Results 26,001-26,020 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: My understanding is that this is covered and that the Bill, as drafted, already makes sufficient provisions for the investigation of complaints by the office of the planning regulator and ensures that these complaints can, where appropriate, be referred to more appropriate statutory authorities, including the Ombudsman, the Standards in Public Office Commission or An Garda Síochána,...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: Yes, that is my understanding. Section 31AU reads:(1) The office may examine— (a) complaints made by any person to the Office, or (b) where requested by the Minister, complaints made by a person to the Minister. In other words, if someone writes to the Minister to inform him or her that a corrupt decision has been made on any given week in a local authority and that he or she needs...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I do think there is adequate provision in the Bill. Subsection (2) also reads "may be applying systematic discrimination in the conduct of its functions". Therefore, if, for example, a decision is being made - well, the Deputy does not need me to give him examples of discrimination. I think the point is made.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I wish to make the point to Deputy Ó Broin that we do accept amendments that are well thought through and well argued.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: In the interests of facilitating greater transparency in the overall planning process, including in respect of the adoption of local authority development plans, I am happy to accept Deputy Ryan's amendment No. 30 requiring the chief executives' reports to the elected members on the observations or recommendations received from the OPR on draft development plans to be made available on the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 32:In page 25, lines 28 and 29, to delete “Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government” and substitute “Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 33:In page 27, lines 34 and 35, to delete “Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government” and substitute “Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 36:In page 30, lines 11 and 12, to delete “Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government” and substitute “Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 37:In page 32, lines 17 and 18, to delete “Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government” and substitute “Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 46:In page 35, lines 15 and 16, to delete “Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government” and substitute “Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 47:In page 37, line 9, to delete “plan or, if appropriate, to constitute the strategy” and substitute “regional spatial and economic strategy or, if appropriate, to constitute that strategy”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 48:In page 37, lines 18 and 19, to delete “Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government” and substitute “Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I will address amendments Nos. 50 to 52, inclusive, together before moving amendment No. 53. With regard to amendment No. 50, one of the key functions of the office of the planning regulator is to undertake reviews of the systems and procedures of planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála in respect of the performance of their functions under the planning Acts. Under planning...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 53:In page 40, to delete lines 35 to 37 and substitute the following:"then the Office shall decide to undertake an examination or to prepare a report on the preliminary examination (including any recommendations) and, where an examination is undertaken, prepare a report on the examination (including any recommendations) and, accordingly, the Office shall as it considers...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 54:In page 40, line 38, to delete “the report” and substitute “the report concerned”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I move amendment No. 55:In page 40, line 40, to delete “the report” and substitute “the report concerned”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: The way I think it will work is that it will be an open competition run by the Public Appointments Service which will make a recommendation to the Minister on a number of names that have been prioritised through that process and the Minister will make a recommendation to Government seeking approval. It is also clear that a person shall not be appointed for a term of office as planning...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: In some ways this will be more of an open competition than that. I have not quite decided whether the current appointment process, for example that of An Bord Pleanála, is the right one. Different interests recommend names which go on different panels. There has to be a certain number from each panel. The problem with that is if people lobby heavily and get their names recommended...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: I would like to think it could not happen in this country but it certainly happens in some countries, unfortunately. By having a panel system, it forces consideration coming from NGOs which is good. There are pros and cons to it. We have had an external review group report of An Bord Pleanála and it is recommending changes in that process, probably for good reason. The imperfections...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Simon Coveney: It is important that there is a distinction between the powers of Government and the powers of the Oireachtas. This person and this new regulatory structure will have to be accountable to the committee for the decisions it makes. We will be going down a very dangerous road if we bring appointments to the floor of the Dáil and to have a star chamber, as it were. Perhaps that is to...