Results 8,361-8,380 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Autism Support Services (13 Dec 2018)

Damien English: I thank Deputies Connolly and Ó Cuív for raising the issue and on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, I apologise for him not being here. I will certainly bring back the message. He acknowledges the hard work and dedication of the volunteers in the Galway Autism Partnership, who have worked diligently over the years to deliver important and vitally needed...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Autism Support Services (13 Dec 2018)

Damien English: Again, I am stating that this is what the Minister and the Minister of State want to do. Health funding has increased in the past two years. There was a significant increase in this year's budget. Each year, we are in a better position to provide services and, hopefully, to improve them, although I am conscious that there are also increased demands on those services. For a long number of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Urban Development (13 Dec 2018)

Damien English: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He has raised it repeatedly in the House over the past couple of years, and rightly so. It is very important that the Naas town centre development be progressed. Naas town centre is a vital piece of infrastructure serving the region. It is important that we have a very attractive town that functions well and can provide services to the growing...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Urban Development (13 Dec 2018)

Damien English: I fully accept the Deputy’s desire that this long-running matter, which is an unfortunate legacy of our recent economic recession and is impacting on the further development of Naas, should be progressed and completed as soon as is practicably possible so that the ever-expanding town of Naas can achieve its full potential. Under Project Ireland 2040 we have set out high ambition for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Licence Applications (18 Dec 2018)

Damien English: My Department has received a foreshore licence application from Galway City Council to develop coastal protection works in an area west of Salthill from Sallins to Silverstrand. It includes the protection of sand cliffs and the extension of a walkway and cycle path from Salthill out to Silverstrand. The proposed development is within a designated SAC. This matter has not yet undergone a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Planning Framework (18 Dec 2018)

Damien English: The National Planning Framework (NPF), published together with the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of Project Ireland 2040 earlier this year, is intended to provide the strategic context for future planning, development and investment over the next two decades. In addition, the NPF represents a long-term strategy for Government Departments, State agencies, State-owned enterprises,...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: An Bord Pleanála Applications (19 Dec 2018)

Damien English: I thank the Mulherin for raising this important matter and for making clear the anger and frustration locally with various planning decisions. I get the sense of how important it is both to her, as a Senator and a local representative, but also to the people in the area. With regard to the operation of An Bord Pleanála, under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, I am...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: An Bord Pleanála Applications (19 Dec 2018)

Damien English: -----that An Bord Pleanála can make quicker decision and better quality planning decisions, which is most important. Under section 126 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, the board has a statutory objective to determine planning appeals and other relevant cases within 18 weeks. Where the board does not consider it possible or appropriate to reach a decision within 18...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: An Bord Pleanála Applications (19 Dec 2018)

Damien English: With regard to the main matter raised, I cannot deal with one specific case, but the resources are there and some planning applications are very detailed and complicated with regard to environmental legislation. The board has access to the resources it needs to bring in the required personnel to make those decisions and advise it. In our view, the board is now in a position to make a...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pyrite Remediation Programme (15 Jan 2019)

Damien English: The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of last resort for affected homeowners who have no other practical option to obtain redress and it is limited in its application and scope. The full conditions for eligibility under the scheme are set out on the Pyrite Resolution Board's website. The latest figures available indicate that a total of 2,243 applications relating to the pyrite...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pyrite Remediation Programme (15 Jan 2019)

Damien English: We expect 460 homes to be dealt with by means of the 2019 budget. That will probably deal with most of the applications that are on hand or coming through the system. The Deputy asked what we are doing to reform or expand the scheme. This is the largest sum of money we have ever invested in the scheme. We want to deal with all of the applications as quickly as possible. A great deal of...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pyrite Remediation Programme (15 Jan 2019)

Damien English: The Deputy highlights a difficulty. The recommendation and plan was that the scheme should be there to fund homes which had significant damage and required immediate attention. That is happening. There is also the issue of a number of houses which have signs of or which have tested positive for pyrite but where there is no significant damage. We have had this conversation and we have put...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pyrite Remediation Programme (15 Jan 2019)

Damien English: We have brought some legal clarity to that and this will help with some of the cases to which the Deputy referred.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pyrite Remediation Programme (15 Jan 2019)

Damien English: There are no plans for a formal review. I am not sure that such a review would solve the problem.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pyrite Remediation Programme (15 Jan 2019)

Damien English: The issue, as we have discussed here and elsewhere, including at meetings with residents, is the difficulty in justifying that level of expenditure on houses which do not necessarily require it at present. We are conscious, however, that people are left in a situation whereby they may not be able to sell their homes. While we are open to teasing this out, I have asked many Deputies whether...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pyrite Remediation Programme (15 Jan 2019)

Damien English: I cannot give the Deputy the legal advice, but I can circulate the opinion we have provided to the board.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Funding (15 Jan 2019)

Damien English: The Government is committed to this. It was an action in Rebuilding Ireland, whereby we would work with the Central Bank and Department of Finance to make this an option. Work was completed a year ago, in February 2018. The Central Bank made a recommendation about how credit unions could invest their available funding into the social housing sector. That has been provided for and work...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Funding (15 Jan 2019)

Damien English: It is the same response.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Funding (15 Jan 2019)

Damien English: I refer to what I said last year. I do not have the exact words in front of me but I was clear that we are not launching an SPV. We cannot do that and it is not our job. We have helped the sector to develop the SPV. We have given advice to the innovation fund. It is up to that sector. One of the credit union representative bodies has an SPV ready to go. That is what I said last year...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social and Affordable Housing Funding (15 Jan 2019)

Damien English: That does not contradict what I said.