Results 3,641-3,660 of 4,726 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Derelict Sites (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputies asked quite a number of questions. On the last point made by Deputy Bruton, between 2017 and 2021, the repair and leasing scheme brought 273 units into use. On the point made by Deputy Phelan and other Deputies on one-off houses, the Department launched a vernacular strategy a number of weeks ago. These houses are important from a rural perspective and the pattern of rural...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Derelict Sites (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Deputy Griffin has raised this on numerous occasions, particularly with regard to County Kerry. Housing for All published in September 2021 provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations with economic, social and environmental...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I will make a general point, rather than one on specific road projects. Critically, one thing that Housing for All is clear on is that housing delivery has to be connected to lots of infrastructure, including public transport and sustainable modes of transport. On the issue the Deputy raised, namely, that housing may not be delivered because a specific road project may not proceed, the...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: To answer the specific question asked by Deputy Stanton, he is correct in stating that the issue around rail links and public transport is critically important. This is something that we are clearly committed to under Housing for All. I am not privy to the decision of TII in respect of that specific road project. However, looking at the sustainable delivery of housing units and building...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: In specific response to that, the housing delivery plan is working in tandem with local authorities to ensure that the targets set for local authorities will be met county by county. I will give the specific example of my county, Kilkenny. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and I have visited a number of projects that have opened there in recent months. The local authority there is...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Housing for All commits to delivering 36,000 affordable purchase and 18,000 cost-rental homes by 2030. The Affordable Housing Act 2021 established two separate affordable purchase schemes and a new form of tenure in cost-rental, which saw the first 65 homes tenanted in 2021. The target delivery for affordable homes in 2022 is 4,100. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, recently approved a further...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The recently published Housing for All strategy is the Government's plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 units per year over the next decade, including an average of 10,000 social homes per annum from 2022 to 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4 billion per annum through an overall combination of €12 billion in direct...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The increased activity in the construction sector has been significant, with the latest commencement notice data showing a total of 30,724 residential dwellings commenced in 2021, which was a 42% increase on 2020. The 2021 total was almost equal to the combined total of 2016 and 2017. The Deputy is correct, in that there will be increased demand. With a full opening up of the economy...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Solar Energy Guidelines (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department has advanced interim regulations, allowing for increased solar panel planning exemptions, which will cover the vast majority of the land area of the country, excluding limited zones around airports and aerodromes. The draft interim regulations have been reviewed under the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive 2001/42/EC and it has been determined that they are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Meetings (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Details of Ministers’ engagements are published periodically on my Department’s website and I will arrange for the relevant weblink to be circulated with the official record. www.gov.ie/en/collection/5f6f1-ministers-diaries/ Of those who have requested to meet with me, many were already represented on The Moore Street Advisory Group. Indeed I met with this group at one...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Natural Heritage Areas (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: There are 632 proposed natural heritage areas in Ireland, including the area to which the Deputy refers. Although proposed natural heritage area sites are not subject to the protection provisions of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, they are taken into account in local and national land-use policy, agri-environmental farm planning schemes, and environmental assessments and they may also...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Policies (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department, with key partners and stakeholders, has completed a new National Policy on Architecture which will promote and embed quality in architecture and the built environment in Ireland, for increased environmental, economic and social sustainability and resilience. It will support the implementation of priorities such as Project Ireland 2040, the Climate Action Plan 2021, Housing for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Review process of the National Parks and Wildlife Service is ongoing and I refer the Deputy to the reply to Parliamentary Question 586 of 19 January 2022. The position is as outlined therein - there are three phases to the Review process. The first phase; which involves an extensive research, consultation, orientation and feedback work feeds into the remaining phases. The rest of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The 2022 capital provision of a total of €20,464m for Waterways Ireland represents a significant increase compared to 2020 and 2021, and includes funding of €7m from the Shared Island Fund toward Phases 2 and 3 of the Ulster Canal restoration project. Waterways Ireland drew down capital funding of €5,73m in 2020 and €7m in 2021. Waterways Ireland will use this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Greenways Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Barrow Blueway project 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 this project...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Waterways Ireland is a North-South Body under the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999, and as such was established without a Board. The functions of the Agency are exercised by a Chief Executive, under the direction of the North South Ministerial Council. In 2021, the North South Ministerial Council agreed that officials from the sponsor departments, in consultation with the Joint Secretariat...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Waterways Ireland provides a variety of free public moorings throughout its navigation network, ranging from basic safe harbours to high quality floating moorings fitted with lighting, electricity, pump outs and water supply to cater for the more than 8,500 vessels registered on the Shannon Navigation and Shannon Erne Waterway. These facilitates are maintained during the boating season, which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Priorities (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Section 42 of the Wildlife Act, 1976 (as amended) provides, that where protected wild animals or birds are causing serious damage, persons affected may, on application to the Minister, seek a permission to take appropriate steps to mitigate the damage. Applications are investigated by local National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS) staff to determine if serious damage is being caused and, if...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks (20 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department has already responded to the initial correspondence from the individual referenced in the details supplied. A further response to follow-up correspondence from this individual will issue in due course. To clarify, the activity at Mweelin townland was related to National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) works for the replacement/maintenance of an existing fence. A...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Archaeological Sites (20 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together. 878 archaeological licenses were issued by my Department under Section 26 of the National Monuments Acts 1930 during 2021. Digging or excavating for archaeological purposes can only be done under a license issued by me as Minister under section 26 of the National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended). Applications for such licenses must...