Results 2,681-2,700 of 2,737 for speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (23 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Waterways Ireland is a North South Implementation Body established under the British Irish Agreement of 10 April 1998. It is funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland as Sponsor Departments. Section 4.4 of the Public Service Agreement 2024 – 2026 commits the parties to the agreement “to remain in process with a view to resolving the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Schemes (23 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Under my Department, the National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) provides two main grant schemes to support for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures. These include capital grants for conservation works as well as financial assistance for owners to obtain conservation advice for their historic structures. The Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (23 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The general principle is that legislation cannot be read to take effect retrospectively unless explicitly set out in the SI itself, and for very defined reasons. There are no such savers in Statutory Instrument No. 374 of 2024, European Union (invasive Alien Species) Regulations 2024.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (23 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 390 to 393, inclusive, together. I refer to my replies to Question No. 264 of 18 September and Question No. 1216 of 8 September 2025 which set out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (23 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 394 and 395 together. Decisions on any further expansion of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Farm Plan Scheme in 2026, will be taken in light of existing demand and budgetary outcomes. The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department is reviewing a number of existing farm plans that are due to expire in 2025 to assess the potential...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (23 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department received planning permission to construct a new visitor centre for the Burren National Park, at No. 1-2 Riverview, Corofin, on 11 January 2024. The NPWS and Clare County Council are working together to secure funding and progress this project through detailed design in preparation for the later construction phases.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (23 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Under my Department, the National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) provides financial support for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures through two grant schemes which are, in the main, administered by the local authorities. These are the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the Historic Structures Fund (HSF), and the qualifying works for both of these...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fisheries Protection (25 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Inland Fisheries Ireland is the state environment agency tasked with the protection, management and conservation of the inland fisheries resource in Ireland. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees and implements the national water quality monitoring programme. Both agencies are under the aegis of the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications and, as such, I am not in a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fisheries Protection (25 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286, 288 and 289 together. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is working closely with other State agencies as part of an inter-agency group to collaborate on the investigation into the fish mortality incident at the River Blackwater Special Area of Conservation. The NPWS is surveying and monitoring any impact on the protected species which...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fisheries Protection (25 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Article 6 of the Habitats Directive requires, inter alia, that any plan or project that is likely to have a significant effect on a Natura 2000 site must be subject to appropriate assessment. Competent authorities may only agree to a plan or project after having ascertained that it will not have a significant impact on the integrity of a Natura 2000 site. Queries in relation to appropriate...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (2 Oct 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir for advocating for the people and students of Ballincollig and those who wish to send their children to a multidenominational school to be educated as Gaeilge. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, who could not attend. I will try to outline where the process lies and where there might be opportunities to engage and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (2 Oct 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: If there is a chink of light for the Senator and people in Ballincollig in the response, it would be that upon receipt of all statutory approvals including planning permission, the Department will review and advise the patron and school authorities as to whether phase 2 will be included as part of the current project. It is not ruling out that they will progress together. I agree with the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Infrastructure (2 Oct 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I will read out a detailed and lengthy reply. If the Senator wants to collaborate more, please request that at the end. In line with the climate action plan actions, the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment published the electricity storage policy framework for Ireland in July 2024. The policy framework, through ten Government actions, supports the incorporation of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Infrastructure (2 Oct 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: According to action No. 4, in terms of participation and those who are supposed to be consulted it says that included in this are relevant statutory, bodies, leading industry representations and academic or interest groups and representatives of the public. I suppose the interpretation of that needs to be delved into further. What covers representatives of the public? Surely, one would...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (1 Oct 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: My role with regard to the protection and management of our architectural heritage is set out in the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), as are the roles of local authorities and the responsibilities of owners. Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, gives primary responsibility to local authorities to identify and protect the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (30 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The National Parks & Wildlife Service led the response to the recent Asian Hornet operation, which led to the location and safe removal of two Asian Hornet nests. Monitoring is still being carried out to ensure that the immediate threat has been neutralised. A workshop with beekeepers is planned in the coming weeks to discuss the lessons learned from this first nest and to determine...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (30 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The proper operation and maintenance of domestic wastewater treatment systems, including septic tanks, is the responsibility of the property owner. Owners must ensure that their systems are working effectively and do not pose a risk to human health or the environment. Grant assistance is available in specific circumstances to support householders where defective systems pose the greatest...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Investigations (30 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 543 and 544 together. The River Allow is within the Blackwater River (Cork/Waterford) Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Under Regulation 27 of the European Communities Birds and Natural Habitats Regulations (S.I. 411/2011, as amended), the competent authority in relation to fin fish species in the first instance is Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Projects (30 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Under my Department, the National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) provides two main grant schemes to support for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures. These include capital grants for conservation works as well as financial assistance for owners to obtain conservation advice for their historic structures. The Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (30 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 264 of 18 September 2025 which sets out the position in this matter.