Results 4,121-4,140 of 4,810 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (22 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I understand that this question is about the cutting or grubbing of vegetation on mountain land. Some areas of mountain land have been designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) or Special Protection Areas (SPAs) as part of the Natura 2000 network. Depending on reason for designation of the land, restrictions may have been set on clearing scrub or rough vegetation on that area....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (22 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 212 of 16 September 2021 which sets out the position in this matter.

Planning and Development (Amendment) (20 per cent Provision of Social and Affordable Housing) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The Government welcomes the opportunity to highlight the recent amendments to Part V it has brought forward, which are a very important part of accelerating the supply of affordable and cost-rental homes. It also welcomes the opportunity the Bill presents to continue working on ensuring that our Part V provisions are appropriately calibrated and the Government will not be opposing it. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I will take those three members' questions together if that is okay, Chairman. I will make an initial comment to address Deputy Flaherty, Senator Boyhan and Deputy Kehoe about this being the green agenda. It is not the green agenda; it is the law. That is the reality of this. My Department, which has responsibility for heritage, has no role in this except in the sense that the peatlands...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I will try to address the questions in sequence, with the help of Mr. Lucas. To address Deputy Fitzmaurice's question on that commitment of the Government, as I have said, I am giving a wholehearted commitment. The Taoiseach and all of the Government are concerned about that. My Department has limited responsibility with regard to heritage and no responsibility with regard to the planning...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I will try to address the last four questions, and I apologise that I have to depart shortly on Dáil business. I might ask Mr. Lucas to come in specifically on the options. With regard to the continued assertion that this is the green agenda, who would accept we would attempt or try to move to undermine an industry? Our collective job as legislators is responsibility towards those...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The IUCN is a membership union composed of both government and civil society organisations, including many NGOs. It undertakes valuable work for biodiversity, including administering the Red Lists for vulnerable species. Ireland supports the IUCN and is a government agency member, through my Department's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The IUCN is not a decision making body...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Natura 2000 (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I have no statutory function in this matter. I would note, however, that as the UK and Northern Ireland are outside the EU, that the acquis in question do not apply, and neither we nor the EU are competent authorities for the matters raised.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Hen Harriers (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: Following final meetings of the inter-departmental group to review the draft Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan revisions have been made to the draft Plan to reflect the outcome of that and earlier meetings. A draft of the Threat Response Plan was also brought to the Consultative Committee, to seek their views, with the intention of then proceeding to public consultation. The Consultative...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Schemes (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature Project aims to improve Ireland’s performance in conserving important habitats, and in particular to improve the conservation status in the Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) network of blanket bog. Central to the project is an agri-environment Results Based Payment Scheme (RBPS) which will reward participating farmers for environmental services...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: Officials from the National Monuments Service of my Department have been engaging as appropriate on this matter and expect a response to be issued directly to the individual concerned in the coming weeks.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: Unfortunately I cannot because the importation is, I think, a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. We can come back with a response on that. I absolutely take on board the Senator's point on the potential for importing biohazards or hazardous material.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an gcoiste. I thank the committee for its time this afternoon. Peatlands have been one of the most abiding features of the Irish landscape since the last ice age. They cover a large area of the land surface, occurring as raised bogs, blanket bogs and fens. Peatlands have a key biodiversity value and provide a range of ecosystem services....

Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Referral to Select Committee (16 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage pursuant to Standing Orders 95 and 181.

Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: I welcome the comments by my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, on this important legislation and note his remarks on the need to put citizens at the heart of the process and ensure we meet our climate action goals, in a way that does not undermine our environmental protection obligations. That is exactly what the Government is doing. I strongly disagree with the narrative...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: EU Directives (16 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The annual State wide Wild Birds Declaration was signed on 30 April 2021 in compliance with the EU Birds Directive. The wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) is listed in Annex II, Part A of the Birds Directive.  Owing to their population level, geographical distribution and reproductive rate throughout the European Community, Article 8 of the Birds Directive permits bird species...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: EU Directives (16 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: Biodiversity, including birdlife, is vulnerable to adverse impacts from many different pressures, including hunting. It is crucial for birdlife in Ireland that we fully understand how our practices and actions can cumulatively impact on the viability of vulnerable bird species.  The wild bird hunting season opened on September 1st and I am concerned at the potentially unsustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (16 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: Heritage Ireland 2030, the new national heritage policy, will be launched in Q4 of 2021. Heritage Ireland 2030 will provide a strategy for the protection, conservation, promotion and management of Ireland’s heritage for the next decade and beyond. The plan has been drafted against the backdrop of increasing challenges - including those stemming from land-use change, climate change,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks (15 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The decision to retitle this National Park is predicated upon the recent significant expansion in size of the park and the fact that some two-thirds of the area of the park is in fact outside of Ballycroy. The new name provides a clearer indication and reflection of the entire landscape, which fully represents this unique  area on an international platform with International Union...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (15 Sep 2021)

Malcolm Noonan: The Expert Advisory Group (EAG) that I appointed earlier this year to assess the six applications to Ireland’s new Tentative List of World Heritage Properties is currently finalising its report and recommendations, and I anticipate receiving these in the coming weeks. Once I receive these recommendations, they will then be considered further by my Department and myself before any...