Results 2,181-2,200 of 15,248 for speaker:Eoin Ó Broin

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: I want this to be crystal clear because the explanatory memorandum is not as clear as I am asking the Minister to be. Is this provision for what we commonly understand as retention and substitute consent - the Minister clearly addressed substitute consent - but not for what we commonly understand as retention?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: My next question was the subject of discussion previously. I ask the Minister to clarify something. The Cathaoirleach will remember this particular question, which I do not believe has been clarified yet. Section 126(3)(a) states: Where a person applies under this Chapter for retrospective consent for development, that person may also include in the application an application for...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: My question is very specific. It is just in order that I am clear. The phrase "consideration of the matters to which it is required to have regard pursuant to this Act" means all regular planning rules-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: The section states that where the Commission has served a direction to cease activities-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: My apologies, I am not seeing this.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: I thought the Minister said page 262.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: Is there anywhere in legislation, regulations or guidelines where "remedial measures" is defined? Defining it is probably the wrong thing to do because we do not want to be too prescriptive as we do not know what might happen in the real world. However, what about where there is guidance for local authorities or planning authorities when dealing with what "remedial measures" may or may not be?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: Okay.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: This is quite important. There is obviously a standard statute of limitations on planning enforcement of seven years and we deal with that regularly. This is quite unique though, in the sense this is under a section where there is a refusal-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: The Minister may not have the answer to the bit I am going to ask-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: I will ask first and the Minister can respond then. This is where there is a refusal or retrospective consent, that is, a retrospective consent application has been submitted and it is refused. The issue here is even where it is refused, after seven years the local authority has no powers whatsoever to introduce any requirements for remedial measures. This is crucial when we think about...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: Cool.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: Sure.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: I read it differently. What section 320(3) does is allow people to take enforcement action outside the normal statute of limitations of seven years.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: However, what section 130(8) does, notwithstanding the fact people can do that and stop the illegal quarrying or peat harvesting, is ensure people are not allowed take action. The key words are "shall not require the taking of remedial [action]". On the one hand, therefore, we are saying there is a tougher enforcement regime because people can go back seven years, but even when they stop...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: Yes. It states they "shall not require the taking of remedial measures".

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: Section 130(1)(a) and (b) set out the scope or parameters of remediation. It does not say the site has to be remediated to its original state. Section 130(1)(a) states "to restore the site on or at which the development to which the application relates is situated, to a safe and environmentally sustainable condition" so not to its original state. As we know, people might not know what the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: Section 317(2)(d) sets out what can be in the enforcement notice, including restoration of land or maritime sites. However, when you read section 130(8) against that, you can see that there is an exception for a quarry or peat extraction site. Here, where the unauthorised development is more than seven years old, no remedial measures can be in that enforcement notice. Does section 130(8)...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: That is not what section 130(8) says.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Eoin Ó Broin: The Minister's explanation is helpful. So section 317(2)(d) is the planning authority enforcement section. That is the enforcement section of the local authority. Section 130(8) involves the commission in terms of applications for retrospective consent. It seems that the Government wants section 317(2)(d), as do we. Then section 130(8) needs to removed. Obviously, the Minister needs to...