Results 3,861-3,880 of 8,081 for speaker:Peter Burke

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter and indeed for all the work he has done as he outlined on cyclists being passed in close proximity and the offence that was put into legislation. Like Deputy Cannon, I have a keen interest in cycling but I would not pretend to be in the same league as him. The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I absolutely assure Deputy Cannon that we do care. Indeed the commitment in the programme for Government to walking and cycling infrastructure is very significant. I will raise the issues he put forward, especially the other jurisdictions he referenced, with the Minister and obviously with the Minister for Justice also. It is very important to educate people about this as well. I am a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Library Grant (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter of library funding, which is very important. He set out a very strong case for the reinstatement of this funding stream. The Department of Education has responsibility for primary and post-primary education and is charged with facilitating individuals through learning, to achieve their full potential and to contribute to Ireland's social, cultural...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Library Grant (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: As I have said, Deputy O'Sullivan makes a very strong case. The budget for the Department of Education is approximately €8.9 billion this year, which is an increase of 5%. With such a strong budget, one hopes something could be worked out. We will try to press the case for the Deputy. Teaching children and giving them this skill as opposed to them watching television, etc. can...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Gould for tabling this Topical Issue matter. It is a very serious issue. I remind the Deputy that the best way to build houses is, if he could advise his colleagues, to stop objecting to houses. The Deputy quotes the ESRI, but it is very interesting that he does not quote the ESRI on the property tax, which is a progressive tax the Deputy is also against, and he is against...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: As I said, to deliver houses people cannot be objecting to building them so the Deputy may have a look at his policy in this regard.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I hear the Deputy quoting selectively about a decade ago as to why these houses were not built in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: What he fails to note is we were under an IMF programme. The State was spending 50% more than it was taking in income. We were locked out of the markets. Any borrowing was as high as 14%. Two local authorities in Dublin and the local authority in Westmeath were piloting the mortgage-to-rent scheme because we were saturated with debt in our local authorities. The Deputy ignores all of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I will not accept that from a party which objects-----

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: -----day after day and week after week. We have a record budget. We are in the business of building houses for all of our citizens. We will do this and we will deliver on it.

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Ceart chun Tithíochta) 2020: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Right to Housing) Bill 2020: Second Stage [Private Members] (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputies for raising these issues and bringing forward the Bill. I can confirm that the Government has agreed not to oppose the Bill. As the Deputies are aware, the programme for Government sets out a commitment to hold a referendum on housing. We have supported this debate and are keen to hear opinions, as we have been, on this important issue. I thank those Deputies who have...

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Ceart chun Tithíochta) 2020: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Right to Housing) Bill 2020: Second Stage [Private Members] (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank all of the speakers who contributed to this debate. In my opening remarks I set out clearly the direction of travel for the Government and outlined how seriously we are taking this. An interim chairperson has been appointed. I have made it clear what we are doing in that regard. The Constitution affects us all and we must balance any proposal with other rights in our Constitution...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: The funding system for local authorities is complex, with authorities deriving their income from a variety of sources including commercial rates, charges for goods and services and funding from Central Government. Local authorities vary significantly from one another in terms of size, population, population distribution, public service demands, infrastructure and other income sources, all...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Regional Development (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: It is primarily the role of the local authority, Donegal County Council to bring forward plans for Letterkenny in accordance with the National Planning Framework for Ireland to 2040.  As you are aware, Letterkenny is identified as a Regional Growth and Cross-Border Driver in that strategy and forms part of the wider cross-border Derry City functional area/city-region. I understand in...

Seanad: Right to Housing: Motion (4 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank all Members for contributing to this valuable debate. I understand an amendment to the motion has been submitted, which demonstrates the depth of views on this matter. We support the motion and I thank Senator Mary Fitzpatrick and her colleagues for moving it. It is important that we do not rush to judgment in making a commitment to the electorate. We must ensure we give all...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I will move amendments Nos. 60, 64, 66 and 69. These amendments are technical provisions in section 8, so that the review of the achievement of purposes of the Act that apply to the LDA will also apply to subsidiary designated activity companies, DACs. They are also being inserted to provide clarity and certainty that these provisions will apply also to any of its subsidiaries. It was...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I will first address Amendments Nos. 59, 63, 65 and 68, as tabled by Deputies Boyd Barrett, Gino Kenny, Paul Murphy, Bríd Smith and Barry. These amendments seek to substitute references to the LDA in this section for local authorities. I am opposing them because the proposal is not relevant to the Bill. Section 8 provides that the Minister can at any stage require the LDA to report...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: I want to avoid any doubt in terms of the conflation of two different issues. The aim of the annual report is to ensure that the agency is accountable in terms of its actions and operations. Its performance in the context of the achievement of the objectives outlined in the legislation is outlined in the five-year report. Other State agencies have also introduced timescales to reflect...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Peter Burke: We would aim towards 30 days. That is when the Houses of the Oireachtas would give a direction in terms of a regulation laid before it or a direction for the Minister. That is explicitly what we would aim for.