Results 4,641-4,660 of 4,726 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

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

Malcolm Noonan: Waterways Ireland proposes to update the Shannon Bye-laws and Canal Bye-laws which are more than 30 years old and no longer fit for purpose. The needs of users have changed, environmental landscape and health and safety considerations have developed significantly and the waterways themselves have been transformed over the past thirty years. The purpose of updating the Bye-laws is to make the...

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

Malcolm Noonan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 59 of 19 September 2024, which sets out the position in this matter. In addition, the NPWS of my Department met with the ESB most recently at Inniscara on 19 September 2024 and provided comprehensive feedback on the draft Management Plan, which it expects will be taken into consideration prior to its finalisation and publication by the ESB in due course.

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

Malcolm Noonan: The Historic Structures Fund (HSF) aims to support owners of heritage buildings in maintaining the fabric of their structures. It is funded by my Department and administered by the Local Authorities in a manner consistent with the terms of the relevant circular, including that works are undertaken within the required timeframe and adhere to the required conservation standards. Where a...

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

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 466 and 472 together. With regard to the total number and location of heritage/listed buildings, a building acquires so-called ‘listed’ status through its inclusion by a local authority on the Record of Protected Structures (RPS). Each local authority maintains a separate RPS and at present these are not consolidated into a single national...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Deputy for raising this critically important issue. The supply of public water and the provision of water services in general are matters for Uisce Éireann in the first instance. Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. The Minister has no function regarding...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I will do so. While I appreciate plans have been drawn up in the past, going back ten or 15 years, as I said the standards are such now and into the future, as the recast takes place, that the directive will be in force by the end of 2025. Member states will have to have it transposed by 2030, as far as I understand. That will create quite onerous targets in terms of not just tertiary but...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Deputy Connolly. I will read the script I have been provided and then come back in with some other responses. I wrote to Deputy Connolly last week on foot of a question on policy or legislation to the Taoiseach. The supply of public water and provision of water services in general are matters for Uisce Éireann in the first instance. Uisce Éireann has statutory...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I will ask Uisce Éireann to investigate that. The tankering of sewerage is unacceptable in this day and age. We have a way forward here in terms of the longer-term plan. I mentioned the 2025-29 investment cycle in my response to Deputy Cairns. That will be critically important. We took questions from Deputy Connolly last night on housing development in Galway. This issue will...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I have outlined the significant progress that has been made by Uisce Éireann in dealing with the deficits in Galway city and the wider area. I was not aware there were two siphons, as Deputy Connolly has said. My understanding from the response I gave the Deputy last week was that one had been addressed. We will ask Uisce Éireann.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: We will ask Uisce Éireann to come back with a more comprehensive reply on that, if that is of assistance to the Deputy. The opportunity that is there in terms of the public consultation on future needs is really important. It is important that the 2025-29 capital investment cycle identifies the needs for the growth of the greater Galway area and ensures they are included in the capital...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: We will request that.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has a long history of collaboration with academic institutions to support the delivery of its key functions. Strengthening links with research institutions is an objective of the NPWS Strategic Plan 2023-2025. NPWS is currently in discussions with a third level institution to develop, an approach to collaborative working to test and inform...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Article 12 of the Birds Directive (Directive 2009/147/EC) requires Member States to report “on the implementation of national provisions taken under this Directive”. The reporting requirements and format are specifically set out by the European Environment Agency and accepted by the EU Member States at each reporting interval, including detailed guidance documents on how exactly...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS) is the national programme for monitoring population trends of wintering waterbirds. The I-WeBS programme began in 1993 and is one of Ireland’s longest running bird monitoring programmes. It provides comprehensive national coverage, across over 250 wetland sites, including extensive coverage within Ireland’s network of waterbird Special...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: There is a large population of Teal (Anas crecca) that migrate to Ireland to ‘over-winter’ for the non-breeding period, and a relatively small population that breeds in Ireland and is considered resident. The Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS) is the national programme for monitoring population trends of wintering waterbirds and the habitats they use. The I-WeBS is delivered...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) requires Parties to prevent, control and reduce transboundary impact, use transboundary waters in a reasonable and equitable way and ensure their sustainable management. While Ireland intends to accede to the Convention, there is no agreed timetable to do so at this...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: There is a water action plan, which I launched a number of months ago, and it is anticipated there will be more inspections as well as funding to increase the number of inspectors at local authority level. This is about retention of the nitrates derogation. It is critically important to this country and we all can agree on that here. It is also about improving our water quality and we have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (5 Nov 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Waterways Ireland proposes to update the Shannon Bye-laws and Canal Bye-laws which are more than 30 years old and no longer fit for purpose. The needs of users have changed, environmental landscape and health and safety considerations have developed significantly and the waterways themselves have been transformed over the past thirty years. The purpose of updating the Bye-laws is to make the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (5 Nov 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 detailed information requested in relation to Waterways Ireland facilities for sailing boats of certain draughts and heights is not held in my Department. Arrangements have been...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Turf Cutting (5 Nov 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 546, 547, 548 and 549 together. The Cessation of Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme (CTCCS) was launched in 2011 as an annual payment scheme, from date of legal cessation for 15 years, to compensate households affected by the restriction on turf cutting for domestic use on raised bog Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). It was later extended to include...