Results 2,861-2,880 of 4,726 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (15 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Senator. As the Senator may be aware, updated rural housing guidance are currently being prepared by my Department. He speaks very well about the challenges but there are fantastic opportunities out there now. The updated guidelines once issued will expand on the high-level spatial planning policy of the national planning framework, NPF, and in particular on the national policy...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (15 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I agree wholeheartedly with the Senator. I was instrumental in bringing the town centre first policy into the programme for Government. Critically, as I look across the country and travel, I see many fantastic premises such as 19th and early 20th century buildings that could be brought back into productive use. This is why the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage introduced...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Pollution (16 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Algal blooms (phytoplankton over-growth) in lakes are a natural phenomenon that can be exacerbated by excess nutrients and warm settled weather. Algal blooms are not specifically monitored for in the national water-monitoring programme, as, by their nature, they can be relatively short-lived events. My Department is currently preparing Ireland’s third-cycle River Basin Management...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Community Development Projects (21 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department currently supports a programme of large-scale regeneration projects in Limerick, Dublin and Cork and smaller projects in Tralee, Sligo and Dundalk. These regeneration projects target the country's most disadvantaged communities and seek to address the causes of disadvantage in these communities through an holistic programme of physical, social and economic regeneration. As the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Community Development Projects (21 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Those are questions we can come back to the Senator on. Certainly, all parties were aware of the end date of 2023. It was critical for future planning that Limerick City and County Council would begin the process of engagement and consultation around the continuum of support for the very valuable initiatives the Senator has spoken about, notwithstanding the fact there are staff affected by...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: There are currently no plans to extend the burning season. There are other proposals around the harvesting of green waste for use in composting materials, etc. While there are no plans at present, we will take on board the Deputy's points.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Projects (21 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The Barrow Blueway Project is a significant initiative which will support communities and create exciting opportunities for recreation and ways to experience interesting places from new perspectives. Kildare County Council is the Project Manager for the Barrow Blueway Project and is responsible for the overall project delivery. The project is funded under the Rural Regeneration and...

Policing, Protests and Public Order: Statements (28 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Our response to the events last Thursday will define us as a nation. My thoughts and prayers, like those of all others, are with the victims of the attack on Parnell Street, the three children and the care worker. We express our appreciation to all who intervened, to the gardaí, emergency services and others. Some commentators are saying that this is not us but it is time we had a...

Children (Amendment) Bill 2023: First Stage (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: No.

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Instruction to Committee (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move: That it be an instruction to the Committee on the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023, that pursuant to Standing Order 187, the Committee has power to make amendments to the Bill which are outside the scope of the existing provisions of the Bill in relation to giving effect to European Council Decision (EU) 2023/2061 of 22nd September, 2023, establishing the composition of the European...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Instruction to Committee (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The intent of the Bill is to provide for constituency revision having regard to the recent reviews of our Dáil and European Parliament constituencies by An Coimisiún Toghcháin. It was never intended that the Bill provide for miscellaneous amendments to the Electoral Acts as would be the case were the scope of the Bill to be extended. Notwithstanding the scope of the Bill, the...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, line 7, to delete “Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017;” and substitute the following: “Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017; to give effect to European Council Decision (EU) 2023/2061 of 22 September 2023 establishing the composition of the European Parliament; and for that purpose to revise...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Deputy Bacik for raising this matter. Amendment No. 2 proposes to amend section 3(2) by substituting "An Coimisiún Toghcháin" for "the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage". Section 3(2) is a standard provision that has been inserted into the constituency revisions Acts dating back to 1923. It provides a means of resolving disputes over which constituencies...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I thank Deputy Bacik for raising this issue. Amendment No. 3 proposes to insert a new subsection (3) into section 3 of the Bill to require An Coimisiún Toghcháin to undertake detailed research within 18 months of the enactment of the Bill on an appropriate reconstitution of electoral divisions in the State, and on the discontinuance of the use of the term "former rural...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 4: In page 3, after line 30, to insert the following: “Amendment of European Parliament Elections Act 1997 5.The European Parliament Elections Act 1997 is amended—(a) in section 15, by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3):“(3) An area specified in the Third Schedule shall be taken to be that area as constituted on 1...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I agree with the points raised by the Deputy and I thank her for the constructive engagement. The research programme, as I have said, will be very broad. It is as broad as the input that comes in from members of the public and political parties. We would most certainly welcome any proposals on the size of Dáil constituencies, the fixed number of constituencies and there is...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I thank Deputy Bacik for raising this particular issue. Amendment No. 3 proposes to insert a new subsection 3 into the section 3 of the Bill to require An Coimisiún Toghcháin to undertake detailed research within a period of 18 months from the enactment of the Bill on an appropriate reconstitution of electoral divisions in the State, and on the discontinuance of using former...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 4: In page 3, after line 30, to insert the following: “Amendment of European Parliament Elections Act 1997 5. The European Parliament Elections Act 1997 is amended—(a) in section 15, by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3):“(3) An area specified in the Third Schedule shall be taken to be that area as constituted on 1...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Again I agree with the points raised by the Deputy and I thank her for the constructive engagement. The research programme, as I have said, will be very broad and is as broad as the input which comes in from members of the public and from political parties. We would most certainly welcome any proposals around the size of Dáil constituencies, the fixed number of constituencies and there...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No 7: In page 4, line 7, to delete “this Act” and substitute “this Act (other than section 5)”.