Results 2,141-2,160 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: The Deputy will be very happy with the figures. What we agreed there was to provide the figures out to 2021, with a breakdown per year, and what had to be done. Ms Hurley sits down with the local authorities, either in their offices or in ours, on a weekly or monthly basis and teases through their plans, their targets and their pipelines. We look at whatever is left up to 2021, but we also...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: It is a good idea.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: Correct.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: The Vice Chairman is right. The Office of the Planning Regulator has just been set up and is no longer one person. There are 20-odd staff and there will be more. In assembling the team, I would argue that he has taken away too many good people from my Department. In any case, the regulator's job is to implement the national planning framework, to bring an independence to planning, and to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: The Vice Chairman and I were involved in local government and generally local authority officials and members will try to agree processes and bring stuff together. One does not bring in a string of Part 8s that are going to fail, because it does not work for anybody and it is a waste of resources. Generally, a lot of work is done before one gets to Part 8 stage but it seems it is not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: We could gather that. I am sure it is there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: That is exactly the point. Deputy Ó Broin mentioned county managers and officials, but there is also a need to have a genuine and realistic conversation about what can be achieved on each site. There are many more people involved in this conversation. As I said, when a site becomes too complicated or challenging because there is disagreement, the conversation is often parked and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: I will provide that as soon as I have it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: We will provide that. I was on the Spring Lane site and met all those involved.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: I do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: That is correct. Spring Lane is one of those sites that proves my point. It became very challenging and instead of being sorted out, the issue has been allowed to drag on for years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: The Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy Stanton, and I visited the site where we met many of the residents and the groups working there. We also met council officials and asked everybody to come together to try to find a resolution. I believe the project is getting to the final stage and I hope-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: It has moved on a great deal so hopefully we are very close to getting it over the line.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: If Members are interested, we will be having another session in January in the Custom House.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Damien English: The Vice Chairman referred to upkeep and management. I discussed this issue earlier and I reinforce the point that while it is important to have high-quality design and top-class construction in the first place, management and day-to-day maintenance and upkeep are also key to any housing project. Everybody has rights and responsibilities in this regard.

Environmental Impact of Quarries and Incinerators: Motion [Private Members] (4 Dec 2019)

Damien English: The Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Canney, addressed the environmental aspects of the Private Members' motion under discussion. I will speak on the planning and quarrying related aspects of the motion, which fall within my area of responsibility at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. The "RTÉ...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (4 Dec 2019)

Damien English: I thank the Senator for raising the issue of Stepping Stones school, Kilcloon. It is a school with which we are all very familiar. It is providing a great service and great opportunity to many young people and young adults going through the system. It represents all of County Meath and even beyond that. The issue has been raised with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (4 Dec 2019)

Damien English: He has an interest in it and certainly wants to try to make progress on plans, if possible. Stepping Stones is a special school located in accommodation on a site provided by the school authority. The school currently has a principal and five teaching posts. The school caters for students ranging in age from six to 18, or young adults. The current enrolment is 30 pupils, which is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (4 Dec 2019)

Damien English: I again thank the Senator for raising this important issue.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Electoral Register (4 Dec 2019)

Damien English: I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this issue here today. He is right, as anyone who spends time canvassing the doors knows that the register is not always in perfect condition. One can come across people for different reasons, of their own accord, who may not have taken time out to be registered, or might have tried in the past and failed. There are often complications. They may be on...