Results 1,981-2,000 of 6,937 for speaker:Cian O'Callaghan

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I will put the question in a slightly different way. The CSO has this definition of BUAs and this is being recognised in the Bill. Is that being done for reasons of convenience? Is it being done to ensure consistency with how the CSO is doing this?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: What is the planning rationale behind BUAs? Is it simply that this is what the CSO does and the Bill and future planning legislation have to be aligned with that? In coming up with this definition, did the CSO have a planning rationale? In relation to amendment No. 124 and the distance of 100 m between dwellings referred to in section 15, is there a planning rationale behind the latter or...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I am not saying they should be; I am just wondering what is the thinking or that rationale behind this.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: In other words, a settlement where only 49 of 100 dwellings are occupied would have a different planning status from a settlement where 55 out of 60 dwellings are occupied. In terms of good, sustainable planning, I do not know why more could be done in the context of a settlement of 60 dwellings than would be the case with a settlement of 100 dwellings where the occupancy rate is lower.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I want to ask about the rationale for the review not to be with every census. A key part of what the national planning framework is trying to do is to put in place the framework for meeting the needs of our current population and, indeed, future population. The census, by its very nature, is the best indicator and huge public resources go into it at great expense, together everything else....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: By not tying it in with each census specifically, however, it almost assumes the census data is likely to be quite stable and that there are not going to be unpredictable changes, given it will be tied in with only every second census. That seems to be quite a wild assumption to make.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I will not labour this but I might make the point one more time. There is a compelling case, in respect of the data that comes in from each census regarding the population, demographic trends and so on, that each national planning framework would be reviewed each time data from the census becomes available. What is the reason for not doing that as a matter of routine in the legislation? I...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: On the reference to the initial data rather than to the final results, was there a reason for opting for the final results?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I am proposing this in order that there will be a more comprehensive approach to this to ensure proper consideration of compliance with the maritime spatial planning directive. The draft national marine planning framework had a matrix showing the interactions of about 75 policies and objectives, which clearly showed the complexity in this area. In terms of compliance, having this explicitly...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: My concern is not just about this specific part and this amendment but about things not being explicit in the Bill more generally. It is a 700-page Bill and when people look at it, they will not always look at the supporting legislation, even though they should. If we want to make sure of legal compliance with maritime spatial planning and plans then that needs to be explicit and our...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: The important phrase is "legally compliant" though.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: There are two things this amendment is trying to achieve. First, it is to be more specific in the language. It asks not just to refer to landscape, but landscape features, including hedgerows. The word “landscape” alone will not necessarily cover that in the same detail. It also proposes to add “water resources”, which are a key part of the environment and its...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: The Minister read out the wording of our amendment, which was “archaeological, historic, architectural natural heritage”. He stated that it covers it very well, and I agree. That is our amendment and our wording that the Minister read out and said it covers it very well.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I was welcoming that the Minister was agreeing that our wording was very good.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: They have huge significance for wildlife and habitats. We see the devastation caused in other countries when they removed some of their landscape features, including hedgerows. That has had hugely devastating environmental consequences, as well as economic consequences for people working on the land. The significance of hedgerows in our landscape cannot be overstated. It is highly...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I would like to comment briefly on amendments Nos. 150 and 154.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Deputy Duffy's amendment No. 149 certainly is a good amendment as well. The addition of the two words "and restoration" in our amendment No. 150 is highly significant. Yes, conservation is important but it is of critical importance as well that we restore what we have lost. Including those two words would significantly strengthen the section. In general and not just in this Bill, our...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I welcome that the Minister will look at water resources and potentially list that on Report Stage. That would be useful. On amendment No. 154, again, the Minister has indicated that he is going to be looking at this. He said these issues can be achieved through guidance and made reference to the guidance that has been issued. To complement the guidance that has been issued, however, it...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I am sorry; the Minister of State was a bit too fast. He is withdrawing No. 123 and which other amendments?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: In planning terms, that could mean that a settlement with 60 dwellings where only 49 are occupied would have a different status from a settlement with-----