Results 4,421-4,440 of 4,726 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (11 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Waterways Ireland is a North/South Implementation Body established under the British Irish Agreement of 10 April 1998. It is funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The information requested is not held in my Department. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (11 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department recognises and highly appreciates the beneficial working relationships it has with individuals who provide valuable services to the NPWS. While I am not in a position to comment on individual cases, I can confirm that my Department is continuing to work on progressing this matter with a view to resolving the issues involved as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks (11 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí, is Ireland’s newest and largest National Park and our first marine National Park. The creation of the Páirc fulfils a Programme for Government commitment, and brings together some of the most significant and diverse sites in Ireland's territory for marine and coastal biodiversity, as well as a wealth of archaeological, cultural...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traffic Management (11 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Waterways Ireland is a North/South Implementation Body established under the British Irish Agreement of 10 April 1998. It is funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The information requested is not held in my Department. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Special Areas of Conservation (19 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The land referred to in the Question was surveyed and included within the boundary of the Dingle Peninsula Special Protection Area (SPA) proposed for designation in 2006. This SPA is designated for the protection of bird species Fulmar, Peregrine and Chough. The deadline for lodging an appeal against the inclusion of land within the Dingle Peninsula SPA has long passed. The de-designation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Insurance Coverage (20 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I very much appreciate the vital role played by owners of thatched buildings as the custodians of this distinctive and cherished aspect of our built heritage. I am very aware also of the problems facing owners in relation to insurance. This is particularly acute in larger structures, generally partially-thatched, where the costs of re-build will be higher. Policy relating to the insurance...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (20 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The site in question is currently being archaeologically excavated in accordance with the requirements of conditions imposed by the planning authority when it granted the relevant planning permission under the Planning and Development Act 2000. The archaeological excavation itself is licensed under section 26 of the National Monuments Act 1930. That licensing process ensures that the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (20 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Damage to monuments by third parties in the form of vandalism is subject to severe penalties arising from the general criminal law - the Criminal Damage Act 1991 - penalties under this act are severe and in some cases a court may impose a life sentence. In terms of theft, third parties can be prosecuted under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 with a potential term of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I will deal with the questions in reverse order if that is okay. The issue of staged payments has been raised a good deal by Deputies and Senators over the past couple of months. There is no doubt that the measure has been very successful. It has been transformative from a heritage perspective and it brings many important buildings back into use, with families living in them. That is what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: As stated, some banks are already providing bridging loans by way of support. That is probably the best way forward to address the issue. The local authority purchase and renovation loan is expected to be implemented in mid-July, which is positive. The other question was on whether there are vacant homes officers in every local authority. I think they are almost all covered. We are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Not all local authorities have them. We think good conservation advice is beneficial, as is having a network of architectural conservation officers across the country. They all meet different challenges. If the wrong intervention is made on an historic building or heritage building, it can have pretty devastating consequences for its fabric.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: This is a most welcome scheme. By the end of 2022, the figures we had were the following: more than 900 notifications had been received, which could result in some 2,000 new homes being provided.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: As I recall, Senator Cummins raised with me in the Seanad quite a while back the matter of the grant for conservation advice for traditional farmhouses. I am pleased to say that this scheme has now been extended to fund conservation advice for the refurbishment of vacant traditional houses in villages and towns as well. Again, this is a welcome addition. That conservation advice is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: It is a worthwhile proposal. Through using the vacant homes officer in the local authorities, perhaps it could be given consideration on a pilot basis. I spoke earlier about having the different disciplines under the one roof in local authorities which would give them the opportunity to help those who purchase a property, are identifying a property or own a property to navigate through what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Yes, absolutely. If you look around our smaller regional towns in particular, where you have 19th century buildings on main streets, the back burgage plots on those have immense potential for regeneration using modern methods of construction onto the backfill of a site. There is still huge untapped potential in our town centres that we are not realising so I think something like this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Absolutely.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus leis an gcoiste. I welcome the opportunity to discuss with the committee the Estimate for 2024 in the areas of nature, heritage and electoral reform. The National Monuments Service, the built heritage programmes and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, are an integral part of what the Department delivers on behalf of the people....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Since we came into government, it has increased significantly. Total provisions for 2024, between capital and current, were €54.4 million. On the capital side, the investment has gone into the infrastructure in the parks, such as trails, access, interpretation and improvement of visitor facilities, but also in terms of management of invasive species - rodent management is a big one,...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 16 - Tailte Éireann (Revised)
Vote 23 - An Coimisiún Toghcháin (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (13 Jun 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Absolutely. I think so and the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, may wish to comment as well. We have the local biodiversity action fund, which we have quadrupled over the past three years. That has been transformative as well as having ensured that with the Heritage Council we have a biodiversity officer in every county to support that work. When we embark on a national nature...