Results 13,761-13,780 of 27,055 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for his kind welcome. It is like I never left. I am grateful to Senators for facilitating the debate on this urgent rental legislation. I also wish to record my thanks to the Chief Whip and to the members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage for enabling this Bill to be read a Second Time here in Seanad Éireann. I...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: It is great.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I feel like I am always here.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank all the Senators — Senators Buttimer, Black, Warfield, Murphy, Moynihan, Garvey and Cummins — for their contributions. It is very much appreciated that they took the time to put their views across.In case I forget, I inform the House now that I intend to introduce some technical amendments to section 5 on Committee Stage in the interests of clarity. I greatly appreciate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pension Provisions (17 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: It is the responsibility of the human resource function of the employing local authority to identify, at recruitment, who is a member of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme, pursuant to Section 10 of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. An employee who is dissatisfied with a decision in this regard should, in the first instance, avail of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (17 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 89 and 90 together. Local authorities are responsible for the maintenance, repair or refurbishment of their own housing stock, in line with Section 28 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009. It is important in that context, that local authorities ensure that their housing stocks comply with relevant standards. My Department is not directly...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Private Partnerships (17 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: The European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2019 requires that all new social housing is built to Nearly Zero Energy Building requirements. These regulations also require that, the nearly zero or very low amount of energy required is covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (17 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: 415 staff in my Department work in the area of natural heritage through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Given the enforcement roles discharged by certain staff in the NPWS, for reasons of operational security, the Department does not provide details of staffing in the manner requested. My Department’s workforce planning process does not focus on perceived...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Senators Higgins and Black for tabling amendments Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive. I will deal with the first three together. These proposed changes are positive and they arise out of the considerations of the SHD consultative forum. In particular, the Bill proposed to increase the “other use” allowance from 15%, which was far too restrictive, to 30%, and it would encompass...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree with my colleagues. I understand the thrust of the amendments but I ask Senator Higgins how many brownfield site developments we have seen happen in any of our major cities in recent years. We are bringing forward this change because it has been deemed necessary post SHD to get rid of SHDs and get planning back to where it should be with the local authorities so the planners make...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Senators for their considered amendments. We need to have a consistent planning approach and we need to be able to set guidelines. Any Minister needs to be able to do this. The amendment to delete section 28(1C) of the Planning and Development Act would remove a legislative provision introduced to empower the Minister to ensure a nationally consistent approach to planning by...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not call into question the Senators' motivation in tabling the amendments. The motivation may be sound but the effects could be genuinely catastrophic and could remove powers from any Minister to make some changes by way of guidelines in the future. I am not questioning, nor would I, their motivation for tabling the amendments but I cannot accept them.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Senators for the amendments. I will deal first with amendment No. 7, tabled by Senators Boyhan, Keogan and Craughwell. There is much merit in the amendment but, as highlighted by Senator Boyhan, there is an issue with the wording of it. I had intended to do what is proposed by way of regulations but I am happy to work with the Senators on a re-worded amendment for Report Stage. We...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I would like to respond to the Senator's point. The purpose of bringing the planning back to the local authorities is to ensure we do not have a situation where planning permissions are granted that are contrary to development plans, local area plans or masterplans.We had some instances of that. I take the point the Senator is making. Report Stage being next week gives us time to work...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Unfortunately, I am not in a position to accept either amendment. What we are trying to do in this legislation, and what will work, is to streamline the planning process, to get it back to local authorities. Submitting an observation on a planning application is the correct and long-established way for anyone to make an observation on a planning application. The frustration there has been...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand why the amendments are tabled but I will not be accepting them. I will explain why. Fundamentally, what we are doing here is returning LRD-type developments to the local level. The importance and emphasis on the development plan is being restored.That is an important reserved function of our councillors. Regarding everything the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, and I set...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: Amendment No. 20 relates to the updating of LRD requirements in light of new planning regulations. The Senator said that she might explore the wording further for Report Stage, but as it stands, this amendment is not necessary as under section 34(1) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 the planning authority may only grant permissions where all the requirements of existing regulations...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: I cannot accept the amendments, but it is open to the Senator to table amendments on Report Stage and we will look at each amendment on its merit.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: All of us want to ensure that where good permissions are granted they are activated. There are 80,000 planning permissions across the country that are yet to be activated. All have various different timeframes, but they have been granted permission. One of the jobs we have to do is to ensure they are activated where we can, particularly in the cities. In Dublin there are about 40,000...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Darragh O'Brien: It would make a significant difference if it were in respect of an application as opposed to an applicant. If an applicant had had seven different successful judicial reviews taken against them, that would suggest an issue with the planning system rather than the applicant, unless it was an applicant who wantonly cast aside the normal practices there. Changing the wording from "applicant"...