Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will address amendments Nos. 248 to 250, inclusive, 253 and 254 tabled by Deputies Ó Broin, Gould and Ó Snodaigh.

These amendments relate to the interaction of the RSES with Gaeltacht matters, such as notification of relevant Irish-language bodies. As I have discussed previously, following Committee Stage and reflective of Government's support for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht communities in general, a review of the relevant notification sections was conducted, including in this part of the Bill relating to regional assemblies. To this end, Government amendments have been tabled relating to the bodies that should be notified and consulted as part of the various plan-making processes at regional and development plan level.

In each instance, where the functional area of the planning authority includes a Gaeltacht area, we have named Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge and Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga explicitly. This has been done at sections 54, 55, 58, 75 and 76 as well as Part 22 on UDZs. I will, however, commit to further reviewing the references to such bodies in conjunction with my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to review whether the correct bodies are referenced and if such references should also be included elsewhere in the Bill and will bring forward further amendments if necessary.

In any instance where a direction from the Minister or the OPR is involved, we have also included the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media, in addition to Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge and Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga.

Specifically relating to regional assemblies, these changes are relevant to the sections dealing assessment of RSES and directions issued.

For these reasons, I cannot accept the amendments tabled by the Deputies on this matter.

As before, I have a number of grammatical amendments to this chapter - amendments Nos. 251, 252 and 255 to 261, inclusive. These relate only to grammar, clarity of references or phrases.

For example, amendment No. 251 replaces the word “issues” with “matters”, while amendment No. 252 replaces “it shall” with “the Authority shall”. Amendment No. 255 points the reader to the exact subsection of section 31 that is relevant whilst amendments Nos. 256, 257, 260 and 261 clarify that the number of weeks cited commence from the date of notice.

Amendment No. 258 removes parenthesis brackets from the term "or draft revision" and amendment No. 259 clarifies that the number of weeks cited commence from the proposal to make a material alteration.

None of these amendments makes any substantive change to the meaning of the sentences involved.

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