Results 3,481-3,500 of 8,073 for speaker:Peter Burke

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Pyrite Incidence (15 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: Senator Doherty has made a strong case on this issue. I will raise the matter with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, as the Pyrite Resolution Board is within his portfolio. I know that he has done a lot of work on the issue to date. It is an important issue. The Senator has raised a valid point that it was a different time economically when the proposals were drafted and approved. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Draft Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) Regulations 2021 and Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2021: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (16 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Chairman for affording me the opportunity to present to the committee on these two sets of proposed planning and development exempted development regulations. The two sets of regulations consist of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) Regulations 2021, which concern planning exemptions for certain school related works and the provision of temporary...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Draft Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) Regulations 2021 and Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2021: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (16 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: A belt and braces approach is taken under the Act in that they must go to the committee. Obviously, there will be motions in both the Houses requiring approval. Once that takes place, I will be able to sign the regulations. It is deemed a temporary measure, which Deputy Ó'Broin will see from the different aspects. I will ask one of my officials, Mr. Sheridan, to elaborate on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Boundaries (17 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: The merger of Galway City Council and Galway County Council to create a single administrative area was recommended unanimously by the Galway Expert Advisory Group in April 2018. This recommendation was endorsed by a Government Decision in June 2018 and provisions to give effect to this policy decision were included in the Local Government Bill 2018. Those provisions passed all stages in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (17 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: There are no specific costs associated with the "Independent Review of the Role and Remuneration of Local Authority Elected Members". Ms Moorhead did not charge any fee in relation to her role in undertaking this review. Secretariat and administrative support to Ms. Moorhead was provided by my Department, as part of its remit in overseeing the terms and conditions of local authority elected...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members (17 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: I am committed to exploring measures that will contribute to increasing participation for all in local government, and I welcome and encourage any discussion on the matter. Consideration of this matter is important in ensuring that local authority elected Councils are fully representative of the constituents they serve. Currently, there is no expenditure category for childcare or other...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (17 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, pending the enactment of primary legislation when it will be established as a commercial State agency. The LDA have advised my Department that the 28 acre site at Dundrum will deliver approximately 1,200...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (17 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: The primary role of local authorities as housing authorities in the delivery of housing will not be impacted by the Land Development Agency (LDA) Bill, which was published on 5 February. The main interaction between the LDA and local authorities is based on collaborative arrangements. The Bill specifically provides for the LDA to deliver services to local authorities at the request of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (17 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: In relation to the Tiny House concept, it is should be noted that such developments do not meet current Irish residential space standards and are significantly smaller than the minimum permissible floor area for a studio apartment, as detailed in the Design Standards for New Apartments - Guidelines for Planning Authorities document, most recently updated in December 2020 to reflect changes in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (17 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: The fees for making submissions or observations on planning applications and appeals are set at levels intended to prevent frivolous or vexatious submissions, while not acting as a deterrent to persons with genuine concerns or interest in proposed developments from making submissions. Section 33 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the 2000 Act), provides that the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (17 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, pending the enactment of primary legislation when it will be established as a commercial State agency. The LDA have informed my Department that they are currently engaging with the Irish Prison...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on rates collection was potentially the most serious financial impact on the local government sector, which Government addressed by allocating €900m to the rates waiver scheme in 2020. This was a key priority of Minister O'Brien and I upon taking office last year. Subsequently, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform sanctioned the allocation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (17 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 302 together. One of the earliest priorities for Minister O'Brien and I was to secure exchequer funding to support a waiver of commercial rates for businesses impacted by the pandemic, while simultaneously supporting local authorities. €900m was allocated by Government to fund the cost of a rates waiver from 27 March to 27 December 2020....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (17 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: Given the ongoing impacts of COVID 19 and the associated public health restrictions and in order to continue supporting ratepayers and local authorities, the Government recently announced that a commercial rates waiver will be applied in the first quarter of 2021 to businesses most seriously affected by ongoing restrictions. €160 million has been allocated to meet the cost of this...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Pollution (18 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank my constituency colleague, Deputy Clarke, for raising this issue and providing me with an opportunity to give an overview of the current work being undertaken to address the quality of our waters. Water quality in Ireland is facing complex pressures and increasing demands due to population change and a previously growing economy that we all hope will continue after we emerge for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Pollution (18 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: I again thank Deputy Clarke for her comments on this matter, many of which I agree with. As part of the implementation of the EU water framework directive in Ireland, the EPA is charged with monitoring water status in order to establish a comprehensive overview of the water quality within each river basin district. The EPA's most recent report in this regard sets out in stark terms the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (18 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: The Planning and Development (Amendment)(Fees) Regulations 2018 amended article 168 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 to provide that the fee for making a submission or observation to a planning authority in respect of a planning application shall not be payable by a member of a local authority acting in his or her capacity as a member. This waiver does not extend to other...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Communications Masts (18 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), all development, unless specifically exempted under the Act or associated Regulations, requires planning permission. In this regard, Class 31 of Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, provides that certain classes of development carried out by a statutory undertaker authorised to provide a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (22 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank Senator Byrne for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. Once funding arrangements have been put in place through the Department of Transport, under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015, the planning, design and construction of individual national roads is a matter for Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, in conjunction...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (22 Feb 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank Senator Byrne for raising this very important issue and I will convey his concerns to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. Without doubt, this is a national project. Its importance is critical to unlock infrastructure and potential, and, especially in a post-Brexit era, it is compounded in terms of its importance. I understand how important it is that this project is included in the...