Results 2,941-2,960 of 4,726 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Policy (4 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Deputy Gould for articulating the issues so well and for making some very good proposals. Supporting individuals and families facing housing challenges is a key Government priority. Housing for All commits to a housing-led approach as a primary response to all forms of homelessness and recognises that many of those experiencing homelessness have additional support needs,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Register of Electors (4 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The maintenance and management of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local authority. Under the current legislation there are a number of ways in which a person can interact with the register at different points in the cycle. The form RFA1 is used to submit a claim to have a correction made in the draft register published on 1 November each year, and can be submitted between...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Burial Grounds (4 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My function as Minister, under the National Monuments Acts, 1930-2014 is to ensure the long-term conservation of national monuments. Kilmainham Gaol is a national monument in my ownership and I am responsible for policy to ensure its long-term conservation and for the issue of Ministerial Consent under the Acts with respect to works at or in its vicinity. The question of exhuming the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Special Areas of Conservation (4 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: As Minister of State with responsibility for the National Parks & Wildlife Service, I have increased the funding for the National Parks & Wildlife Service Farm Plan Scheme from approximately €500,000 in 2020 to approximately €2m in 2022. The number of participants is expected to have risen from less than 40 at the beginning of 2020 to over 360 by the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (4 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: In my tenure as Minister with responsibility for the National Parks & Wildlife Service, I have increased the funding of the National Parks & Wildlife Service Farm Plan Scheme from approximately €500,000 in 2020 to approximately €2m in 2022.  The number of participants in the NPWS Farm Plan Scheme for each of the years 2017 to 2021 and to date in 2022 (Table...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Public Inquiries (29 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I commend Senator Clonan on tabling his first Commencement matter. I am responding on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, who sends his apologies. Before I come to the main body of my response, I make the point that it is unfortunate that elected members feel unable to stand for re-election, for whatever reason. I spent 16 years on a local authority. There is no greater...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Public Inquiries (29 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: On that issue of trust in politicians, the vast majority of those of us involved in politics are here for the right reasons. One thing I want the electoral commission to do is to restore that trust and to be involved in engagement with the public to ensure people are aware of what we do. That is critically important. I outlined a number of good reasons that section 212, which provides for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Insurance Coverage (29 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Under Action 6 of the strategy for built vernacular heritage, A Living Tradition, which I launched in December 2021, my Department has undertaken to “investigate and work to resolve the urgent issue of affordability of insurance for thatched buildings” and other relevant issues relating to thatch and thatched buildings. I have established a steering group to assist my...

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Financial Resolution No. 6: General: Financial Resolution (Resumed) (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I am honoured today to announce programme funding of €147.5 million for the heritage sector for 2023, plus €7.5 million through the share island fund, giving a total of €155 million. This figure represents a doubling of the 2020 allocation, with overall capital funding increased by more than 80% and current funding increased by 75%. Such significant investment speaks...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 18, 24, 30, 59, 61 and 71 together. I am aware that some of the Deputies are not here. Housing For All was published in September 2021 and, as part of a broad suite of social housing reforms, committed to reviewing income eligibility for social housing. The review, which examined inter aliathe efficiency of the current banding model and income limits...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Policy (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: We are hearing the Deputies loud and clear. All of the Deputies made their points very well. Some Deputies were not here earlier when the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, was responding to Deputy Naughten. We will do our level best to have that report ready before the year end. The Minister has stated he is not happy and that he wants to resolve this. He is of the view that the Housing Agency...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputy has raised this issue on a number of occasions. The sunset clause in respect of the pre-existing 10% social requirement for land purchased from September 2015 to August 2021 arose from a recommendation of the Housing Agency's review of Part V. The reason provided was that it would maintain near-term supply of all types of housing. The review was mindful of the delay that would...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The decision by Government to return the Part V obligation to 20% was the right decision. It ensures that we will have a good mix of tenure in our housing stock, which is absolutely critical. The second critical thing is the near-term delivery of housing supply. In that regard, we have done the right thing. On affordable housing delivery in Limerick, funding of €1.875 million was...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Deputy for welcoming the delivery of 25 affordable homes in Castletroy. Between 2000 and 2015, Part V obligations under the Planning and Development Act allowed local authorities to avail of up to 20% of the planning gain on relevant land for social and affordable purposes. This was subsequently reduced, as the Deputy is aware, to 10% in 2015 for social housing. In line with the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: On 21 September, Minister O'Brien launched the Ready to Build Scheme as part of the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund.  Under this scheme, local authorities will make serviced sites in towns and villages available at a discounted rate to individual purchasers who will self-build their own home and intend to live in it as their principal private residence. It is intended that the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Since 1st January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level, including investment in waste water treatment plants and returning treated waste water safely to the environment in an efficient and sustainable manner.  The Environmental Protection Agency is the environmental...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Government is committed to the delivery of 18,000 Cost Rental homes between now and 2030. This will be facilitated through Approved Housing Bodies, Local Authorities, and the Land Development Agency. Limerick City and County Council has developed a Housing Delivery Action Plan to underpin its delivery of social, affordable purchase and cost rental housing in the period to 2026. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: A changing places toilet is an accessible sanitary facility with a toilet, hoist, basin, adult-sized changing bench and optional shower. It offers larger supported facilities that address the needs of people for whom current accessible sanitary accommodation is inadequate. There is no current legislation requiring the provision for a changing places toilet in publically accessible...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Section 3(4) of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1987 prohibits tampering with, damage to, removal of, diving on, survey of, salvage of or depositing anything on a wreck more than 100 years old or an underwater archaeological object without a licence issued under section 3(5) of the Act. Similar provisions apply under section 3(3) of the Act in relation to areas which have been made...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Biodiversity Plan (28 Sep 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department is committed to supporting local authorities in the important role they play in the implementation of actions contained in the National Biodiversity Action Plan. The Programme for Government outlines our ambition to tackle the biodiversity crisis and includes a commitment to ensure that each Local Authority has a sufficient number of biodiversity officers and heritage officers...