Results 4,461-4,480 of 4,789 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (2 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I agree with the points the Senator makes. If this recommendation has come from the housing committee, it needs to be given serious consideration. I absolutely agree with that. I refer as well to the points made by Wayne Stanley about broad support for an appeals body. I know from my constituency office that not everybody feels there has been transparency about the decisions made...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage [Private Members] (2 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Deputies Farrell and Ó Broin for proposing this Bill and giving us the opportunity to discuss this important issue. The main intention of the Bill is to provide greater security of tenure to lodgers, including students. The Government agrees that everybody should have a sense of security and protection in their home. I state at the outset that the Government will not be...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (2 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. We have had two debates, previously and now, where there has been a poor turnout of Deputies. I thank the Deputies who were here for their contributions on this Bill. I will reflect on some of the comments made, taking on board the points made about the challenges facing students. I again thank representatives of the various student...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (2 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I am, yes.

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (2 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Minister of State, Deputy Collins was due to close, but because the debate concluded early-----

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (2 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I appreciate that.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks (2 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Gearagh site is owned largely by the ESB. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department contributed as part of the stakeholder group to the management plan scoping exercise for the site undertaken by ESB International on behalf of the ESB in 2016/2017. Arising from that exercise, the NPWS received a Draft Gearagh Site Environmental Management Plan 2024 -2029 from...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Issues (2 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Ireland, like all Member States, is bound by the requirements of the EU Habitats Directive. When a site is first proposed for inclusion within a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), a public notice of the proposed designation is published in national and local newspapers and on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department. Adverts are broadcast on radio...

Tackling All Forms of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: Statements (3 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I want to acknowledge how important and timely this motion is and to commend the Minister, Deputy McEntee, on her leadership throughout this term of Government. In the past few weeks, we have seen not only one, but two, incredibly courageous survivors of gender-based and sexual violence step up to very bravely go public about their own experiences and once again put a spotlight on...

Report of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Motion (4 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I welcome Dan Brennan, Francie Gorman, Denis Drennan and representatives of the farm organisations to the House. I am sure Dan's family are watching at home as well. This is an important day for Dan and his family. I know Dan. He is a responsible and good farmer. I visited his farm with former Deputies Mary White and John Gormley during the depths of that crisis and saw at first hand...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (4 Jul 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...

Seanad: Nithe i dTosach Suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Schemes (9 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir as an gceist seo a ardú. I thank the Senator for raising this question and for keeping it firmly on the agenda during his tenure in the Seanad. They are important schemes. The first home scheme, launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme, designed to help bridge the gap for eligible first-time buyers, other eligible home-buyers and...

Seanad: Nithe i dTosach Suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Schemes (9 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Senator for his positive comments. The schemes we are discussing have been transformative. The 4,000 approvals under the first home scheme and the upping of the targets for the vacant property refurbishment grant from 2,000 to 4,000 show the scale of demand for those schemes. We want to see our ambition realised. We have been losing the vernacular buildings dotted all over the...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí go léir. I thank all the Deputies. I will try to skim over some of the issues raised before I go to the closing speech. Deputy Bacik made a point as I came into the Chamber about the Labour Party's Bill. A number of aspects of the Bill have been addressed, including the model tenancy agreement, the non-registration of tenancies, tenancies...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (10 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. It provides me with an opportunity to outline to the Seanad the current position on the major building project for Scoil an Chroí Naofa in Ballinasloe, on behalf of the Minister for Education. I hear the frustration in the Senator's opening contribution and I acknowledge it is a long road for the school to have waited this long for this...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (10 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: As I said in my opening reply, we are at an advanced stage here. As the Senator will appreciate, the addition of extra classrooms is based on it serving a wider hinterland with increased population, an intake of families from Ukraine and the road redesign. All these elements are complex in nature and require significant consideration. I will convey the Senator's frustration and the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products (10 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Senator for raising this important commencement matter. As she stated, I am taking this question on behalf of my colleague, Minister for Health. The Government is committed to the ongoing implementation of the national cancer strategy and the delivery of quality care for cancer patients. The Government also acknowledges the importance of access to medicines and has made...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products (10 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I agree wholeheartedly with the Senator on this. I assure her that the Minister for Health appreciates the importance of ensuring patients in Ireland have prompt and equitable access to the latest drugs. This is why the State has made considerable investments in new medicines in recent years. Over €3 billion of public funding was spent on medicines for patients in Ireland last year....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Crime Prevention (10 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Senator. This is a really important question on an area I worked in previously and in which I have some experience. On behalf of the Minister for Justice, Deputy Helen McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, I thank the Senator for raising this matter. Our approach to youth justice in Ireland is that children who come into contact with the criminal justice...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Crime Prevention (10 Jul 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I agree with everything the Senator is saying. The Minister of State, Deputy Browne, has been proactive in terms of addressing issues such as looking at a review of YDPs. Generally, the uplift in funding has been welcomed but those figures presented by the Senator are significant. I note that the Department of Justice is partnered with the University of Limerick on a trial approach. The...