Results 20,401-20,420 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I get that.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We are checking. In fairness, there is a lot in the 2000 Act.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We will include whether there is a reference to it or if it is included in the 2000 Act. That will be with the Deputy before the end of the week. I understand this is a correction and a deletion based on legal advice we received. I must have regard to that. Deputies will understand that. The Deputy has asked reasonable questions and we will endeavour to answer them. They will be answered.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is being discussed right now. We are not at that amendment in the grouping.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We are looking to clarify the wording. We have done some work on that.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On the Deputy's first question, we will look to clarify the language. It is an important intervention. We have had a case where a planning authority refused permission on zoned land that has been provided for housing on the basis of population targets of a previous NPF - the 2016 targets. The NPF is being revised, and the population has grown. While I do not want that to be a barrier, we...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Potentially. This is being worked through while we are discussing amendment No. 605. If there is a change to the wording in the section, it might require a revised wording in a Report Stage amendment.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is important to note that local authorities can still refuse on grounds of lack of infrastructure, wastewater treatment and all of that. The Bill does not provide that permission for an application must be granted. Rather, it provides that where a planning authority has reached its housing supply targets set out in its development plan, that would not be a sole ground for an application...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I am not telling the Deputy there has been a prevalence of it.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Not on the sole grounds. It has been part of a reason for a refusal but not the sole reason. We are future-proofing our planning legislation. We are not just trying to deal with situations that have occurred. The Deputy mentioned population growth and the new targets we will need. This is to provide absolute clarity and does not cut across the flexibility available to a planning...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Absolutely not.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We have engaged very publicly.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy was at the national planning forum. We met many different groups and stakeholders at a meeting on Monday last. In addition, as I said, I will meet Bánú and those who have a particular interest in Gaeltacht planning and engage directly with them. I have no issue doing that and engaging with stakeholders and people with different views. It is about trying to find that...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: No. There have been hundreds of submissions to the planning forum. As I have not read them all, I cannot tell members there is no such document. Has anyone specifically asked me to change it? That is not the way we operate - absolutely not. This is about future-proofing our planning legislation and bringing it up to date. The issue could potentially arise and we are trying cover certain...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I am available until 8.20 p.m.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: There is population growth that is real and is there, whether there are infrastructural deficits in an area or not. If we take wastewater, for example, we know there are areas of the country where there are deficiencies in wastewater provision. Permissions are refused on those grounds and will still be. This is about the housing supply targets, and when we are reviewing them in the new...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I think we can all agree that no local authority will accidentally or suddenly max out its targets. What I am saying is that, in real terms on deliverables, what this would do is provide the ability to a local authority to manage its deliverable pipeline. I am sure the Deputy will know of permissions or areas of land in his local area in Fingal that have been granted permission or have been...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The housing growth target is a housing supply target.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is basically the realisable number of homes on a permission granted. If all of those permissions had been built out, we would not be talking about issues with housing supply. I would imagine the number of occasions convertible planning permissions turn into homes that actually meet overall demand in real terms is going to be exceptionally rare. It will not happen in the next number of...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Good.