Results 3,801-3,820 of 4,810 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I will give the response and just try to specifically address the concerns that were raised by both Senators. Again, this amendment conflates the MSP directive with the marine strategy framework directive and seeks to up-end the implementation of one over another. Both will need to be provided for in the Irish Statute Book. We know that and we are acting on same. On marine protected...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Senators for the general thrust of what they are trying to achieve in the amendment. I assure them that these matters are interrelated. I will continue to reiterate that, and it is important to say that. I do not see this amendment as being loose. It is quite prescriptive in the sense that it states: “notwithstanding anything elsewhere in this Act no Maritime Area...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: As I have outlined, the MPA legislation is moving along significantly. We hope that the legislative draft will be ready in the first half of 2022. We are moving on that with significant pace. It is important to look back at the transcript of the meeting of the joint committee that took place in November, which focused on MPAs. That engagement with marine environmental unit gave...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: What needs to be highlighted here is that the State intends to create management plans for areas within the maritime area. It is not simply a case of defining a boundary and specifying what activity will take place in this zone. In its development, the management plan for the area must take into account all activities that currently use that area or could potentially use that area in the...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: Amendment No. 38 seeks to delete "colocation" from section 22 in relation to proposed maritime usages within a DMAP. The inclusion of both "colocation" and "coexistence" here is designed to reflect the intended versatile nature of DMAPs. I am sure the Senator can appreciate that. The proposed amendment would unduly limit the scope and potential of DMAPs. Flexibility is required in this...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: Amendment No. 41 seeks to limit the Minister's ability to issue a direction in respect of a DMAP. It would specifically limit the Minister’s ability to not require an amendment to a draft DMAP to those matters referred to in the preceding subsection that are not in the MSP directive. In other words, where there is an inconsistency with the MSP directive, the Minister must require an...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: There was much discussion on Committee Stage in the Dáil around public consultation and the need to exclude certain periods.This is consistent with the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Section 54 of the Bill also provides that the Minister may, by regulations, specify further public holidays. On the passage of this Bill, my Department will begin preparing all relevant...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank both Senators and agree with them on public consultation and how hugely important it is. Senator Boyhan and I have spoken on a number of occasions in this Chamber about the importance of good, robust public engagement and how that brings about better outcomes for all parties. That is something we agree on. However, I consider that much of what is proposed in these amendments would...

Seanad: Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: A number of points have been raised by the Senators. I will try to get through the ones primarily relating to the governance element of MARA first. I will then speak specifically to the elements raised by the Senators, in respect of local authority members in particular.I served 16 years on a local authority, was elected on four occasions and feel proud of the work we achieved in my time...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Regeneration Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: With regard to the Noonan Road project, there is no further action my Department can take in respect of the submission for funding until Cork City Council provides the clarifications we are seeking. Our Department supports local authorities in improving their social housing stock through a range of programmes, including energy retrofitting, regeneration and refurbishment works on vacant...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Regeneration Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: This is in addition to the normal large-scale regeneration and rebuild programme of works which continues to be funded by my Department in the Knocknaheeney area of Cork city. With regard to the point Deputy Gould raised about the €21 million spent between 2013 and 2020, there were different standards of works. The funding required for 7,000 units to meet the 2013 standards is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The proposals the Deputy has made are reasonable and should be given consideration. I refer to the point he raised about the underspend. Obviously, there are capacity issues and issues still to be resolved with Irish Water's structure and its ongoing engagement with local authorities on service level agreements and the work ongoing with the Workplace Relations Commission. That work is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Regeneration Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I was trying to familiarise myself with Noonan Road earlier, although I am fairly familiar with Cork city. Our Department launched the energy efficiency retrofitting programme in 2013 with the aim of funding the retrofit of social homes requiring insulation and energy upgrade works. Since the programme commenced in 2013, more than 73,500 units of social housing stock have been retrofitted...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 to 274, inclusive, 278, 279, 283, 285, 290 and 291 together. As answered in previous Questions on this issue, my officials are continuing to work on assessing the recommendations of the first interim report of the Consultative Committee on urban gulls, which undertook a review of the issues relating to the impact of gulls in urban areas. My officials...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The report was published by my Department last week and is available on the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276, 277, 280 to 282, inclusive, 284 and 286 to 289, inclusive, together. My Department undertook the National Urban Gull Survey in 2021 as part of a wider seabird surveying collaboration with the UK known as Seabirds Count. The published report, enclosed for convenience, sets out the spatial focus of the surveys (Figures 2 and 4), including for a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 295 to 299, inclusive, together. Article 16 of the Constitution sets out clearly and distinctly the overarching requirements that apply to the membership of Dáil Éireann. In addition, and complementary to the constitutional provisions of Article 16.2 in particular, Part II of the Electoral Act 1997 (as amended) provides for a constituency review...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (14 Dec 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The navigation to Lough Allen through the Lough Allen Canal was restored and re-opened in 1994. Since then, Waterways Ireland has developed and maintained facilities for boats at a number of key locations including a significant marina development at Cleighran More and harbour facilities at Spenser Harbour. Waterways Ireland has recently received planning approval for the development of a...