Results 3,001-3,020 of 4,810 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

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...

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

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 2: In page 20, to delete lines 10 to 14 and substitute the following: " 2. No. 39 of 1997 Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 Schedule 13 is amended by the insertion of the following paragraph: “210. Uisce Éireann.” " The amendment corrects the placement of Uisce Éireann in Schedule 13 of the Taxes...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Psychological Services (5 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I was aware of this issue. I had been in correspondence with a constituent about it. It seems to be an anomaly. I will give the Minister's response now, but I agree the support they provide to schools and CAMHS and critical incident support in schools is a hugely valued resource for our schools. I am taking the Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley, who sends her...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Psychological Services (5 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I will certainly take these issues back. As I said, the correspondence I received stated the Department is making every effort to try to address the issue of the training fees support for educational psychologists. It is an anomaly that needs to be rectified. It is critical for parity of the professions. As the Senator quite rightly said, we need those supports right across the range of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (5 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I will immediately impart our own views. I share the Senator's welcome for this decision. The BTR rules were a retrograde measure and it is important they are addressed. I will give the stock response but I will also bring the specific questions back to the Minister. I was not at the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis at the weekend, as the Senator will appreciate.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (5 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I am sure I would. I did not see or hear what my colleague, the Minister-----

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (5 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: -----Deputy Darragh O'Brien, said at that. Specifically in response to the question posed, the section 28 guidelines, Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments - Guidelines for Planning Authorities, published in 2018 and updated in 2020, identified BTR as a specific type of residential development for planning purposes, with some variation in resident support and amenity...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (5 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Senator for his supportive comments. Again, I apologise that we do not have copies of the statement. I am happy to give him my copy when we finish this morning. BTR development was, in effect, established as a separate class of development for planning purposes arising from Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments - Guidelines for Planning Authorities....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Family Resource Centres (4 Oct 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Different sources of funding are referred to in the response I have here. In many ways, FRCs are left chasing funding programmes and designing projects around specific funding programmes which can be a considerable task in itself. The Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, has through his work rolled out an additional seven pilot community development projects, CDPs, which are most welcome...