Results 7,801-7,820 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: A planning regulator's office is to be set up. As I have said in both Houses, at the moment the process would be that any directives or changes would come through officials in the Department and through me, as Minister of State. The regulator will assume that responsibility and will make recommendations to the Minister. There will be a formal process, which is removed from politics, to do...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: Senator Humphreys also has amendments which deal with this issue. His point about the imbalance is recognised, certainly for the mid-east local authority areas. We will look at that and while this legislation is probably not the appropriate place to do that, there are other mechanisms by which to do that. I have engaged with the Dublin Chamber of Commerce around this and have reflected...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: There were probably a lot more than 1,000 submissions if we take all the different parts of the consultation and the advisory groups and chambers of commerce that fed into that. Many groups came together to make submissions representing a number of people. As the Senator knows, it is only when one goes to the regional level and county level that more people will be involved, and we know...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: It is not the Government of the day's plan; it is a long-term plan for this country that we want everybody to buy into. We genuinely wanted that. I was there at the start of it. We went to students and told them they should be involved as it is for 20, 30 and 40 years. That is what it is about. If we do not have launches and ask for engagement, we will not get that engagement. I hope we...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The amendment by Senator Grace O'Sullivan is similar to the amendment previously tabled by Deputy Eamon Ryan on Committee Stage in the Dáil. We had some debate on the matter then. I opposed the amendment then and my position has not changed. That was a good while ago, early last autumn. This amendment relates to section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which provides that...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: We touched on this earlier when discussing Senator Humphreys's amendment. I know he had to step out so I did not give the full answer at the time. I do appreciate and understand the reasons and logic behind these proposed amendments. We have had some direct engagement with Senator Humphreys. I thank him for that. We have discussed this and I understand where these amendments are coming...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I meant to say that at the start.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: My officials and I will be pleased to engage with Senator Humphreys on this issue. While we have discussed the matter already, we will be happy to discuss it further. We recognise what the Senator is trying to achieve with his amendment in providing for a new mechanism. We may bring the Minister of State, Deputy John Paul Phelan, into the conversation because the issue straddles two sides...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The amendment would have the effect of inserting a requirement in the planning code that planning applications be refused where the development proposed would be contrary to the water framework directive because it might cause a deterioration of water quality or the status of a water body and thereby jeopardise attainment of good chemical status of water, as required under the directive....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The amendment relates to the disclosure of political donations made by planning applicants in monetary terms or other forms to elected representatives or political parties and the making of such information publicly available. This is similar to an amendment proposed by Deputy Boyd Barrett on Report Stage in the Dáil, which attracted Sinn Féin support. Other amendments were...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: We certainly will engage. We are genuinely looking at it. As to the Mahon tribunal, the spirit of the recommendations to be transposed was to ensure that donations are in the public domain, which they are. I understand the spirit of the amendment is to ensure that when it comes to planning, people can join the dots easily and can see the information linked. There is merit in that. We...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (18 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together. My Department is in regular contact with disability advocates and my colleague Minister Murphy has met with them on the specific issue referenced by the Deputy.  One of the key measures achieved in 2016 under the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability (NHSPWD), which has been extended to 2020, was...

Plastic and Packaging Pollution: Statements (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I welcome the EU plastics strategy. My Department and I are fully committed to working with the European Commission and other member states to achieve the ambitions set out in the first ever Europe-wide strategy for plastics, particularly marine litter. We are liaising and co-operating very closely with waste and litter policyholders in the Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten’s...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rent Controls (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I refer to the reply to Questions No. 1491, 1556 and 1579 of 17 April 2018 which sets out the latest position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The provision of fire services in local authority areas, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigades, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting national policy,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency. The provisions of the Act apply only to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave consequent on the presence of reactive...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Closures (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I am taking this debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton. I wish to apologise on his behalf that he cannot be present due to a prior commitment to visit two schools with An Taoiseach. I will make sure to convey to him the matters raised in this debate. He is very familiar with this situation but I understand the importance of raising it today...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Closures (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: Again, I understand the issue raised by the Senator, namely, phasing and dealing with it appropriately but I must point out that the phasing arrangement began in 2008, which is nearly ten years ago. It was agreed national policy. A lot of time has been given to this school. Part of the difficulty was that in 2015, St. Thomas's school expanded its provision to cater for leaving certificate...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills who is unable to take the debate and sends his apologies. He had a prior commitment to visit two schools with the Taoiseach. He would like to be here to discuss the matter with the Senator because he knows it is very important for the Cork area and the area represented by the Senator. Again, I thank the Senator for...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The Minister is very anxious that this would progress through the phases as quickly as possible. It is on the list and will be done. All involved in the Department would like to see it progress and will work with the local school to do that. Again, I thank Senator Buttimer for raising this issue on behalf of his constituents.