Results 3,621-3,640 of 4,873 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 Apr 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The project that the Question refers to is a significant initiative which will support communities, and create exciting opportunities for recreation and ways to experience interesting places from new perspectives. Waterways Ireland obtained planning permission for the Project, a 46 kilometre stretch from Lowtown to Athy, including the canal side works and the roadside works. Work commenced on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Grazing Rights (5 Apr 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Wildlife Act 1976 prohibits the burning of vegetation growing on uncultivated land between 1 March and 31 August annually. I have no power to permit burning during that period. In relation to the six month period between 1 September and the end of February annually, the Wildlife Act 1976 does notprohibit such burning, although special rules may apply in certain areas such as in Special...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (5 Apr 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Under the provisions of the National Monuments Acts, my Department has established and maintains a Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) which affords legal protection to all recorded archaeological sites and monuments in the State, including those on agricultural land. I am advised that reports of the decision referred to were erroneous and the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine has...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Enrolments (30 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: As the Leas-Chathaoirleach correctly said, I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. She sends her apologies for her inability to attend this morning. I thank the Senator for raising the matter, which provides me with an opportunity to clarify the current position in relation to secondary school places in Kildare. In order to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Enrolments (30 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: As I outlined in the statement, it is important that we look at those areas of duplication where, for a number of reasons, parents might be applying to a number of schools. The Department is working pro-actively with the schools involved to try and address those issues. The figure may not be as high as the Senator proposes here. However, the Minister will take on board the comments the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (30 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I am also taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education. I thank the Senator for making his points so well. I pay tribute to all schools that are adapting and consistently implementing best practice in teaching and integrating children with additional needs in school. Some very impressive work in that regard is going on throughout the country. This year, the Department of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (30 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The module is, in effect, mandatory. The Céim standards, the standards for initial teacher education published by the Teaching Council in November 2020, have strengthened the definition of “inclusive education” to include “any aspect of teachers’ learning aimed at improving their capacity to address and respond to the diversity of learners’ needs; to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (30 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: If I could just finish quoting from the passage, it states: This will include additional learning needs (e.g. autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia) ... [...] [In addition, and in accordance with the stated standards] During every module of school placement and as appropriate to the student teacher’s stage of development, the student teacher shall, through the use of their Taisce:...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (30 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: We will take on board the points the Senator made, although there is a strong approach on the part of the Department.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (30 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I followed quite a bit of that session yesterday at the joint committee. It was really interesting, including Senator Boyhan's contribution. As he stated, there is something very strategic and big happening right across the housing sphere and we see that with the increase in the number of commencements. In my own county, the social housing provision is up by more than 60%, which will...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (30 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh na páistí, na daltaí anseo, go dtí an Seanad. They are very welcome to the Seanad. I fully agree with Senator Boyhan. I appreciate the comments he makes about the LDA and the general thrust of Government policy on the critical importance of the delivery of housing through Housing for All.Senator Boyhan mentioned a number of other...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Grant Payments (29 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I will give a general outline and then I will come back to the Senator's specific points. Our Department provides funding to local authorities under the suite of housing adaptation grants for older people and people with a disability, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs, which also facilitates early return from hospital stays. Our...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Grant Payments (29 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I agree with the Senator in the sense that we have seen year-on-year, as I know from my own county and my own constituency, that the grants are oversubscribed. This is, in itself, a testament to the success of the grant scheme. There is significant uptake. There is always a waiting list. However, we have to give consideration to the rising building costs. They are unfortunately affecting...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Prices (29 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I am taking the question on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Humphreys. The Government is committed to protecting vulnerable households from the impact of energy costs through a combination of financial supports, energy efficiency awareness initiatives and investment in programmes to improve the energy efficiency of housing stock. Much of the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Prices (29 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: On the phasing out of fossil fuels, that is something that all parties in this House and across the Oireachtas have signed up to and it is critically important that we continue that trajectory. That said, there is no doubt that the transition needs to be managed and that is something of which the Government is cognisant. We are mindful of the fact that we need to support families through...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: International Agreements (29 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department is currently working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the ratification process for the Nagoya Protocol. I intend for the process to be finalised in advance of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which will take place in China later this year.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (29 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Moore Street Advisory Group (MSAG) presented its final report in May of 2021 to Minister O’Brien and myself. In this report, the MSAG recommended that an adequate and appropriately structured compensation package should be put in place for the traders as soon as possible, in the context of forthcoming disturbance due to development works. It also recommended that the process...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Regulations (29 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The current Wild Bird Declarations (General & Air Safety) that were signed in April 2021, allowing for the control of certain wild bird species, are due to expire on 30 April 2022. A decision on new Declarations covering the period 1 May 2022 to 30 April 2023 will be made prior to the expiry of the current Declarations. My Department recently held a public consultation to inform this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Surveys (29 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department does not have an overarching responsibility for the coordination of hedgerow surveys and does not collect data from local authorities in relation to surveys carried out by them from their own resources. The Local Authority Biodiversity Action Fund (LBAF) is a stream of grants to assist local authorities with biodiversity projects in their areas that support the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (24 Mar 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I intend to make Regulations under Section 23 of the Wildlife Act 1976 to protect the basking shark. As the basking shark is a species of fish, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine must also sign the Regulations. I have consulted with Minister McConalogue, who supports the proposal. My Department is in the process of drafting the Regulations, which should be finalised by the end...