Results 25,221-25,240 of 27,080 for speaker:Richard Boyd Barrett

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I think the amendment would add strength to what I am saying, and perhaps to what Deputy Matthews is saying as well. I agree generally that Part 8s are fine. I see no substantial difficulty in having this safeguard against the occasional one that makes a substantial change where people could then be presented with a development on which they never had an opportunity to comment. The...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: The Minister has expressed his concern about this getting caught in a loop where it just never ends.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I have actually never heard of it happening in respect of housing. It is less likely to be about housing.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Does Deputy Matthews want to go first?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I appreciate the Minister's consideration and, on that basis, I will wait to see what he does. However, he has to do something to try to accommodate this. No one wants to fix what is not broken. Nobody wants to elongate a process. Just to be clear, that is not the logic of what we are saying. We are trying to make sure there is transparency, to use the Chair's word, and that the public...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: How much information can we, or the public, be given about the actual exports?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: According to the Minister, it is fair enough to try to act to prevent things unnecessarily being lengthened. We have already said that, by and large, that does not happen and the process works. The Minister should accept that there may be circumstances in which a development could take place based on an amendment, which members of the public have never seen, that is substantial and that...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the Chair for accommodating me. Amendment No. 779 seeks to amend the Government's proposals in the legislation around the duration of planning permissions. Currently, in the Bill in front of us, the duration of a planning permission "shall be five years from the date of grant". I understand there is also scope for an additional five years. We are suggesting that this be reduced to...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I appreciate the Minister acknowledges there is an issue to be addressed, or at least I hope he does. However, we are in a housing emergency. The situation is absolutely dire and a part of that is rooted in the abuse of planning permissions for speculative purposes. I might cite in that regard, the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service, IGEES, report from a few years ago, which...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Yes, if it has commenced, but the other thing that can be done, as per the example I cited, is that another planning application can be lodged. In the example I gave, the property was flipped. It has had at least three different owners in a period of approximately 20 years and when a bit of heat was put on, including a discussion by the council about using a compulsory purchase order to buy...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Okay, it has been ruled out of order. It may be out of order but the point is important.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I thank the Chairman for his indulgence. This will be my last intervention because I must depart. The Minister can quibble about two, three or even four years but if the thing commences then there is not a problem. We want to see commencements. The Minister has made the valid point that our amendment does not put a limit on the renewals. If I were to table this amendment on Report...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Five years plus.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: In our case we are saying two years. I think that sort of standard, with the possibility of an extension, gives the option for the period ending up being ten years. This matter does not just concern residential development. Perhaps the Minister can answer my query about Cherrywood town centre. He should be aware of it and I have only just become aware of it. I have heard word from...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Okay. I will tone that down.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: I will say that using the situation to leverage concessions would be equally unacceptable. This aspect must be addressed. In our view, it has not been adequately addressed and we need more robust measures, given the seriousness of the situation.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (9 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 19. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of reports of election-rigging in last February’s election in Pakistan; if he has taken the matter up with the government of Pakistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14051/24]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (9 Apr 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 166. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will investigate the practice of members of the Defence Forces being denied their presentation on the basis that they have made protected disclosures about issues in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15276/24]