Results 2,961-2,980 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites Data (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: The Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 introduced the vacant site levy, which is a measure aimed at incentivising the development of vacant, under-utilised sites in urban areas.  Under the Act, planning authorities are required to establish a register of vacant sites in their areas, beginning on 1 January 2017.  While all 31 local authorities have established vacant site...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Housing (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: The Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) is provided by Dublin City Council as the lead statutory local authority in the response to homelessness in Dublin. The DRHE is responsible for the planning, co-ordination and administration of funding in relation to the provision of quality services to people who are homeless in the Dublin area, and for the development of responses to prevent...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: The Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks was established by my Department in 2016, to investigate problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Counties Donegal and Mayo. The Panel had the following terms of reference: (i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the Counties...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Stations Upgrade (27 Sep 2018)

Damien English: The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a...

Local Government (Restoration of Town Councils) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Sep 2018)

Damien English: We have to engage with everybody, but I am conscious there was duplication there as well.

Local Government (Restoration of Town Councils) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Sep 2018)

Damien English: We went through a certain process in dealing with this matter. There are different views out there, and unlike Deputy Sherlock, I do not have people knocking on my door to ask where the town council has gone. That does not really happen. Perhaps it happens in some cases, but I am being genuine and telling the truth. I am not saying the Deputy is incorrect, but that there are different...

Local Government (Restoration of Town Councils) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Sep 2018)

Damien English: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following:"Dáil Éireann declines to give the Local Government (Restoration of Town Councils) Bill 2018 a Second Reading in order that the issue of town councils can be considered in the context of the report ‘Municipal Governance – Districts, Towns and Local Electoral Areas’ on potential...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (26 Sep 2018)

Damien English: I thank Senator Michelle Mulherin for raising this matter, which she has raised many times in recent years with me, the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and the Department. She has constantly pushed to have money spent on water and sewerage schemes in County Mayo. This is very important work and I hope last week's announcements and further announcements in the weeks ahead will deliver the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding (26 Sep 2018)

Damien English: I will raise the Senator's point with the expert group and ask that it focus on the terrain issue. Mayo County Council, in its application under the next round of funding, should make set out in detail the reasons the scheme is so important. I am sure it did so in its previous application, but it may need to add to that and provide more evidence. The expert group will make recommendations...

Seanad: Copyright and Other Intellectual Property Law Provisions Bill 2018: Second Stage (26 Sep 2018)

Damien English: On behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy John Halligan, I am pleased to present the Copyright and Other Intellectual Property Law Provisions Bill 2018 to this House for consideration. The Bill completed its passage through the Lower House in July with broad support, following positive and constructive engagement with Deputies. Officials of the Department of Business, Enterprise and...

Seanad: Copyright and Other Intellectual Property Law Provisions Bill 2018: Second Stage (26 Sep 2018)

Damien English: I thank all of the Senators who contributed to the debate. I have listened intensely, as have the officials from the Department. The various issues that have been raised will be considered further by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation as the Bill makes its way through this House. It is intended to have Committee Stage on 3 October, which is next week, subject to the...

Confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2018)

Damien English: That is not true.

Confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2018)

Damien English: That is not true.

Confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2018)

Damien English: The Sinn Féin Deputies are looking for headlines.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Seaweed Harvesting Licences (25 Sep 2018)

Damien English: I took the opportunity in June, at this year's "Our Ocean Wealth" summit, to clarify the position in relation to the legal interaction between applications to my Department for licences to harvest wild seaweed and existing seaweed harvesting rights. The position is that my Department cannot licence seaweed harvesting in an area where there is an existing right to harvest seaweed. I also...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Proposed Legislation (25 Sep 2018)

Damien English: The Fire Services Act 1981 provides for the establishment of fire authorities and the organisation of fire services and for life safety, fire fighting, the protection and rescue of persons and property and related matters. The Act was amended in 2003 by the Licensing of Indoor Events Act 2003, primarily to strengthen the powers of fire authorities to prosecute summary offences and to update...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Student Accommodation (20 Sep 2018)

Damien English: In July 2016, the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness identified the under-supply of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) in Ireland and the significant related adverse impact that this deficit was having on the wider private rental sector. The increased provision of PBSA was established as a key priority in addressing the current wider...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Sep 2018)

Damien English: In line with the direction from the regulator, the charges should be the same and should certainly be in line with what the local authorities were charging previously. We can get that checked out. In August, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities provided an updated note on this matter. The report to align all the charges, which was due around now, has been slightly delayed. It should...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Sep 2018)

Damien English: On the planning site levy, the planning Act passed in July makes allowance for an increase in the levy from 3% to 7% in its second year. Of the 260 sites on the register, the levy will be due for 180 in 2019.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (19 Sep 2018)

Damien English: Starting in January 2019, the levy will be due for payment in respect of 180 of the 260 sites on the register. The second rate then kicks in in 2020 under the legislation passed in July.