Results 2,121-2,140 of 7,983 for speaker:Peter Burke

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Energy Infrastructure (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: I again thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. To be clear, between 2013 and 2021, a retrofit was completed in respect of 75,000 local authority homes. Moreover, there is a scheme in place specifically to deal with local authority housing and to give them a deep retrofit, and that scheme was revised last year. It will aim to bring 100,000 houses up to a BER of B2 or a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: In the first instance, I send the apologies of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. Like Deputy Lahart, I have experienced some of those same issues, unfortunately, in my own constituency. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It provides an opportunity for the Department to outline the current position regarding provision for children with special educational needs, including...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: I absolutely empathise and understand the stress a grandmother would be under trying to secure a school place. It is not something that should be happening in society. As the Deputy alluded to, there is significant funding behind the provision of education in the State. I think the Deputy may have put his finger on the pulse in terms of the two postcodes he referenced, however. I will...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Stanton for his very well-put argument. From the briefing documentation here I am aware that the Department is at one with the Deputy's concern about capacity of the area. The Department will work closely to resolve it. A number of projects are in the offing, as we have spoken about previously. From the documentation here I know that the letter of acceptance for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Stanton for raising this important issue on behalf of his constituents. I apologise for the absence of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, who is unavailable this evening. As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, the Department of Education divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system to anticipate school...

Rising Rental Costs: Motion [Private Members] (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputies for contributing to this debate and the discussion of the rental sector. I look forward to the real changes that Housing for All will make for landlords and tenants alike. However, the motion generally addresses the RTB-ESRI rent index as published last week and calls for a number of actions from Government which have been debated numerous times in both Houses. The...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Service (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank Senator Carrigy for raising this very important matter. I join him in acknowledging the great work our firefighters do. He has articulated how they are first responders and keep our communities safe. They do exceptional work. Last year I asked departmental officials to liaise with Longford County Council on this matter. The provision of a fire service in its functional area,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Service (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: Along with the Senator, we will work hard to ensure the fire station is present on the capital plan because Ballymahon is a growing town. The Senator has cited its growing population and services such as the nursing home as well as the other businesses that have opened recently. We look forward to working to ensure the project is kept under review. I wish to be associated with and agree...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: 91. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the situation in relation to the €200 energy grant for a person (details supplied) in rented accommodation who prepays their electricity in an apartment complex; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22065/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 181, 182 and 183 together. Details of the sections of the Local Government Act 2001 and the Local Government Reform Act 2014 which have yet to be commenced are set out in the following table.  Title of Act Sections not yet commenced Local Government Act 2001 Section 22   Sections...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: Development contribution charges to be applied on developers are set at the planning permission stage but are not collectable by the relevant local authority until after the development work commences. Commencement notices are issued by the developer to the local authority and these generally trigger the raising of the charge. The normal practice is for the developer to issue a commencement...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Issues (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 207 together. Details of foreshore licence applications for site investigation activities that have commenced the statutory assessment process following validation by my Department and details of applications determined during the period referred to in the Question are available to view on my Department's website at...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (4 May 2022)

Peter Burke: 395. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the average processing time for family re-unification visas for those who are holders of critical work permits working here; her views on whether this is a disincentive for those seeking to work here in critical employment categories; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22075/22]

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla – Topical Issue Debate: Traveller Accommodation (28 Apr 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Ellis for raising this very important matter. The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that local authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the accommodation needs of Travellers and the preparation, adoption and implementation of multi-annual Traveller accommodation programmes in their areas in order to meet the identified accommodation...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla – Topical Issue Debate: Traveller Accommodation (28 Apr 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank Deputy Ellis for his comments. I was very clear in my answer in that the responsibility for Traveller accommodation lies solely with the local authority. That is why, when the Deputy raised this issue today, I immediately got on to the local authority. It is now aware that this great concern has been raised in this Parliament and I will follow up with it. I want to be very clear...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: State Examinations (28 Apr 2022)

Peter Burke: I want to apologise on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, who unfortunately cannot be here today. I thank Senator Conway for raising this very important matter. At the outset, I want to acknowledge the strong contribution he made at the weekend in promoting diversity in public life. It is important that our council chambers, Seanad and Dáil reflect the society they...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: State Examinations (28 Apr 2022)

Peter Burke: I again thank the Senator. It is a very important issue. The Senator has outlined the media discourse in the last week with regard to the effect it had on a student in terms of their interaction with the SEC and the oral Irish paper. When there are issues like that, they need to be responded to. I will bring them to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, specifically the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (28 Apr 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue on behalf of his community and Summercove national school in Kinsale. I first want to offer the apologies of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. The project for Summercove national school, Kinsale, is included in the Department's construction programme, which is being delivered under the national development plan. The brief for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (28 Apr 2022)

Peter Burke: Obviously, this is not my area of responsibility, but I will raise this matter with the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, and her Department. What the Senator is saying is key. We are experiencing very unusual increases and inflation. One can see in competition across public procurement projects that this will become very difficult. We therefore have to be able to deliver these...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Authorities (28 Apr 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank Senator Byrne for raising these important matters on the implementation of the Moorhead report and the issues of the devolving local powers down to local government. On 1 July 2021, new regulations came into effect to reform the framework of financial supports for councillors to allow them to continue to carry out their statutory functions and community representational role in an...