration (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non Principal Private Residence (NPPR) Charge. The NPPR Charge of €200 per annum, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence. It is a matter for an owner to determine if...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Rates (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Changes to motor tax rates are generally considered in the context of the national budgetary process and it, therefore, would not be appropriate to comment further on the matter at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Exemptions (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 came into effect on 1 July 2013. The primary purpose of the Act is to replace the system whereby a vehicle was declared off the road retrospectively with a system under which the vehicle must be declared off the road in advance. The provision for retrospective declarations had become a means of evasion of motor tax. The new arrangements have been fully...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Road Safety (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service was introduced in March 2009 in response to the financial crisis. My Department operates a delegated sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for implementation of the moratorium in relation to local authorities, and any exceptions to the moratorium in local authorities require sanction from my Department....

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Non-Principal Private Residence Charge Administration (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non-Principal Private Residence Charge. The NPPR Charge, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place o f residence. The self-assessed Charge is set at €200 per annum and liability for it...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 560 together. I intend in the coming months to make the commencement order and regulations that will enable the new tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines to come into operation under Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. I have not finalised the detailed terms of the new...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 574 and 588 of 30 September 2014 which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 527 and 528 together. Following the completion of consultation in the matter with the Minister for Health, I have decided that Irish Water customers with high water consumption due to medical conditions will have their bills capped at the relevant assessed charge, on the basis of self-declaration of eligibility. This will apply even where a water meter has...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Expenditure (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Funding provided by my Department to local authorities for social housing encompasses a range of programmes and actions. My Department publishes a wide range of housing statistics, including historical data on social housing output since 2005. These statistics are available on my Department’s website at: The main areas of social housing capital investment are the local...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rural Development Programme Funding (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: Funding under the LEADER element of the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme is fully committed. However, I expect that the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme will commence during 2015 and there is potential under this Programme to fund the restoration of buildings if it is identified as a priority in the Local Development Strategy for the area.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Meters (7 Oct 2014)

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. The water meters being installed by Irish Water are mechanical and so they begin to record the flow of water through the meter from the date of installation. Every meter is fitted with Automatic Meter Reading (AMR)...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Yield (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 532 and 545 together. The Water Services (No.2) Act 2013 provides for the transfer of water services functions from local authorities to Irish Water and provides for local authorities to act as agents for Irish Water. Local authorities have continued billing, collections and billing/metering query functions in relation to non-domestic customers on behalf of...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: EU Directives (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department is currently finalising draft regulations to give further and better effect to the transposition of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive in Irish law. I hope to sign the regulations into law in the near future.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing Applications (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: My Department provides funding to local authorities for various social housing supports, including for adaptations and extensions to the social housing stock to meet needs of tenants with a disability or to address serious overcrowding. My Department gave approval in this case to Sligo County Council on 31 July 2014 and it is now a matter for the Council to advance the project.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Administration (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 535, 544 and 566 together. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides Irish Water with the power to charge customers in respect of the services provided. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and the CER has been given statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Charges Exemptions (7 Oct 2014)

Alan Kelly: I propose to take Questions Nos. 536, 538 and 542 together. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides Irish Water with the power to charge customers in respect of the services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) which has been given statutory...