Results 1,601-1,620 of 26,021 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I am sorry for my choice of language. Is it in order for me to proceed, Chair?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I think that is a better choice of language on my part. Thematic 4 deals with the decision of the commission on appeal or on direct application for development in the Gaeltacht. This refers to Opposition amendments Nos. 683, 709 and 890. Deputy Ó Broin already made reference to amendment No. 890. Section 107 provides for the making of decisions by the commission with regard to...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Could the Deputy repeat that point?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Regarding Deputy Ó Snódaigh’s comments, I would like to see that item of correspondence. He made a valid point about a local authority area giving focus to specific Gaeltacht area. Individual local authorities can create local area plans. That provision is currently there. It is up to them to decide on that, but in many cases they do it on the basis of electoral areas....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I accept that. Section 472 relates to research, education and training. The OPR is required, under this general area, to cover all aspects of training and research. The training aspect of the OPR is covered under section 472. However, I note the Deputy's point. The requirement for 20% of staff to be proficient in Irish is already catered for. The national plan is in line with the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Deputy made reference to the 20% requirement.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is already covered. I am reading from the note. The Irish language service advisory committee was established by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in accordance with section 18 of the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021. The advisory committee's primary focus is the preparation of the first national plan for the Irish-medium public services, due to...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: One learns something new every day. Deputy O'Callaghan made reference to the impact of developments on Gaeltacht areas. That is one of the considerations. In my role as Minister of State, I can no longer get involved in such matters but we all would have dealt with planning a lot. It is day-to-day work for us. Each planning application has to be dealt with on its own merits. In...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Deputy Ó Snodaigh referred to local area plans and so on. Section 69 speaks about priority area plans. Before Report Stage we will look at perhaps incorporating Gaeltacht areas and the islands so that priority area plans could be done in that category. That is something we will come back to. The Deputy also spoke about Údarás na Gaeltachta becoming an AHB, as other...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Yes.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: In line with the first-step principle, we will get a note from our housing section about who exactly can apply and qualify to be an approved housing body. I will come back to the Deputy as to whether the údarás qualifies.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: That is the first step in that regard. On amendment No. 619, under the current guidelines, names should be related to the local area. That is the intention. There is no particular requirement for them to be in Irish. It is something we will consider in the new planning guidelines we are bringing out for Gaeltacht areas. I take the Deputy's point. On amendment No. 1111, I will once...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Many of the new estates are named in Irish now.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Is that from 2022?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I read those guidelines earlier.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: To take the latter point on the B2 level, the Department of the Gaeltacht is the expert on competency in that area. It has made us aware that B2 level is what it is accepting but that may change. It has to come through. It goes back to what will have a practical impact, which is the planning regulations to be brought out specifically for the Gaeltacht areas. The most important thing is to...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Was that in January of this year?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome that report and note the point raised by Deputy Ó Snodaigh. Everything is about balance but I very much take his point on board. He put flesh on the bones of the points articulated by Deputy O'Callaghan. I also take on board the points about the deliberations on the regulations from the Department of tourism. We should let it work in that area.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: That is purposely why I stopped. It is at the behest of members.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I am open to-----