Results 921-940 of 4,726 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (2 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senator Dooley. Similar to the situation right across other counties, it is a hugely traumatic time for these families and I acknowledge that. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has been deeply committed to resolving this since taking up office. He has acted with a great sense of purpose in establishing the working group. That working...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (2 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I will give that assurance again. The Senator is absolutely correct in saying there is a deep commitment by the Department at ministerial level and at official level to resolve this. The Donegal and Mayo scheme was to set a template for other counties. The fact that we now have an enhanced scheme gives the opportunity for Clare County Council to work with the Department to ensure that...

Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Bill 2021: First Stage (2 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: No.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Council (2 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The Collaborative Town Centre Health Check is an initiative of the Heritage Council which is funded by my Department. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (2 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45, 46 and 47 together. My Department, working with the Office of Public Works (OPW), and in partnership with the Local Authority, made a bid earlier this year for the purchase of a folio of land at Carns that included a passage tomb dating to the Neolithic period. The monument is protected under the National Monuments Acts as a Recorded Monument but it is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (2 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 51, 52, 54 and 55 together. With respect to population estimates, my Department undertook an extensive breeding gull survey of a wide sample of urban habitats across the State in 2021. This National Urban Gull Survey is part of a wider seabird surveying collaboration with UK authorities known as Seabirds Count. The analysis of the Irish and UK data is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (2 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: Departmental staff recently met with the European Commission to discuss progress on the Birds Case (C 418/04) Programme of Measures. Another meeting will be held in January 2022 with a view to identifying further progress on the Case. With respect to the 2017 update, it was to indicate that the referenced planning authorities have responsibility for urban areas (in relation to town or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (2 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I refer to the reply to Questions No. 468 of 19 October 2021 and No. 393 of the 2nd of November. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) paper referred to is currently at an advanced drafting stage following the extensive research, consultation and orientation work. It is hoped that the final paper, which is being prepared Prof Jane Stout of Trinity College Dublin, will be...

Planning and Development (LRD Fees) Regulations 2021: Motion (7 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (LRD Fees) Regulations 2021, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 24th November, 2021.

Dublin Fire Brigade: Motion [Private Members] (7 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank all Deputies who contributed to this important motion. I am certainly conscious, as we all are this evening, particularly in light of the storm, of the incredible resource of our emergency services and fire services across the country. We thank them all for the work they are putting in. There has been extraordinary work across the country to keep people safe, to get services up and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Services (7 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senator Garvey for bringing these questions to the House. It is one Commencement matter but I will try to address a number of points raised by the Senator. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has responsibility for the overall policy relating to water services and Irish Water but the Water Advisory Board is independently tasked under the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Services (7 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: We do indeed. That is why the Government has committed a record capital funding in budget 2022 to support Irish Water's capital investment programme. There is significant investment. It will take time for projects once they are brought forward to go through tendering and so on. Once local authorities are working with Irish Water and show ambition around delivering those projects, it is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (7 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: In March 2021, €121,285,388 was allocated to Dublin City Council in respect of the North Inner City Concept Area 1 under Call 2 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund. The North Inner City project involves the regeneration and redevelopment of several areas of the north city that have experienced a degree of decline and dereliction over a number of years resulting in poor...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (7 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to ensure that each Local Authority has a sufficient number of Biodiversity Officers and Heritage Officers among their staff complement. There are currently five Biodiversity Officers employed in local authorities, mainly in the Dublin area. The role of a Biodiversity Officer is prescribed at local level by the employing Local Authority....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (7 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The IUCN is a membership based organisation. It is an important actor for biodiversity and provides a forum for discussion and information sharing on how to tackle biodiversity loss. Ireland supports the IUCN as a Government Agency member. The IUCN Congress in September 2021 passed a motion that at least 30% of land and sea should be designated as protected areas to reverse biodiversity...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (7 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The Community Monuments Fund is a grant scheme administered by the National Monuments Service of my Department. The National Monuments Service are responsible for the protection of our archaeological heritage and so the Community Monuments Fund is targeted specifically at our archaeological heritage. The eligibility criteria for the Community Monuments Fund are clearly laid out in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (7 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The Expert Advisory Group were appointed solely to assess the potential Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and other UNESCO requirements in respect of the six valid applications received in respect of the current review of Ireland's Tentative List of World Heritage Properties. In line with UNESCO guidance to review the Tentative List at least once every ten years, my Department initiated...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Schemes (8 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I tried to do some background research into this matter earlier because I was not terribly familiar with the scheme. I know the Deputy raised this issue a number of weeks ago. I thank him for raising it again this morning. I will outline the Department's response. The programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of building defects...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Schemes (8 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I assure the House of the Government’s commitment in respect of this important policy area of building defects, which is reflected in the programme for Government and in Housing For All. The Government is committed to dealing with the issue of defects in housing. In this regard, we will continue to drive regulation in the construction sector and more sustainable methods of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cúrsaí Oidhreachta (8 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: Ba iad na hoibreacha a bhfuil an teachta ag tagairt dóibh ná fál fianna atá ann cheana a athsholáthar i bPáirc Náisiúnta Chonamara. Rinne conraitheoir na hoibreacha don NPWS. Rinne ball den phobal gearán leis na Gardaí maidir leis na hoibreacha – ag líomhain go raibh siad ag déanamh damáiste do shéadchomhartha in...