Results 2,661-2,680 of 2,737 for speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS) is Ireland’s national programme for monitoring population trends of wintering waterbirds and the habitats they use. The survey has been running for over 30 years. The I-WeBS count surveys are completed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), by professional staff of the survey service provider (under contract) and by a network of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I refer to my reply to Parliamentary Question no. 503 of 1 July 2025 and confirm that the position remains the same.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cross-Border Co-operation (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Narrow Water Bridge, when complete, will connect Cornamucklagh near Omeath, Co. Louth with Narrow Water near Warrenpoint, Co. Down, providing a direct link between the Mourne Mountains and the Cooley Peninsula. The project has a strong public profile and strong support from stakeholders on both sides of the border and is entirely funded via the Shared Island Fund. My Department is the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cross-Border Co-operation (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The selection process and criteria for projects to receive Shared Island funding are a matter for the Department of the Taoiseach, who manage the Shared Island Fund. My Department, through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), is the lead on three nature restoration and biodiversity projects supported by the Shared Island Fund. They are Natura Communities; the Shared Island...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (17 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 659 and 664 together. The first nest was located in a private garden in Cork city on 28 August 2025. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department put in place a protocol, including risk assessment, to ensure the safe and efficient removal of the nest. International best practice was followed during this operation, and technical support...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (17 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 679, 680 and 681 together. In July this year I launched the www.worldheritageireland.ie/strategy-for-world-heritage-in-i reland-2025-2035/ Ireland’s first national strategy for UNESCO World Heritage. The first action of the Strategy commits to undertaking an extensive review of Ireland’s Tentative List by 2030, ensuring other sites have an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks (17 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Glenveagh National Park remains open to visitors seven days a week all year around and, as with all National Parks managed by the NPWS, entry is free to the public. In addition to amenities such as walks, trails, viewing points and toilets, the Visitor/Exhibition Centre, Castle Gardens and shuttle bus remain available to the public almost every day of the year with an on-site café also...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Weather Events (17 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) within my Department provides financial support for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF), which are both, in the main, administered by the local authorities. The BHIS provides grants of between €2,500 and €50,000...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (17 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The number of Irish Wetland Bird Survey I-WeBS sites listed in Parliamentary Question No. 1308 of 8 September 2025 refers to unique I-WeBS sites surveyed per survey season. A large proportion of these sites are comprised of two or more sub-sites, with around 250 sites and 750 sub-sites surveyed per annum. All Special Protection Areas (SPAs) that fall under the contract for survey are subject...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (17 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The details sought on the projects approved for funding in principle under my Department's Multi-annual Rural Water Programme referred to the question are set out in the table below: Location Local authority Number of existing houses Ballygawley Sligo 53 Broadford Clare 90 ...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Invasive Species Policy (18 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The process of adding any species to the list of invasive alien species of national concern requires a risk assessment of that species to be undertaken to ensure that the scientific evidence demands its inclusion. Once this is completed, a Statutory Instrument to amend the First Schedule to the European Union (Invasive Alien Species) Regulations 2024 and the Third Schedule to the European...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Special Areas of Conservation (18 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265, 266 and 267 together. Under the European Union’s Habitats Directive, transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 477/2011), Ireland is required to designate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for the protection of endangered habitats and species as listed in the Directive....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Special Areas of Conservation (18 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 268 and 269 together. The national monitoring network for Alluvial woodland was derived from the National Survey of Native Woodlands dataset, which is based on objective scientific grounds, using the criteria described in the report - O’Neill, F.H. & Barron, S.J. (2013) Results of monitoring survey of old sessile oak woods and alluvial...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Parks and Wildlife Service (18 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) maintains databases and other resources holding ecological information on designated and non-designated areas. Such information has been compiled from various sources - surveys, publications, unpublished reports, herbaria and as notified to the NPWS, amongst others. Information on sites that may be proposed as Sites of Community Importance (SCIs)...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Inquiries (18 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I have been advised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), who are responsible for maintaining this site, that, as in previous years, an entrance/exit route was cleared in May 2025 when conditions allowed in order to provide access to boatmen. This area is in an SAC and, as such, the findings of ongoing investigations are vital to the creation of a long term solution to this...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Heritage Schemes (18 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) within my Department provides financial support for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF), which are both, in the main, administered by the local authorities. The BHIS provides grants of between €2,500 and €50,000...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (24 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for raising this issue. I imagine that he experienced frustration during the summer and has probably waiting for an opportunity to highlight this matter in the Dáil. Perhaps he could provide some feedback on whether this malodour was at a heightened level during the summer months. We had a pretty dry June and July, with high temperatures and low...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (24 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Minister, Deputy Browne, apologised that he could not make it here to deal with this question personally, but we work collaboratively within the Department anyway. I will absolutely undertake to try to get more detail and a timeline. Regarding the cause of the issue, septicity is the cause of the odour. The untreated sewage at this point remains stagnant en route to the treatment...

Child Poverty and Homelessness: Motion [Private Members] (24 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Before we move on to Leaders' Questions, it has to be noted that I sat next to the Minister, Deputy Burke, during the debate. He offered full respect to each and every one of the Opposition speakers without interrupting once, yet in the single ten-minute slot in which he had to speak, he was interrupted and heckled. That is absolutely ridiculous. This is an ongoing trend and it has to be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (24 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I refer to my reply to Question No. 664 of 17 September and Question No. 1176 of 8 September which set out the position regarding the Asian Hornet. Coordinated efforts were undertaken to deal with the immediate threat posed by the arrival of Asian Hornet. Medium-term actions will be carefully developed pending the outcome of this first phase where eradication is the key objective. ...