Results 4,281-4,300 of 8,016 for speaker:Peter Burke

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputy for her question. Similar to other sectors, the local authority sector will continue to make available flexible working, remote working and family-friendly arrangements that facilitate work-life balance while ensuring the delivery of all local authority services. Consideration of family-friendly working practices is particularly important in ensuring that elected councils...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputy. It is great news that Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown is reflective of society at large. It is important to have a gender balance in our local authorities that reflects the communities they serve. Councillor Lorraine Hall is on our committee. On foot of the Moorhead report’s recommendations on the non-pay items, we have established a sub-group to examine maternity...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flexible Work Practices (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: I thank the Deputy for her comments. As she rightly stated, flexibility is so important for our local authority workers. They can avail of many family-friendly, supported policies that will be enhanced and continued. We are talking about career breaks, flexible working, the work-sharing scheme, parental leave, paternity leave, parent's leave, maternity leave, carer's leave and associated...

Private Rental Sector: Motion [Private Members] (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: As the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, stated at the outset, to give this topic the attention it deserves would take more than is available to us today so many actions will speak a lot louder than words. I genuinely welcome the opportunity that has been provided by Deputies to discuss the private rental sector. I look forward to debating this topic further when the Government publishes...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: At its meeting of 20 April 2021, the Government approved the General Scheme of a Bill providing for a Directly Elected Mayor for Limerick, which is now published on the Department's website. On foot of this Government approval, I am keen to advance this legislation as quickly as possible and have now requested the Chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 104 together. The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (the Act) introduced new streamlined arrangements to enable planning applications for strategic housing developments (SHDs) of 100 housing units or more, or student accommodation or shared accommodation developments of 200 bed spaces or more, to be made directly...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Inshore Fisheries (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 62 together. I note the concerns outlined by NIFA and NIFO, particularly in relation to the potential impacts on their livelihood as a result of Off Shore Renewable (ORE) developments. Specifically, I am acutely aware of the issue of diverse levels and standards of communications between the fisheries and ORE industries, having first been raised by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: Under section 42 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, the holder of a planning permission may apply to the planning authority for an extension to the period of permission, prior to the expiration of that permission. On application, the authority shall extend the appropriate period by such additional period not exceeding 5 years as the authority considers requisite to enable the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 89 together. Given the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and the associated public health restrictions, and in order to continue supporting ratepayers and local authorities, the Government introduced a commercial rates waiver for the first half of 2021. This waiver applies to businesses most seriously affected by ongoing restrictions. The 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: On 20 October 2020, my colleague, Mr Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage signed a Ministerial Order under Section 29 of the Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020 allowing meetings of local authorities to be held remotely. The Order means that any decisions made or votes taken at such remote meetings shall be considered the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: My Department is not in discussions with Iarnród Éireann in relation to lands at the CIÉ Works, Inchicore, Dublin 8. Any state body seeking to dispose of land must first consult with the Land Development Agency (LDA). A letter issued to all Government Ministers in 2019 asking that they advise all State bodies under their aegis that prior to seeking Ministerial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: The National Planning Framework (NPF) is the national planning policy document providing overall strategic policy for the future development of Ireland. The NPF fully supports the concept of the sustainable development of rural areas and the need to ensure their continued function as places to live, work and invest in. The NPF seeks to encourage their growth and to arrest the decline of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: Section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), provides for the taking in charge of housing developments by planning authorities. The legislation sets out the process to be followed when a development is considered to have been satisfactorily completed, as well as where it has not been completed to the satisfaction of the planning authority. The Planning...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 92 and 318 together. My Department has engaged extensively with representatives of the local government sector and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform over the past year concerning the financial challenges facing local authorities as a consequence of the pandemic. In 2020, €900m was allocated by Government to fund the cost of a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: It is important to clarify that the ‘Flemish Decree’ was a March 2009 Decree of the Flemish Region (a Federal Region within Belgium), on land and real estate policy, which made the purchase or long-term lease of land (i.e. all immovable property, that included existing, homes, businesses and farms) in certain Flemish communes (local authorities) conditional upon there being a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Development Agency (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, pending the enactment of primary legislation when it will be established as a commercial State agency. In accordance with the Programme for Government, legislation to establish the Land Development...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: Councillors, like members of the Oireachtas, are office holders rather than employees. As such, they are not covered by the statutory framework for employees on issues such as maternity leave, sick leave and annual leave. As matters stand, it is under the provisions of Section 18 of the Local Government Act 2001, relating to absences from the role, that councillors may be absent for maternity...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: The question of liability of particular properties for rates is a matter for the Commissioner of Valuation, who is independent in the exercise of his functions under the Valuation Acts 2001-2020. The making of valuations for rating purposes is the sole responsibility of the Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no function in decisions in this regard. Under the Valuation Acts 2001 - 2020...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid-19 Pandemic (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: 179. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will consider easing restrictions for driving instructors and their students so that lessons can recommence on a phased, safe basis over the coming weeks, due to the urgent need for lessons and emerging black market considerations; if he has considered introducing guidelines to instructors on the way to prevent Covid-19...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Meetings (5 May 2021)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 and 276 together. The draft National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF) was launched by Government on 12 November 2019. The draft NMPF is Ireland’s first comprehensive marine spatial plan document and outlines the clear structure and direction proposed for the development, conservation and enjoyment of our maritime area. This important new text will,...