Results 4,061-4,080 of 8,081 for speaker:Peter Burke

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (15 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: Firstly, it is important to note that it is settled Government policy to support older people to live in their own homes and communities with dignity and independence for as long as possible, as this has the best outcomes both for the individual and for society as a whole. I recognise, however, that there are some people who, for various reasons, may wish to move from larger houses to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (15 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (15 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: The continued operation of the Apartment Guidelines and the Building Height Guidelines are separate to the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process and it is important to clarify that at the outset. National planning guidance provides important clarification and detail of Government policy regarding urban residential development in order to ensure a consistent approach to decision...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (15 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: My Department is committed to ensuring that existing housing stock is utilised to its fullest extent including providing a targeted, effective and co-ordinated approach to identifying and tackling vacancy across Ireland. There are a range of measures to assist in meeting housing needs by ensuring that our existing housing stock is used to the greatest extent possible. My Department published...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (15 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: The Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 introduced the vacant site levy, which is aimed at incentivising the development of vacant, under-utilised sites in urban areas. The Act provides that the levy shall apply to vacant sites exceeding 0.05 hectares on residential land or regeneration land, as designated in local development plans, which meets the relevant criteria set out in the Act....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites (15 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: Under the vacant site levy provisions in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015, planning authorities were empowered to apply a vacant site levy of 3% of the market valuation of relevant properties which were listed on local authority vacant site registers in 2018, which relevant owners were liable to pay in January 2019. The rate of the levy increased to 7% for sites listed on local...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: I am happy to confirm there is no change to the planning requirements. All the safeguards in terms of safety and basic metrics for road-opening licences will still apply. One of the concerns that had been raised by the County and City Management Association is that there is a duplicate process here in terms of double charging. Second, the intention is to speed up the plan. While it is not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: Deputy Higgins raises very valuable points in terms of remote working. The blended approach we are trying to achieve will give citizens a better quality of life in future. We must take opportunities out of every crisis, try to put them to best use, and underwrite citizens going forward to give them a better quality of life and more time with their families in a more blended approach in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: Absolutely. It is linked back to the municipal district. All the municipal districts throughout the country have an adjudication process for issuing a section 254 licence and, as I said, we still have to go through the same adjudication process for road safety, protected structures and environmental issues. All those robust practices would still remain in place.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: I have not heard any concerns about that but Mr. Loughlin and Mr. Neary might be able to offer an additional assurance on that issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: I hear the Cathaoirleach's point but I would just point out that the local authorities have to keep these key considerations in the development management process. They are not going to let overhead cables go all through our towns. They will be managing that process and they have the right to refuse the licence if it does not meet good practice.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: I would be very happy to include that in the circular for the regulations. The Senator is a very strong advocate of trusting local authorities and he quite rightly pointed out they will be adjudicating on the record of protected structures. We do not want any protected structure to be compromised in any shape or form. We will absolutely take the Senator's comments on board and I would be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputy. Each licence is adjudicated on by the municipal district or local authority. Essentially, they have the right to put conditions in the particular site in question for each licence to safeguard the public interest and good in terms of the taxpayer. We are not changing that process, so to speak. As I said to the Senator Boyhan, we will include additional guidance in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: Underground is dealt with in section 53 of the Communications Regulation Act. We are dealing with overground. That is where the licences will be in question. There is no proposed change to any road opening or opening up of public roadways.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Senator for her questions. She quite rightly pointed out that we are covering 96% of the State. One can see in terms of a public infrastructure project the scale of what we are trying to do, and do it as quickly as possible for the benefit of everyone. As the Senator quite rightly pointed out, there are four municipal districts, on average, in every local authority area....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: The Deputy raised a valid point. We have €116 billion in Project Ireland 2040 through our national development plan to underwrite many key public infrastructural investments that we need. Our planning code is under review in terms of how to best deliver this public infrastructure through our local authorities. There have been difficulties in the past but we want to make sure those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: Absolutely. I was referring to other large-scale public infrastructure, not the national broadband plan, just in case anyone was starting to get worried. Guidelines were issued through the local authorities last May. We see this as an operation to speed up, not to have double charging in place and to provide certainty to National Broadband Ireland as it goes about interacting with the 31...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: I would be cautious about straying out of my brief in terms of the national broadband plan so----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: Between that and road-opening licences, we are in the area of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. I do not want to say something for fear of not having the knowledge.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Section 254 – Overground Telecommunication Cables) Regulations 2021: Motion (14 Jul 2021)

Peter Burke: No problem.