Results 7,141-7,160 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Property (12 Oct 2017)

Damien English: The economic downturn had a significant negative impact on many urban centres, including towns and villages, with many commercial businesses having been forced to cease operations due to the decline in economic activity. This has impacted on our urban streetscape, resulting in increased rates of commercial property vacancies. In recognition of this, the Programme for a Partnership...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Resolution Board Data (12 Oct 2017)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together. The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the Pyrite Remediation Scheme.The Pyrite Resolution Board, with the support of the Housing Agency, is responsible for the implementation of the pyrite remediation scheme.  In accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Board is independent in the performance of...

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the many positive impacts on rural areas that will flow from the national planning framework, to dispel concerns about any connection between the framework and local authority boundary reviews and to hear the views of Deputies on many issues. I have had an opportunity to listen to Deputy Michael Healy-Rae twice on the same issue. I can understand his...

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: There will be an extra 600,000 jobs, mainly in the knowledge economy, frequently being drawn to the cities and central urban areas. I heard the Deputy speaking about Galway today, which is one of the medical technology hubs of the world. It is a major centre and we need to enhance and develop it. This means Galway city must grow and the population living there must increase. We have to...

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: It is about making decisions with local authority members and Deputies representing the area. It is also about making long-term planning decisions.

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: I am not here to have an argument.

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: I want to support the Deputy.

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: We know if we really want to develop Galway as a city, approximately €1 billion must be spent on transport to service the area. These are the kinds of questions that should be considered in a long-term plan. What needs to be spent and where must it be spent to achieve what we want? That is the idea of a long-term plan; it is like a business case setting out where we are going with...

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: We live in towns that were not planned and suffered population overspill from Dublin. They suffered all kinds of consequences in trying to catch up. If we get this right, with the support of the House, there will be no catching up on bad planning as we will have good planning from the start. The money will follow the population to provide required services as people start to live in areas....

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: It is not true. I have been clear in saying I am not here to have a row with the Deputies. How many Deputies spoke here tonight and how many will have the chance over the weeks ahead, before the consultation closes on this process?

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: We have had numerous discussions on this up and down the country and many Deputies did not take the time to get involved. There are a few weeks left to have the conversation both here, in committee and in other forums. I hope people will take the time to have their views known, make representations and give us a chance to tease out ideas. Do not tell me in three months there was no...

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: I mentioned to Deputy Harty about getting people out there. Funding is required in a co-ordinated, logical and planned way that has buy-in from all State agencies and Departments. That can happen with this document, which will be the saviour of rural Ireland and not the opposite, as it is being portrayed today.

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: This will save it.

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: Do not forget Galway.

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: Check the job creation statistics for the last 12 months.

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: The Deputy is reading reports from ten years ago.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: The relevant provisions setting out the procedure to initiate a variation to a City or County Development Plan or a Local Area Plan are set out in the Planning Acts. Recognising the different roles of both elected members and officials, planning and local government legislation distinguishes between legal functions reserved to the elected members on the one hand, and executive functions...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Unfinished Housing Developments Data (17 Oct 2017)

Damien English: The 2016 Annual Progress Report on Unfinished Housing Developments, published in March 2017, highlighted that the number of ‘unfinished’ developments had reduced by over 85% from just under 3,000 developments in 2010 to 420 developments in 2016, with 248 developments resolved in 2016 alone. Funding of the resolution process is now centred around investment by housing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Damien English: I will try to catch up with where we are on most of these issues. Deputy Casey is of course speaking from a County Wicklow perspective. We have had a similar situation in County Meath so I can understand the logic behind his questions. Following on from last night's debate, I believe that the plan we are discussing here provides the answer to most of the Deputy's questions if we can only...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Damien English: The Senator raised a range of issues, and while this is a chance to raise them, this is not the budget. Nonetheless, it is a document that will help us shape budgets, and that is what this is about. The Senator is right. We have not always planned, not just for land use management, but for activities or investment. We have seen this take effect in Wicklow, Meath, Kildare, Louth and the...