Results 141-160 of 1,737 for speaker:Noel Rock

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation Expert Review: Discussion. (13 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: I now call Senator Hackett for her first contribution to the committee. She is very welcome here.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation Expert Review: Discussion. (13 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: We will have a second round of questioning starting with Deputy Eoin Ó Broin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation Expert Review: Discussion. (13 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: I thank Deputy Ó Broin for a very considered contribution. I call Professor Norris.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation Expert Review: Discussion. (13 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: I ask Deputy Casey to make his last intervention and then allow Professor Norris to finish her point, to which we can come back.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation Expert Review: Discussion. (13 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: Both Deputies making a somewhat similar point but at cross purposes. Deputy Ó Broin is saying a Part 8 proposal will not be put before the council if the manager believes there will not be a vote in favour. Deputy Casey is saying elected members never reject, or rarely reject, a Part 8 application when it is put in front of them. They are two sides of the same coin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation Expert Review: Discussion. (13 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: The Deputy is saying there are no data to prove Deputy Ó Broin's assertion is correct. It is probably correct that there are no data to prove it. I hope that is a neat summary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation Expert Review: Discussion. (13 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: Do members have further questions or contributions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation Expert Review: Discussion. (13 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: We could as it is a compelling topic and it has been a compelling discussion. We will have the Minister here to address the matter on 5 December when we will continue our deliberations. I thank all of the delegates for attending. It has been a very interesting and compelling discussion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation Expert Review: Discussion. (13 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: I thank Professor Norris. I need to get a new copy of the recommendations as Senator Hackett has my copy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Business of Joint Committee (12 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: Apologies have been received from Senators Kelleher and Murnane O'Connor. Senator Gerry Horkan will be substituting for Senator Murnane O'Connor. I propose that the committee goes into private session to deal with some housekeeping matters. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill 2019: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: At the request of the broadcasting and recording services, members, witnesses and visitors in the Public Gallery are asked to ensure that for the duration of the meeting their mobile phones are turned off completely or switched to airplane, safe or flight mode, depending on their device. It is not sufficient to put phones on silent mode as this will maintain that level of interference with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill 2019: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: I thank Ms Graham. I call Mr. Coleman to make his opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill 2019: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: I thank Mr. Coleman. We will take members in the order in which they indicated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill 2019: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: I thank Ms Graham and call Deputy Ó Broin. Is the committee amenable to Senator Boyhan taking the Chair for about five minutes? Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill 2019: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: The Deputy should allow a reply. We can come back to him if necessary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill 2019: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: Mr. Coleman and Ms Graham mentioned the current exemptions from FOI. I remain to be convinced that an exemption is necessary. We received correspondence from the Information Commissioner in this regard. He stated that the exemptions contained in the FOI Act were sufficiently robust to ensure the protection of records whose release would be likely to give rise to any of the harms against...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill 2019: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: I am sorry to cut across Mr. Coleman and break my own rules, but those entities, which have received blanket exemptions, have posed all manner of difficulties that the Committee of Public Accounts has had to scrutinise at great length and detail. I do not need to name the bodies - people know what I am talking about. Any blanket exemption poses significant concerns. I am curious as to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill 2019: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: While what Mr. Coleman is saying about erring on the side of transparency with regard to FOI is commendable, essentially that is from a voluntary position. An FOI would confer an obligation rather than a generous disposition. Personnel may change, as can the focus and ethos of an organisation. If it is underpinned by a legislative certainty where FOI has hold in an organisation, that is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill 2019: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: That is good. I am glad to hear that. Ms Graham was a champion of freedom of information requests in a former life, and may be one in her present iteration. My underlying concern comes from what the Information Commissioner said. The Information Commissioner clearly has concerns with the current direction. Those concerns should be noted and acted upon. I am glad to hear the Department...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill 2019: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

Noel Rock: Let us see how we go. I thank the witnesses for their time this morning. I very much appreciate it. As always, I have no doubt that we will have further discussions on this and possibly many amendments to review, as Deputy Ó Broin noted. I thank all the witnesses for attending today and for engaging with the committee. The next meeting of the joint committee will concern the...