Results 2,901-2,920 of 4,718 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (11 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The below table shows the number of applications received by the National Parks and Wildlife Service for a domestic dwelling derogation licence to exclude bats from premises in each year from 2012 to 2022 inclusive along with the number of licences issued on foot of same. Year Applications Licences issued 2012 51 51 ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (11 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I am acutely aware of the problems faced by owners of thatched properties. The report that you refer to has been superseded by 'A Living tradition: a strategy to enhance understanding, minding and handing-on of our built vernacular heritage', which I launched last December. Action 6 of this strategy deals specifically with thatch. Under this action, my Department is working to resolve the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (11 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I, along with my colleague, Minister McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine recently signed the Wildlife Act 1976 (Protection of Wild Animals) Regulations 2022. The effect of these Regulations is to confer ‘protected wild animal’ status on the basking shark under section 23 of the Wildlife Act, 1976. This statutory instrument came into effect on Monday 3rd...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Special Areas of Conservation (11 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The River Boyne and River Blackwater SAC (site code 002299) is selected for the protection of fens, wet woodland, river lamprey, salmon and otter. My Department currently has no plans to prepare a management plan for this site. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has published site-specific conservation objectives for the SAC and a number of conservation measures apply. This...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (11 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Electoral Reform Act 2022 (the 2022 Act) was enacted on 25 July 2022 and section 1(5) provides that the provisions of the Act are subject to commencement orders being made. The qualifying criteria for the registration of political parties are currently set out in section 25 of the Electoral Act 1992. Section 4(1)(h) of the 2022 Act repeals section 25 of the Electoral Act 1992 and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Tax Code (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Under section 20 of the Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012, as amended, a local authority may, as a reserved function, resolve to vary the basic rate of the Local Property Tax within its functional area by a maximum of +/- 15%. The Local Property Tax (Local Adjustment Factor) Regulations 2022 provide the updated requirements for local authorities who may wish to vary their local property...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Deputies for their contributions and Deputy Cian O'Callaghan for the proposed amendment. I agree with the comments made. I have seen in other countries where privatisation has been brought in, either through IMF interventions or structural adjustment programmes, that it has been detrimental. That is not on the cards here. I give that assurance. There is also a commitment to a...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I cannot give a timeline. The intention is to have the wording ready for the end of this year or early 2023. That would put the commission in place and it would then get moving on a timeline for a referendum and referendum campaign. Uisce Éireann will remain in public ownership so a referendum aside, the programme for Government includes a commitment that Irish Water will be...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: That is the intention. It is always tricky running two referendums on the same day. I will not say they are similar issues but I know there will be considerable public engagement on both. I cannot anticipate what the wording will be on the housing referendum specifically but it is important, as Deputy O'Callaghan said, that we try to move as quickly as possible with this.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Those are operational issues for Irish Water. The assurances have been given in the transformation process. It is not obligatory. Staff can move into Irish Water and stay in local authorities.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: No, that will not-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Both this and the issue of the transformation process are outside the scope of the Bill.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I accept that. However, there is a commitment to proceed with a referendum and I am giving that commitment today on behalf of the Government.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: There has been agreement by the Minister to bring forward a proposition. Again, as I said, the wording is being worked on in regard to the housing referendum and, similarly, in parallel with that, wording will be worked on in terms of what shape the referendum on water will take. In that regard, I am not anticipating how or when that is brought to Government. My assurance here today to the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: That is how it works in government. I give the assurance that the wording is currently being worked on in regard to a housing referendum, as was committed to. We would anticipate that both referenda would take place on the same day. That is our intention.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Section 16 provides that Uisce Éireann, also to be known as Irish Water, will be accountable to the Committee of Public Accounts. The heightened levels of accountability and transparency applying to Uisce Éireann are commensurate with the level of Exchequer funding of the company. This policy change has a consequential impact on another statutory body tasked with an oversight role...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I am just flagging the matter. I am not proposing an amendment.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I wanted to flag the matter with members. It is only correct that the committee would have sight of the view of the Water Advisory Board. We are trying to ensure there is a clear line of accountability through the Committee of Public Accounts. I think that is the correct approach. Obviously, there is also oversight through the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and...