Results 3,701-3,720 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English
- Topical Issue Debate: County Development Plans (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: I thank both Deputies for raising the issue. The Legislature has made provision for ministerial powers to issue statutory planning guidelines. These guidelines need to be implemented in practice, they are not something to which we should only pay lip-service. The Deputy referred to the powers being used in three of five locations but there are 300 plans ongoing and I have had to intervene...
- Topical Issue Debate: County Development Plans (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: I thank Deputies Lawless and O'Rourke for giving me the opportunity to clarify matters in respect of the Leixlip and Celbridge local area plans, a matter I addressed a couple of weeks ago in a debate in this House. My role under the planning code in relation to statutory plans is simply to ensure that they are consistent with established national planning policies and that they comply...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: They are very shy. Mr. Niall Cussen and Mr. Paul Hogan are the main authors of the report. Some members might have had a chance to engage with them at other meetings. They are very happy to engage and to take questions as they are the two individuals who put a lot of work into co-ordinating the main messages and they also took all the feedback from stakeholders in the public sessions.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: I thank the committee for its invitation. As Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning, and on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, I am delighted to be here with Mr. Niall Cussen and Mr. Paul Hogan. I welcome this opportunity to listen to members and discuss the committee's views on the national planning framework, NPF. It is important that the committee has...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: I will touch on some of the issues. I will not be able to answer every question in detail because the idea is that I listen to members' contributions. There has been a lot of detail and the idea is we take it on board and try to reflect it in what we do in the weeks and months ahead in bringing this plan forward. I will address the issue raised by Deputy McLoughlin. We have agreed as a...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: To be clear, we are not saying that Mayo will lose out. That is not what we are saying at all. We are talking about taking a regional approach first. In that context, there are regional spacial and economic strategies which will be used to decide where the growth centres are; they will be in Mayo, Sligo and other counties because each county has major growth centres and we specify that...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: That is a reality; it reflects what is there. There are five cities that are already cities which have a major influence in the area. For example, Galway is a medtech centre in the context of Europe and is a major player in an international context. One cannot just forget about it, one has to plan to enhance its position and provide the infrastructure. There are traffic plans for Galway...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: I am conscious that the Deputy missed the beginning of the meeting but I said very clearly that this is not just about cities.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: The Deputy must not have read it because he is going on a rant that does not reflect what is in the plan. With respect-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: It is unfair of the Deputy to come in late and keeps throwing this-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: The Deputy can put on a showpiece but it will not help in the context of what we are trying to do.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: That is not our attitude at all but the Deputy is constantly misrepresenting what is in the plan.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: That is grand.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: The Deputy did so and I would have to compliment him on that. I was one of the Opposition spokespersons at the time and he was very good to me.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: I will respect the Deputy. I did not-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: I am sorry that I used the word "rant". The Deputy was not here for the start of the meeting when I made it very clear that the plan is very much focused on rural Ireland. We recognise-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: Sorry, Chairman-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: I cannot sit here and be told again and again that this is not for rural Ireland. I made it clear at the start of the meeting that this is why we are here to engage with the committee. We see this plan playing a major part in saving rural Ireland. As I stated earlier, the statistics indicate that over 50% of house building over the past number years was in rural areas. That is a fact. We...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: While I am unable to answer all the questions members asked, I will try to address their concerns. The idea is to listen to the various contributions and feed them into the overall plan. The reason I am attending today is that I understand concerns have arisen regarding the roll-out of the national planning framework. This is a 20 year plan which sets out a vision for the country. The...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: National Planning Framework: Discussion (13 Dec 2017)
Damien English: No, it is not a case of "maybe". It is clearly provided for in the planning framework. I ask the Deputy to deal with facts.