Results 4,261-4,280 of 8,081 for speaker:Peter Burke

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (12 Oct 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. Section 4 of the Act and Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations), set out various exemptions from the requirement to obtain planning permission. Any such...

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: First, I welcome the current budget. I think the Government has done its very best to get the balance right, in the first instance, in getting back on a more sustainable trajectory in terms of the public finances, reducing our borrowing costs, which is most important, and in terms of striking a balance between revenue expenditure and also taxation cuts. It is also important to point out...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Cathaoirleach for this opportunity to speak to the House today on peat harvesting. As someone from a large rural constituency, I absolutely understand the critical importance of the horticultural industry and its value to the wider economy. I have and will continue to work side by side with the industry to facilitate peat extraction. I have done this as a back bench Deputy and...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I am not contesting it.

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I did not say that I had no problem with that. The Senator has misquoted me.

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I never said that I did not have a problem with the importation of peat.

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I will be brief because Members have put their views on this issue on the record. I, as Minister with responsibility for planning, am guardian of the planning system. That system, by its nature, is neutral. It acts on policy. We need policy to work with the system in order to provide a solution. We can go around the houses and discuss how we got here. It has been a difficult process....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (13 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: In recognition of the impacts of COVID 19 and the associated public health restrictions, the Government put in place a commercial rates waiver for the first nine months of 2021. The waiver was more targeted in 2021 than in 2020 and applied only to businesses most seriously affected by restrictions. Automatic eligibility extending to retail, hospitality, including hotels, pubs and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Insurance Coverage (13 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: 238. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the insurance indemnity schemes that are applicable to signed and looped walkways here (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49983/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank Senator Fitzpatrick for her questions. Regarding the expert report, and the 32 recommendations contained within it, one of the biggest challenges that I and the Department have faced is the absence of clear and salient data on the number of Traveller families in our country and the types of housing accommodation they require to meet their needs. That is why, through our expert...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Ó Broin. I contend that the energy is there in this regard. I argued in my opening statement that the required actions are being taken. I was appointed to this role in July and I was given responsibility in November for the area of Traveller accommodation. Subsequent to my appointment, I established a programme board to drive the reforms set out in the 32...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Senator very much. We are committed to implementing each of the recommendations and the NTACC is responding to me on each of the them. I attend every second meeting of the committee, which is driving the reforms. It has held about five meetings already this year. Its independent chair has a strong track record in this area. We met representatives of the Ombudsman for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: The Senator can look at the trajectory of increasing funds in budgets in recent years. In budget 2022, we have a capital budget of approximately €18 million, whereas in 2020 we had €14.5 million. That is borne out by the commitment from me and from the Government as a whole to responding to the challenges in this area, and we are committed to doing that. The Office of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Senator for his contribution, which I appreciate is a very genuine one, on the challenges we face in this area. The programme board was established towards the end of March, so we are talking about a six-month period. I have told the board I would like to see timelines in respect of each of the actions it has taken off for their first round of implementation, which is about 56%...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I welcome absolutely what the Senator says. As stated earlier, I would welcome the improvement of data in order that the committee and its members can critically evaluate my work. That is very important. We need to be in possession of improved data. As for Senator O'Reilly's engagement with the Traveller groups and members of the Traveller community, nothing I have seen has shocked me...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Collins for her questions and acknowledge the work that she is doing on the ground with the Traveller community. On Labre Park, we engaged directly with the community as did the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. One of the first things I did when I got responsibility for Traveller accommodation in November was write to Senator Eileen Flynn to try to forge relationships and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: One of my frustrations has been the lack of data. That is why one recommendation in the report was to have a specific Traveller identifier contained within social housing application forms. That would give us a better handle on what the requirements are from the Traveller community. A number of reports carried out, one of which was independently evaluated in County Mayo, suggest that not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Gould for his kind and good wishes at the outset. I will be clear; I wish to be honest and open with the Cathaoirleach and members of the committee in that I do not have all the answers to this complex issue, but I assure them that I will do my best. I appreciate the guidance from the committee and feedback on the structures I have established. When I took on the role in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: To make it clear, the Government, through the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, has stated that funding is not an obstacle on this matter. I assure Deputy Gould about that if he is going to speak to his constituents. Funding is not an obstacle.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Crowe for his observations, and Deputy Ó Cuív, who is very committed to this area. We have made significant progress in the past year. One can look at the doubling of the maintenance allowance; an increase in the caretaker refund through the local authority network right up to 75%; Cena, the local authority AHB can now draw down 100% of funding from the capital...