Results 6,721-6,740 of 27,073 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I get it, yes. Can I just ask then-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am okay in the sense I understand it now.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am sorry, not quite.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The issuing of that direction is subject to appropriate assessment and strategic and environmental assessment. Does that involve all the necessary consultation with the public and so on and notification of the public that the Minister is making such a direction to the competent authority?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It actually is not that clear, to be honest. It says it will be subject to the habitats and birds directives and Directive 2001/42/EC. Does that include notification of and consultation with the public in terms of the issuing of the direction? Will the Minister of State clarify that?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes, I get it.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Okay, so for want of doubt, the section is being inserted in addition-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: -----to the existing section 31.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Okay, and I see what the new section is doing. It must give explanations, essentially, to the public body that has been designated around why it is giving this direction and so on and so forth. Does it have to consult and notify the public about the intention to give a direction to the public body in this new section?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Thus it is only where there is a failure to comply.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: This is not some new direction.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Okay, but is there a requirement to notify people of this?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: To comply.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Would it be reasonable to ask, in the situation where such a direction is being given, that there be public notification of that fact?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I am just asking.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: One of the problems we have had in several areas is the failure to implement EU environmental directives properly and proactively. Ireland has been caught out significantly for that, with Derrybrien being the obvious example. Ireland is paying €15,000 a day in fines as a result of that. I suspect we will find ourselves in serious trouble over the Donegal landslide. There is a...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: On the final point made by the Minister of State, will the notification be after the direction is made or before notifying the public that there is an intention to make a direction? That may be specified in the wording of the Bill.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: In an effort to fully interrogate that, why would one not, at least, notify an intention to make a direction?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I wish to be clear on this. In the context of the power of the Minister to issue a direction, is the only direction a Minister can give under this section a direction to comply with something he or she believes the competent authority is not complying with?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister cannot issue a direction for any reason other than compliance.