Results 4,621-4,640 of 4,726 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (15 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: There is currently no tender process underway for the provision of an update to the 2014 Guidance to Manage the Risk to Marine Mammals, nor is one planned. The Marine Institute funded a project through its Research for Policy Awards 2023 entitled GOMOREUS - Guidance on Managing offshore Renewable Energy Underwater Sound. The project is being delivered by University College Cork (UCC) MaREI...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (15 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department receive and consider applications for derogations pursuant to and accordance with regulation 54 of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. There is currently no provision made for public consultation pertaining to the consideration of applications for a derogation under Regulation 54 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Impact Assessments (15 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: An Bord Pleanála is the competent authority for offshore wind developments, while the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) is responsible for the compliance and enforcement of offshore development. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is a statutory consultee on those developments. My Department has established a system of strict protection for marine mammals and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (15 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: In order to fulfil reporting requirements set out by the European Commission, every two years, my Department submits reports outlining derogations issued under Article 16 of the Habitats Directive. SI 293 of 2021 - European Union (Birds and Natural Habitats) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 inserted Regulation 54A into the Birds and Habitats Regulation 2011. This sets down that “where...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: EU Directives (15 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 367, 368, 369, 370 and 371 together. The EU Directive on the Conservation of Habitats, Flora and Fauna (92/43/EEC), commonly known as “the Habitats Directive” requires Member States to select sites, for the protection of habitats and species which are considered threatened in the EU territory and listed on the Annexes to the Directive. Annex I of...

Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to bring the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024 before the House. There are three main components in the Bill. First, it proposes a significant extension of the franchise for electing the six “University” members of Seanad Éireann to graduates of designated institutions of higher...

Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. There is very little I can disagree with in anything they have said.

Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I will say the point critically here. We are at the end of a political cycle and we can see the quietness around Leinster House today. This is a three-party coalition. There is no commitment in the programme for Government on Seanad reform. It is not there. Critically from all of our perspectives, it is important as we look towards our manifestos for the upcoming general election to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógail) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Defective Building Materials (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. As the Deputy is aware, the defective concrete blocks, DBC, grant scheme is neither a redress nor a compensation scheme, rather a grant scheme of last resort to enable affected homeowners to remediate homes. The scheme facilitates the remediation of existing houses that have been damaged by the use of defective concrete blocks. The construction of new...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógail) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Defective Building Materials (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I see what the Deputy is saying. There have been a number of cases like this. Those cases are not uniform and every homeowner has different issues. As I said in the original response, the replication of the house is a like-for-like dwelling. However, given there are significant issues involving a young disabled child, I ask that the Deputy would bring the issues forward to the Department...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógail) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Defective Building Materials (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: As I said, there is flexibility in terms of the footprint.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógail) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Defective Building Materials (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: If the Deputy will furnish the details to the Department, we will look at it. That is the best way I can respond at this stage. As the Deputy said, there are serious considerations. No two cases are alike. Again, we would appreciate it if the Deputy could provide the details and we can then give consideration to it.

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Policy (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an cheist seo. I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 , 67 and 69 together. Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a priority for Government. Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is increasing the supply of housing. Almost 12,000 new social homes were delivered in 2023, through build, acquisition and...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Policy (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputy has raised the issue in Galway city on many occasions in the Dáil in recent years. Galway City Council is the housing authority and, through the ambition of the housing strategy, will be met with funding from Government. That has been the consistent approach we have taken with all local authorities. Considerable progress is being made in addressing homelessness,...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Policy (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The intention and work of the Government is to end the dependency on HAP. A total of 16,000 families have transferred from HAP to permanent accommodation solutions. That is to be noted. The Government has built more social houses in the past four and a half years than in the past 50 years. I was a member of a local authority for 16 years. I remember distinctly during that time when a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Housing for All commits to delivering a total of 18,000 Cost Rental homes over the period to 2030. As of Quarter 2 this year, more than 2,180 Cost Rental homes have been delivered since the launch of the new tenure in late 2021, and a very strong pipeline of future delivery is now in place. The continued development of Cost Rental homes is supported by my Department through a mixture of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provided for the development of a deposit protection scheme to be operated by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). However, significant changes have taken place in the rental market since this legislation was passed. It should be noted that, unlike many other jurisdictions examined, Ireland already has a well-established quasi-judicial dispute...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act), which was commenced on the 22 of June 2023, contains the enhanced grant scheme and the related Regulations were adopted on the 29 of June 2023. The DCB Scheme is neither a redress nor a compensation scheme, rather it is a grant scheme of last resort to enable affected homeowners remediate their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: In 2021 a new holistic approach was applied to the Local Authority Energy Efficient Retrofit Programme (EERP), designed around the Programme for Government's commitment led by the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications that calls for the 'retrofit' of 500,000 homes to a B2/Cost Optimal Equivalent BER standard by 2030, of which, approximately 36,500 are expected to be local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Minister O'Brien received Government approval on 8 October 2024 to increase the overall grant scheme cap and grants rates that are set out in the 2023 Regulations. The Government made the Order to increase the overall scheme cap on 22 October 2024- this will mean that the total grant funding available under the scheme will rise by 10% to €462,000. Minister O'Brien will very shortly...