Results 821-840 of 962 for speaker:Francis Noel Duffy

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (20 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: 503. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that, to date, three crèches have withdrawn from core funding due to the funding not covering operational costs in an area (details supplied), resulting in fees increasing by up to 28%; if he will increase the core funding or provide top-ups for crèche operators experiencing...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (20 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: 504. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many crèches have withdrawn from the core funding scheme nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7921/24]

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: We are dealing with amendment No.64 in section 10. Amendments Nos. 65 and 66 are physical alternatives to amendments Nos. 64; amendments Nos. 74 and 75 are physical alternatives to No. 73; amendment No. 83 is a physical alternative to 82; amendment No.100 is a physical alternative to No. 89; Nos.102 and 103 are physical alternatives to 101; and amendments Nos. 64 to 83, inclusive, Nos. 88,...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: Based on what the Minister of State just said, is it very promising that this will be included?

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (27 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: 111. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of the disparity and inconsistency in national standards with regards to the pass rates in a driving test centre (details supplied); if this can be reviewed by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8939/24]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (27 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: 112. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware there is still a significant backlog in the scheduling of driving test appointments in a driving test centre (details supplied); the steps his Department is taking to clear the backlog; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8940/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: 231. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the impact the decision to eliminate the category of complex educational needs from consideration when allocating special education teacher hours on children with Down syndrome in mainstream schools; if this decision will be reviewed to ensure children with Down syndrome can receive the required supports in mainstream...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (27 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: 275. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for the updated acquisition cost guidelines (ACG) for the cost rental tenant in situ scheme. [8851/24]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (27 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: 395. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine why there is a delay in the Forest Service granting afforestation licences, which are required to meet our national afforestation targets in 2024 and beyond; what actions are being taken to ensure that the Forest Service has the resources to meets its targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9135/24]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Youth Work Supports (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: 86. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the new youth employability funding scheme will be announced; how much has been set aside; the application criteria; when he expects to announce recipients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9194/24]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: 134. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he intends to include additional institutions in the schedule of the Birth Information and Tracing Act, 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9195/24]

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: I move amendment No. 131: In page 60, line 30, after “supporting” to insert the following: “Ireland’s climate targets as per the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 and”. This is to include a reference to the climate Act. There are a number of amendments, and that is probably why they are grouped. I think there...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: The Minister of State has covered the ten amendments in this group that I tabled. I will go through them as it is my turn to have a go. With regard to amendment No. 131, section 19(2)(f) makes reference to the pursuit and achievement of the national climate objective. I do not see why the Bill cannot be strengthened by including a reference to climate Acts. An Act is referenced in section...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: As the Minister of State has pointed out, it is in the definitions but the older Act does not refer to it. The Minister of State might educate me.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: That is fair enough.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: Amendment No. 366 concerns carbon emissions and the housing development strategy.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: Deputy Ó Broin has probably said it all. I believe this is an obligation on the local authority to put together a housing development strategy. One part of the strategy is about compact urban development sites. We have a lot of towns and a number of cities. In itself, building in compact urban sites is sustainable - brownfield sites - and it is about making that work. If the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: Amendments Nos. 612 to 614, inclusive, are essentially the same. Amendment No. 614 puts the other two amendments together. I will speak to amendment No. 613. Infrastructure could be put in as a condition. As was said, the expertise needs to be in the planning department so it can understand things, and this is about infrastructure. If there is too much infrastructure going in, that is a...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: It is the one on the compact sites. Deputy O'Broin moved on to this one but I just want to go back to it and the fact that it is-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Francis Noel Duffy: It is amendment No. 366.