Results 2,581-2,600 of 4,873 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Biodiversity Action: Statements (25 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank all Deputies for their contributions. I agree with Deputy Connolly that it would be great to have a full Chamber for these debates or at least more participation, but I welcome the contributions made by all. The most significant topic raised was the nature restoration regulation. I know we will have a debate next week, but it pertains to agriculture. It is far wider legislation...

Biodiversity Action: Statements (25 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Happy Biodiversity Week everyone. It is significant that today this House is debating the topic of biodiversity action - not loss, but action - because that is what this Government is focused on. In 2019, the Dáil declared a climate and biodiversity crisis. The 2020 programme for Government contained stronger commitments for nature than any that came before it. Since becoming...

Protection of Hares Bill 2023: First Stage (25 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: No.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The river basin management plan is nearing completion and has had valuable input from SWAN and other NGOs through An Fórum Uisce. There is a broad stakeholder group inputting to the plan. The next iteration of the plan will deal with issues around free flowing rivers and flood attenuation, in terms of using natural nature-based solutions to that. It is important we look at this in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (18 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I acknowledge the contributions of both Deputies for their respective areas. On the discretion levels, if including Dublin Region Homeless Executive area, the households in receipt of the discretionary HAP comes in at approximately 62%, and the average rate of discretion is at 25.5%. Excluding the Dublin Region Homeless Executive area, the average household in receipt of the discretionary...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (18 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Deputy Boyd Barrett referred to his constituency in Dún Laoghaire. It is one of the local authorities, across all the local authorities, with the highest use of the discretionary HAP. We are still approving 680 HAP tenancies per month. We have committed to reducing reliance on HAP, as we have stated, and that relates to delivery of supply of social, affordable and cost-rental housing....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (18 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 94 together. The housing assistance payment is a form of social housing support available for people who have a long-term housing need. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for HAP. Eligible households can source their own accommodation in the private rental sector, which should be within the HAP rent...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: House Prices (18 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The residential construction cost study report to which the Deputy referred, which was a Housing for All action, considered a comparative analysis between a number of European comparator countries, including Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. It focused on specific cities: Copenhagen, Berlin, Utrecht and Birmingham. As the Deputy rightly stated, the analysis provided...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: House Prices (18 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputy makes valid points. The report provided a set of recommendations that could help in developing standardised approaches to the design of housing for wider application, informing policy and encouraging simplified layouts and delivering training awareness programmes relating to the cost impact of materials and finishes commonly used in the residential construction sector. It...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: House Prices (18 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The Government understands the major challenges facing the construction sector from high inflation, pressures on supplies, labour shortages and rising interest rates. Under Housing for All, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, supported by our Department, has established a modern methods of construction, MMC, leadership and integration group to support the development of MMC....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (18 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Modern methods of construction (MMC) have the potential to increase productivity and efficiency, improve delivery, and reduce cost in construction. Coordination of activities to promote MMC adoption is being led under Housing for All by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which now chairs an interdepartmental MMC Leadership and Integration Group to drive government supported...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (18 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Following the declaration by the Dáil of a Biodiversity Emergency in 2019 and in recognition of the vital role that biodiversity plays in the continued health of our society, economy, species and planet, the Programme for Government included a commitment to hold a Citizen's Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. Efforts to date to halt the loss of nature and biodiversity in Ireland have had...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (18 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 142 together. My Department supports fire authorities by establishing policy, setting national standards for fire safety and fire service provision, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects and the procurement of essential...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I attended the same meeting with representatives of the IFA, and I met representatives of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association yesterday as well. Farming here will not thrive without nature being restored, and we cannot restore nature without farmers. The Government is negotiating a position in the EU to develop a stance on the nature restoration regulation that will work for Irish...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Regulations: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (11 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to present to him and the committee today these three sets of proposed planning regulations. The three sets of regulations consist of the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) Regulations 2023, the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. X) Regulations 2023, and the Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees)...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Regulations: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (11 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Senator. The officials might come in on the BusConnects issue. The Senator's first question was about street furniture. I thank her for welcoming the measures. They are very positive, and the progress we are making with the circular economy is also fantastic. The financial impact on local authorities is minimal. It is spread across all 31 local authorities. The fees...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Regulations: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (11 May 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The Senator's third question was on the reverse vending machines. Typically, these will be located in or close to retail outlets, at sports clubs and in public spaces. There is generally a specification around covering them, ensuring that they are not going to create noise and that they are not a nuisance due to people depositing materials around, as happens at bottle banks. There is no...