Results 3,021-3,040 of 4,718 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Strategic Action Plan for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) sets out an ambitious timeline for a full organisational restructuring of the NPWS, and a substantial €55 million additional investment in the organisation across three budgetary cycles, together with the accelerated early recruitment of at least 60 key staff for critically important roles. This Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Biodiversity Plan (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) will set the national biodiversity agenda for the period 2023-2027. The Plan has been in development since October 2021. The first phase of work involved an extensive review of national, European, and international policies, strategies, legislation and science relating to biodiversity. This review helped to inform a first draft of the Plan,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department is committed to supporting local authorities in the important role they play in the implementation of actions contained in the National Biodiversity Action Plan. In that context, I have allocated €600,000 in 2022 towards the establishment of a Biodiversity Officer programme, with six officers to be recruited this year and a further roll out in 2023/24. The programme...

Electoral Reform Bill: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: There has been significant debate on all Stages of the Bill.

Electoral Reform Bill: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Points were made specifically in regard to this important part of the Bill. I closely followed the deliberations of the Oireachtas joint committee, where it was widely debated. I commend the committee on its deliberations at pre-legislative scrutiny stage. These were concerns that were raised in pre-legislative scrutiny, as Deputy Ó Broin mentioned. They are fundamental...

Electoral Reform Bill: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The broader issue around citizens’ rights is important in the context of recent experiences across the world and we all have plenty of examples of it. This demonstrates that many of the most pressing threats to the integrity of our democracy and electoral processes are based on harmful techniques for distorting or manipulating public expression. In that context, it is important to...

Electoral Reform Bill: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak to the amendments that were approved in the Seanad during the course of the Bill's passage through the House. The first group of amendments assigns a monitoring and investigatory role to an coimisiúntoghcháinin order that an coimisiún can protect the integrity of our electoral processes in the online sphere, in particular during...

Electoral Reform Bill: From the Seanad (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I appreciate the issue being raised by Deputy Howlin. Specifically on amendment No. 31, the proposed section 161 provides that the electoral commission may publish codes of conduct in respect of online electoral information or online electoral process information. Section 161(7) provides that where a person to whom a mandatory code is addressed has failed to comply with the code, the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I will take this question. I thank the Deputy. It was a very effective working group and a lot of good work was done. Great credit is due to all partners, including Leitrim County Council. I have engaged with the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, this week in regard to the compensation issue. My understanding is that there are negotiations with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform...

Rent Reduction Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis na Teachtaí go léir. I thank all the Deputies. I do not have time to respond to all the issues raised. Deputy Gino Kenny raised the issue of income thresholds. The review is now complete and the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, are considering the findings with a view to making...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Issues (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The work detailed in Marine Notice 43/2022, issued by the Department of Transport, related to an intention by Lir Offshore Array to conduct geophysical survey works as part of a scientific data gathering exercise. Grid references provided in the Notice indicate operations are entirely outside of the 12 nautical mile limit.  My Department did not receive any communication from the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Electoral Reform Bill 2022, which is currently progressing through the Houses of the Oireachtas, provides for, among other matters, the establishment of an Electoral Commission.  In addition, the Bill provides for the review of Dáil and European Parliament constituencies to be undertaken by the new Electoral Commission following its establishment.  The Bill also...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Foreshore Issues (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The work detailed in Marine Notice 43/2022, issued by the Department of Transport, related to an intention by Lir Offshore Array to conduct geophysical survey works as part of a scientific data gathering exercise. Grid references provided in the Notice indicate operations are entirely outside of the 12 nautical mile limit. This would mean that a licence could not be granted under the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department has no role in waste management. Landowners with waste management questions should, in the first instance, consult their Local Authority. It may be appropriate in some circumstances to refer to the Wildlife Act 1976, since it regulates the cutting of vegetation growing on uncultivated land and in hedges and ditches during the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (13 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Funding for the provision or maintenance of memorials, erection of monuments, plaques, busts or statues is not provided for under my Department's heritage allocation. Local communities seeking support for the erection of monuments and other memorials are advised to contact their relevant local authority to see if such funding is available.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I am unaware of the details of a five-year scaring programme being run by Dublin City Council. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department has issued licences to Dublin City Council over a number of years under Section 42 of the Wildlife Acts to control protected wild birds causing serious damage. The licences that were issued in relation to gulls at Stillorgan Reservoir,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Architectural Heritage (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Following the formation of the current government, this function now sits with me as Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage and Electoral Reform. My Department’s Development Applications Unit (DAU) has looked into the matter and advises that, while it is unclear which of Doneraile’s two Architectural Conservation Areas (ACA) is in question, the matter is not...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Licences (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Waterways Ireland have not issued any encroachment licenses for new moorings in the areas referred to by the Deputy, from 2018 to date. This is because there have been no applications for new moorings in these areas during the period in question.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Ireland (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 441 and 442 together. Waterways Ireland established a dedicated land recovery and first registration team in 2021 to research, lodge and register its property portfolio. This work is ongoing and it is anticipated that registration of the complete property portfolio will take three to five years. Currently, 52% of the property is registered or at an advanced...