Results 1,061-1,080 of 4,778 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (19 Jan 2022)

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.   The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (19 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I refer to the reply to Parliamentary Question 59 of the 2nd of December 2021. The Review of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is ongoing. The first phase is almost closed, following the extensive research, consultation, orientation and feedback work. This  punctuates that part of the Review process and creates the conjunction to the next phases. Meanwhile, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (19 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: While the National Parks and Wildlife service (NPWS) of my Department has and continues to work to address wildlife crime, additional resources and personnel are being made available across the NPWS to support this work. Additional rangers, who are at the forefront of this work, are now operating in locations across the country. A dedicated unit has been established...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (19 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service has commissioned a project to survey and assess a suite of woodland sites, including Toon Wood, with a view to informing decisions on whether or not NHA designation would be appropriate for these sites.  This work is underway and once the results of the project have been carefully considered a decision can be made on the designation of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (19 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: There are 632 proposed natural heritage areas in Ireland, including the area to which the Deputy refers. Although proposed natural heritage area sites are not subject to the protection provisions of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, they are taken into account in local and national land-use policy, agri-environmental farm planning schemes, and environmental assessments and they may...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks (20 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department has already responded to the initial correspondence from the individual referenced in the details supplied. A further response to follow-up correspondence from this individual will issue in due course. To clarify, the activity at Mweelin townland was related to National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) works for the replacement/maintenance of an existing fence. A...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Archaeological Sites (20 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together. 878 archaeological licenses were issued by my Department under Section 26 of the National Monuments Acts 1930 during 2021. Digging or excavating for archaeological purposes can only be done under a license issued by me as Minister under section 26 of the National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended). Applications for such licenses must...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (20 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: An application to carry out an Activity Requiring Consent (ARC) must first be assessed.  The application for the works at the site is currently with the Ecological Assessment Unit of my Department for Appropriate Assessment (AA) Screening.   I am mindful of the need to focus on the core responsibilities of managing state lands in accordance with conservation objectives,...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The recently published Housing for All strategy is the Government's plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 units per year over the next decade, including an average of 10,000 social homes per annum from 2022 to 2030. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4 billion per annum through an overall combination of €12 billion in direct...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The increased activity in the construction sector has been significant, with the latest commencement notice data showing a total of 30,724 residential dwellings commenced in 2021, which was a 42% increase on 2020. The 2021 total was almost equal to the combined total of 2016 and 2017. The Deputy is correct, in that there will be increased demand. With a full opening up of the economy...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: In specific response to that, the housing delivery plan is working in tandem with local authorities to ensure that the targets set for local authorities will be met county by county. I will give the specific example of my county, Kilkenny. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and I have visited a number of projects that have opened there in recent months. The local authority there is...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Housing for All commits to delivering 36,000 affordable purchase and 18,000 cost-rental homes by 2030. The Affordable Housing Act 2021 established two separate affordable purchase schemes and a new form of tenure in cost-rental, which saw the first 65 homes tenanted in 2021. The target delivery for affordable homes in 2022 is 4,100. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, recently approved a further...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I will make a general point, rather than one on specific road projects. Critically, one thing that Housing for All is clear on is that housing delivery has to be connected to lots of infrastructure, including public transport and sustainable modes of transport. On the issue the Deputy raised, namely, that housing may not be delivered because a specific road project may not proceed, the...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Housing Provision (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: To answer the specific question asked by Deputy Stanton, he is correct in stating that the issue around rail links and public transport is critically important. This is something that we are clearly committed to under Housing for All. I am not privy to the decision of TII in respect of that specific road project. However, looking at the sustainable delivery of housing units and building...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Derelict Sites (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Deputy Griffin has raised this on numerous occasions, particularly with regard to County Kerry. Housing for All published in September 2021 provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations with economic, social and environmental...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Derelict Sites (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta arís. Deputy Griffin is making an important point and his suggestion is worthy of consideration. As I said, a suite of measures is already in place and we are pursuing them. The Croí Cónaithe initiative will deliver. It is an important measure to support local authorities in providing serviced sites for housing, to attract people to...

Ceisteanna Eile – Other Questions: Derelict Sites (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputies asked quite a number of questions. On the last point made by Deputy Bruton, between 2017 and 2021, the repair and leasing scheme brought 273 units into use. On the point made by Deputy Phelan and other Deputies on one-off houses, the Department launched a vernacular strategy a number of weeks ago. These houses are important from a rural perspective and the pattern of rural...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Emergency Services (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputy has certainly put forward a very strong case for this type of co-operation. It is important, particularly as we have come through the Covid-19 crisis, which has highlighted significant challenges in rural areas. I am very familiar with that part of the country. To begin, I should clarify that the provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Emergency Services (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I absolutely will. It is very important that we do. Another important point is related to Covid-19. The pandemic has presented challenges to the fire services in the delivery of services. Our Department has monitored regular reports from the fire services on the impact of the pandemic on staffing levels and business continuity. In recent weeks, in line with trends among the general...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Culls (25 Jan 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Like the Deputy, I wholeheartedly support the sustainable management of the deer population in this country. It is critically important and we have made significant strides in that regard in recent years with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, in terms of resources and approving the licensing regime for the hunting of deer. I assume the Deputy's Topical Issue was prompted by...