Results 2,001-2,020 of 4,718 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Services (26 Sep 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: -----in the south-east region for over the next 25 years. Feedback is sought through the public consultation on the draft rural water programme, RWP for the south east. I reiterate that it is critically important, as the Ceann Comhairle said, that the channel of communication between Uisce Éireann and its customers - in this case, the business community in Clonmel town centre - is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Services (26 Sep 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist tábhachtach seo. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue so that I can answer on behalf of our Department and for outlining the very real concerns he has put forward on behalf of the businesses in Clonmel. It is a town I am very familiar with as a former student of Tipperary Institute on the campus in the town. It is a town that is...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Motions (13 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I will first outline a little of the background to the Bill as it has had an extended journey to get to this point. I am sure Senator Kyne is familiar with it. I thank him for his work when he was the Minister of State responsible for this. The purpose of the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 is to give legal effect to the proposed reconfiguration of the raised bog natural heritage area...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Motions (13 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The Bill amends the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 by the insertion of a new section 18A after section 18 of the Act. Section 18A sets out how the 2014 review is to be completed and the requirements for future reviews of blanket bog NHAs. Seanad amendments Nos. 3 and 4 from the previous Seanad proposed changes to the criteria to be utilised in selecting more suitable bog habitats to be...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Motions (13 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Senators for their contributions. I thank Senator Higgins for her work on this Bill. The amendments she put forward in the last Seanad have certainly helped to improve this legislation. I again acknowledge this point. She is probably watching these proceedings and I wish her all the best. She is on maternity leave and I congratulate her. Regarding these proposed amendments,...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Motions (13 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Amendment No. 13 is an Opposition amendment from the previous Seanad. The Bill, as passed by the previous Seanad, contained a new section as a result of amendment No. 13. This new section provided that the Minister would, within 12 months of the passing of the Bill, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas containing guidelines and recommendation thresholds for the exercise of...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Motions (13 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I appreciate the concerns raised by Senators. I give assurance that this section will be commenced, along with other sections of the Bill, as soon as possible this year. The volume of turf will be determined in the report. We are trying to achieve an average amount that a household would use. Notwithstanding turf use, a retrofitting programme is under way throughout the country....

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Motions (13 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: This amendment, as proposed by the Seanad, provided that before an order can be made to de-designate a natural heritage area, a report shall be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on current condition, restoration potential, rewetting potential, the special scientific interest of the sites and other such factors as the Minister may deem necessary of all blanket bog natural heritage...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Motions (13 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The first amendment put forward by the Senators seeks to delete the words "as the Minister considers necessary" from the following passage: The review conducted under paragraph (a) shall include designated blanket bog natural heritage areas and other blanket bog natural heritage areas as the Minister considers necessary. The reason for the words "as the Minister considers necessary" is to...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Motions (13 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Amendments Nos. 15c1 and 15c2 are minor redrafts to better reflect the intention behind an Opposition amendment accepted and passed in the Seanad. Under the draft Bill one of the factors to assess whether to de-designate an NHA is environmental criteria. "Environmental criteria" is defined in the Bill as meaning the conservation value of a bog, taking into account the area, range, habitat,...

Seanad: Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016: Motions (13 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I again thank all Senators for a constructive debate. This legislation has taken a long journey. I again thank Senator Kyne, who was in my seat during the previous consideration of the Bill. I thank Senators for the constructive amendments that were put forward in the Seanad. That highlights the importance of robust debate on these matters and has strengthened the Bill. I am particularly...

Housing and Homelessness: Motion [Private Members] (11 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I will go through some of the issues the Deputies raised. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan raised the different application of the tenant in situscheme across local authorities. Deputy Boyd Barrett also raised the matter. I will look into that. This is the responsibility of local authorities. The Government designed the scheme but it is up to local authorities to implement it . The Deputy gave a...

Progress on the National Parks and Wildlife Service: Statements (6 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: There is a significant amount to which I need to reply. If I do not reply on all the queries, I will try to respond to the Deputies at a later point. I have an announcement that highlights the challenge we face. I am aware of an outbreak of avian influenza at Our Lady's Island tern colony in Wexford. The NPWS and Birdwatch Ireland are working to ensure the effect on this...

Progress on the National Parks and Wildlife Service: Statements (6 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Why not?

Progress on the National Parks and Wildlife Service: Statements (6 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I am pleased to have the opportunity to update the House on the progress of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS. The biodiversity emergency is among our greatest challenges, if not the greatest. Over the past 100 years, generations of Irish people have seen a gradual dimming of the variety of life, a greying out of the diversity of species and habitats and a silencing of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (6 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The Government recently established the Land Development Agency, LDA, for the purpose of developing affordable and social housing on State lands. The LDA also works to procure housing units more broadly for cost rental and affordable purchase. The Housing Agency separately provides a range of housing functions and services, including assisting local authorities to deliver their housing...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (6 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: There is nothing wrong with private housing construction. We have not just been funding the development of social housing. We fund the approved housing bodies to construct housing. There is a significant uptake in first-time mortgages, which is to be welcomed. It brings first-time buyers into the market, which is absolutely to be welcomed because those are housing solutions for those...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (6 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I disagree with the Deputy-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Housing Policy (6 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I disagree first of all about the necessity to set up a State construction company. We are delivering under Housing for All. For the first time in a generation, we are delivering affordable housing and cost rental, as well as funding the AHBs to deliver too. We are delivering right across all housing tenures. That is critically important and we will continue to do that. The problems with...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I think it is probably for September.