Results 3,701-3,720 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Senator. It is important to put on record that the advisory council can invite any representatives, including Senators, before it to debate the issues. The Minister and I encourage it to do so. If any Senators wish to engage with the council, it will prove an important platform.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: This proposed amendment would render the responsibility of providing climate change-related advice by the advisory council to the Oireachtas as a whole rather than to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The fundamental point is that it is the Minister and other members of the Government who are the main actors in and responsible for these matters. Therefore, it...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank all Senators for their contributions on this and the overall debate. I have not been party to much of it in the Seanad, but I was party to much of it in the Dáil. I agree it is important that with the compilation of the national mitigation plan there is engagement with all sectors including communities, the grassroots and local authorities, which are possibly the first vehicle...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I am happy to clarify for Senator Barrett that this is essentially a practical matter regarding how to disseminate the information contained in the publications. Senator Keane's interpretation of the wording is correct. The proposed amendment calls for the complete removal of the reference to the Environmental Protection Agency in decisions concerning the means of publication of the annual...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank Senator Barrett for tabling this amendment, which calls for a shortening of the timeframe for the climate change advisory council to conduct its first periodic review from 18 months after establishment to six months. The first periodic review will be a very important one in that it is specifically charged with analysing the progress made in meeting our mitigation targets up to the...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I am not trying to underestimate the Senator's concerns with regard to delays. I do not underestimate those concerns. We are having an important and critical debate about climate change. I think Members of all parties and none are generally supportive of this history-making legislation. We all know and feel that we have to act. I think that is generally agreed. It is not something we...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: One of the first lessons I learned when I was a Member of this esteemed House was that I should listen before I speak. I think that is very important for any public representative. I am listening carefully to what Senators on all sides of the House are saying. I note what Senator Barrett has said about healthy tensions in relationships in politics, business and other fields. It is always...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration (10 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I propose to take Questions Nos. 521 and 537 together. My colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has signed the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015 to enable the new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines to come into operation on 1 January 2016. The new year commencement...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Rainwater Harvesting Systems Provision (10 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I refer to the reply to Question No. 280 of 12 November 2013 which sets out the arrangements currently in place to encourage the use of rainwater harvesting and to promote water efficiency in the built environment. I have no plans to obligate building owners to install rainwater harvesting systems in new buildings. However, by referencing such systems in the building code, as has been...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (10 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: My Department collates and publishes a range of planning statistics on a yearly basis, including the number of invalid planning applications received by each planning authority. The latest published statistics - for 2014 - are available on my Department’s website, as follows:. The annual planning statistics for Cork County Council are not broken down on a Divisional basis.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (10 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Article 19 of the Planning a nd Development Regulations 2001– 2015, made under section 33(1)(b) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, specifies requirements in relation to displaying notice of an application for planning permission. Paragraph (3) provides that “Where a planning authority considers that the erection or fixing of a single site notice is not sufficient to...

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (11 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Deputy for raising what is an important matter for him, namely, the Naas town centre development. He has raised it a number of times and it is of concern to him and his constituents. However, the management of issues relating to town centres is primarily a matter for the relevant local authority. From inquiries made of Kildare County Council, I am informed that its involvement...

Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (11 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I welcome this debate because it concerns an area of deep interest to me. It is important that we debate and focus continually on how we can regenerate our towns and villages. As the Deputy requested, we will engage with the local authorities on the €30 million stimulus fund targeted at the renewal of towns and villages. We will be making calls in this respect. The local...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I move amendment No. 1:In page 7, to delete lines 14 and 15 and substitute the following:"(3) Every regulation made by the Minister under this Act shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the regulation is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House sits after the regulation is laid before...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Amendment No. 1 has been agreed.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The amendments cover many wide-ranging issues relating to the Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill. I have a detailed and substantial answer which I need to read to address the concerns the Deputies have raised. I ask them to bear with me as it is long and detailed, but it is important to read it to provide the necessary clarification. I do not propose to accept the...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the Deputies for the positive interaction we are having. They are right to engage strongly because there is an opportunity to get this right. I agree that we must learn from what happened in the past when there was potential but it was not delivered on for various reasons. As for the Part V provisions on social housing, commitments might have been given, but they were either not...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: First, in regard to amendment No. 6, we oppose the amendment. I understand the concerns the Deputy has raised but they are not appropriate in legislation that is specifically about winding down an authority because clear and enforceable fire safety requirements are already set out appropriately in primary legislation, including in the Building Control Acts, the Fire Services Acts, the...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I move amendment No. 7:In page 17, between lines 14 and 15, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 154 of Act of 2000 31. Section 154(5)(a) of the Act of 2000 is amended with effect from the dissolution day—(a) in subparagraph (i) by the deletion of “or” after “as appropriate,”, (b) in subparagraph (ii) by the insertion of...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I move amendment No. 8:In page 17, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 157 of Act of 2000 32. Section 157(4)(a) of the Act of 2000 is amended with effect from the dissolution day—(a) in subparagraph (i), by the substitution of “development,” for “development;”, (b) in subparagraph (ii), by the substitution of...