Results 3,301-3,320 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The provision of fire services in local authority areas, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigades, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting national policy,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Pyrite Remediation Programme (19 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency. The provisions of the Act apply only to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave consequent on the presence of reactive...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (18 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together. My Department is in regular contact with disability advocates and my colleague Minister Murphy has met with them on the specific issue referenced by the Deputy.  One of the key measures achieved in 2016 under the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability (NHSPWD), which has been extended to 2020, was...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I think we had a lengthy discussion on this amendment previously but I will do a little bit of recapping. I accept what Senator Boyhan has said. Some genuinely had an expectation that there would be a vote on this. We were very clear, certainly in the discussion in the Dáil when this was referred to committee. What the committee was doing on behalf of both Houses of the Oireachtas...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: If the Senator wants me to elaborate on that, I can sit down with him and go through it. We have gone to considerable lengths to ensure that it is. The Bill was introduced on foot of the recommendations of from Mahon tribunal. I would be happy to engage further with the Senator on that matter.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: A planning regulator's office is to be set up. As I have said in both Houses, at the moment the process would be that any directives or changes would come through officials in the Department and through me, as Minister of State. The regulator will assume that responsibility and will make recommendations to the Minister. There will be a formal process, which is removed from politics, to do...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: Senator Humphreys also has amendments which deal with this issue. His point about the imbalance is recognised, certainly for the mid-east local authority areas. We will look at that and while this legislation is probably not the appropriate place to do that, there are other mechanisms by which to do that. I have engaged with the Dublin Chamber of Commerce around this and have reflected...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: There were probably a lot more than 1,000 submissions if we take all the different parts of the consultation and the advisory groups and chambers of commerce that fed into that. Many groups came together to make submissions representing a number of people. As the Senator knows, it is only when one goes to the regional level and county level that more people will be involved, and we know...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: It is not the Government of the day's plan; it is a long-term plan for this country that we want everybody to buy into. We genuinely wanted that. I was there at the start of it. We went to students and told them they should be involved as it is for 20, 30 and 40 years. That is what it is about. If we do not have launches and ask for engagement, we will not get that engagement. I hope we...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The amendment by Senator Grace O'Sullivan is similar to the amendment previously tabled by Deputy Eamon Ryan on Committee Stage in the Dáil. We had some debate on the matter then. I opposed the amendment then and my position has not changed. That was a good while ago, early last autumn. This amendment relates to section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which provides that...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: We touched on this earlier when discussing Senator Humphreys's amendment. I know he had to step out so I did not give the full answer at the time. I do appreciate and understand the reasons and logic behind these proposed amendments. We have had some direct engagement with Senator Humphreys. I thank him for that. We have discussed this and I understand where these amendments are coming...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I meant to say that at the start.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: My officials and I will be pleased to engage with Senator Humphreys on this issue. While we have discussed the matter already, we will be happy to discuss it further. We recognise what the Senator is trying to achieve with his amendment in providing for a new mechanism. We may bring the Minister of State, Deputy John Paul Phelan, into the conversation because the issue straddles two sides...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The amendment would have the effect of inserting a requirement in the planning code that planning applications be refused where the development proposed would be contrary to the water framework directive because it might cause a deterioration of water quality or the status of a water body and thereby jeopardise attainment of good chemical status of water, as required under the directive....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The amendment relates to the disclosure of political donations made by planning applicants in monetary terms or other forms to elected representatives or political parties and the making of such information publicly available. This is similar to an amendment proposed by Deputy Boyd Barrett on Report Stage in the Dáil, which attracted Sinn Féin support. Other amendments were...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: We certainly will engage. We are genuinely looking at it. As to the Mahon tribunal, the spirit of the recommendations to be transposed was to ensure that donations are in the public domain, which they are. I understand the spirit of the amendment is to ensure that when it comes to planning, people can join the dots easily and can see the information linked. There is merit in that. We...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rent Controls (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1491, 1556 and 1579 together. Rent Pressure Zones have their legal basis under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, as amended.  This legislation regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented residential sector.  Pursuant to section 3(1), this Act applies to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan Implementation (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: Saorgus Energy Limited lodged an application for a foreshore lease to develop a windfarm on the Kish and Bray Banks in 2009 which are located approximately 10km from the Dublin and Wicklow coasts. The company also published an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in respect of the proposal, which is known as the Dublin Array.  The applicant held its own public consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations Amendments (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: The Second Schedule to the Building Regulations 1997 to 2017, which are made under the Building Control Act 1990, as amended, set out the minimum legal requirements applicable to the construction of all new buildings, extensions to existing buildings, as well as for material alterations and certain material changes of use to existing buildings. These requirements are set out in 12 parts,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Safety (17 Apr 2018)

Damien English: In accordance with section 18(2) of the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003, it is the responsibility of the ‘person having control’ over the premises to ensure the safety of persons in the premises in the event of fire. The fire safety strategy and associated procedures to ensure the safety of people in any high-rise building is usually, therefore, the responsibility of the...