Results 7,821-7,840 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Commemorative Events (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I thank Senator Colm Burke for raising this important issue in such a sensitive manner. His approach certainly reflects the type of sensitive approach that the Minister, Deputy Madigan, and her Department would take. The Minister is sorry she could not be here. This is an issue in respect of which she would like to engage with the Senator and this House. However, she cannot be present due...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Commemorative Events (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I thank Senator Colm Burke for raising this matter and giving us the opportunity to discuss it. The Senator has put forward some good ideas and the departmental officials will explore the possibilities and engage with the Minister on this, as well as with the advisory group. I suggest that the various groups to which he referred should engage with the relevant local authority and feed in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (24 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 sets out the national objective of transitioning to a low carbon, climate resilient and environmentally sustainable economy in the period up to 2050. It requires the publication of a national low carbon transition and mitigation plan every five years and my Department is required to identify and develop sectoral mitigation measures for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (24 Apr 2018)

Damien English: In accordance with the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998, housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller Accommodation Programmes (TAPs) in their areas. My Department’s role is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (24 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The 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 is a scheme of “last resort” for affected homeowners who have no other practical option to obtain redress and is limited in its application and scope. The full...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (24 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 616 and 617 together. Since 2009, my Department has made financial support available to assist local authorities in meeting the costs of clean-up and necessary immediate works associated with the response to significant severe weather emergency events. This is in recognition of the exceptional nature of activities carried out by local authorities in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Student Accommodation (24 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The Government’s Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan For Housing and Homelessness identifies the important contribution that increased student accommodation provision can make to resolving the overall housing undersupply problem. Rebuilding Ireland builds on the close cooperation of my Department with the Department of Education and Skills on the issue of student accommodation over a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: My Department does not have details of residential units that are specifically wheelchair liveable.  My reply to Question No. 239 of 18 April 2018 sets out the requirements of Part M of the Building Regulations and indicates that these may be regarded as the statutory minimum level of provision. While Part M provides, inter alia, that new dwellings are visitable, the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I thank the Senators for having me back in the House. We will try to get this Bill near the end of its passage today, if possible. On this space, Senator Boyhan and I have a lot of common ground and we do not need to force a vote. I certainly would not want to force the Senator to vote. It is not in my nature to make anyone vote. We will try to find a compromise if we can. As the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: On the municipal area, the Senators are not united. I do not want to divide and conquer. That is not what I am about.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The Senators are divided. There is a disagreement and I would rather that we could find a way in which we all agree on this. The issue is whether a councillor would have the right to a zero fee right throughout a local authority area or only in the municipal area. That is the space we are down to. There is disagreement on that. Senator Humphreys made a good case on that and I am willing...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I want to be very clear on this. In an earlier response to the Senator, I said he made a very strong case, therefore, we are close on this.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The Senators' amendments Nos. 42 and 43 are different. Senator Humphreys's amendment does not relate to primary legislation, rather it covers the whole area. Amendment No. 43 relates to primary legislation and covers a smaller area, a municipal area. The Senators are not at one with their amendments. Rather than split the views of Members around the House, we have a week or two before-----

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: It does not bother me either. This is a planning Bill and to get it right I would rather we were all on the one page with this. We have time before Report Stage to find a way by which we can agree on this. That is all I am saying. By all means the Senator can press his amendment to a vote, but his amendment relates to regulations, not legislation. That is his recommendation just in case...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I will be here for this week to finish this.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: Senator Boyhan can call a vote. I am not forcing him to do that or not to do that.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: In respect of their two amendments, the two Senators have engaged a great deal on this issue. We have made a great deal of progress and we have achieved what I believe councillors want, which is a zero rate. We have all agreed on that now. From my hearing of it, the councillors were not necessarily dictating whether it was by way of regulation or legislation. I am happy to engage with the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: Okay.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: It is 20 years since planning fees were changed. We are all agreeing on this change now.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Damien English: That is unfair. We have not been saying that for weeks. We established this last week. We discussed this. The Senator made a very good case, as did Senator Humphreys and others. We agreed then that it needed more clarification in this House and that we would go to a zero rate. I discussed that with the Senator. Let us be fair about this.