Results 2,301-2,320 of 4,718 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: With regard to the issue of the ombudsman and amendment No. 69, the existing Office of the Ombudsman examines complaints from members of the public who believe they are being treated unfairly by a public body or if they are unhappy with a service that is being provided by a public body. I see no reason to duplicate this existing role, especially given a complete lack of evidence suggesting...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: We know that through the climate change sectoral adaptation plan and the very good working group we have in place to oversee all of these elements within it. Again, the Heritage Council has a statutory role as well in terms of making recommendations on heritage matters, which is important. We do not see the need to duplicate this. With regard to the Ombudsman, there are very few, and I...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 5: In page 17, line 19, after “238” to insert “ and Chapters 2and 5of Part 13”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 6: In page 19, line 4, after “means” to insert “, other than in Chapter 7 of Part 13,”. This is a technical amendment relating to the definition of the Act of 2021 for the purposes of the amendments proposed to the Maritime Area Planning Act in chapter 7 of Part 13. The introduction of a definition for “amenity value” in...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I might first respond to Deputy Ó Broin on cultural heritage. There was extensive debate in the Seanad about this because we had other elements and definitions of linguistic and artistic heritage. It was really from those discussions in the Seanad to give a broader definition and recognition to cultural heritage and to recognise the fact that many of our monuments, objects, and...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I do not have staffing numbers to hand. There is a chief archaeological officer within the Heritage Council. We are endeavouring to introduce additional positions to ensure that, commensurate with the workload that will be there in terms of advice, that their role will be recognised through that to ensure they have adequate resources. To be fair, over the past three budgetary cycles, we...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I do not have the figures to hand. We have seen a marked change in our general relationship with our built and archaeological heritage. Certainly, a lot of it is underpinned in Government policy through Heritage Ireland 2030. It is underpinned through the work of the National Monuments Service. That has been reflected and I have seen it over the last couple of years, particularly as we...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: In relation to amendment No. 15, I see no good reason to delete the definition of "Church Temporalities Commission", which has been drafted by Parliamentary Counsel. Reference to that commission and its report must be made in the Bill, given that Chapter 13 of Part 2 addresses the legal standing of certain historic burial grounds, which were once in the ownership of that commission. The...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: To give clarity in relation to amendment No. 191, the same legal protection would apply. They would both be registered monuments. I assure the Deputy that the same protection will apply. I accept the Deputy's point in relation to amendment No. 229 and the potential in that regard. A licence is required for that, however, so the safeguard is in place in terms of the destruction of an...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: It will be based on what I outlined, where there is a risk or danger from the material, such as in the examples I gave of undetonated munitions or toxic materials.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: There will be criteria for that licence to be granted in the licensing process.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I think it will be under section 151, as far as I understand.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Yes. The museum can request the necessary information.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I do not think there is a specific reference to the examples I gave but, again, through the licensing system of the National Museum, they are taken on a case-by-case basis. There is an item relating to the public interest, including “the cultural, scientific, social or economic value of licensable activity in respect of which the licence is sought”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: That could be considered in a guidance document. I think it is a useful suggestion and it could be considered in that regard.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 7: In page 19, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: “ “amenity value”, in relation to a monument or thing, includes the setting of the monument or thing;”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I will respond to all of the amendments in sequence. On amendment No. 8, while I acknowledge the importance of integrating the Valletta Convention into the Bill, in this instance the use of the term "archaeological heritage" as defined there gives rise to several problems. First, it is important to note that the term "archaeological heritage", as currently defined in the Bill, covers an...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I do. Regarding these amendments, these are another set of consequential amendments in relation to the addition of "cultural interest" into the term "relevant interest".

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: To respond first to Deputy O'Callaghan in regard to the issue of archaeological reserves and archaeological landscapes, the register can include ritual or ceremonial sites, sites where an historical event took place or sites with connections to legends or myths. Some of those surrounding areas could be quite large. They could be quite large sites in their own right. We are of the view that...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, as I said, they would be within the register. It would include ritual or ceremonial sites. That is where that broad area is that can be under protection as well.