Results 421-440 of 5,674 for speaker:Alan Dillon

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: The Government and Department are responding to the level of need. I echo the point that local authorities are in charge of these properties. We have made allocations. Last year, we allocated €46 million to fund local authorities for stock improvement work.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: I am just saying that is for stock improvement work. It is also important that local authorities themselves focus on the job they have and are in a position to rent properties in their ownership that are in a well-received condition. That is really important. The Deputy referred to the individual cases that are presented to him. He will know from his engagement with Cork County Council...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: We will continue to work with the local authorities in each county on the needs they present.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: Yes. They are really important guidelines. My officials are still working on them to bring them to a conclusion. We hope to have them as soon as physically possible. I have put out a call since taking office over eight weeks ago so, again, I hope they will come before me within the next few weeks.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: Yes. That is correct.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: I do not have an approximate time with me today but I certainly will follow up with the committee in that regard.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: I have engaged with Mr. Niall Cussen on taking office. Like all Departments and sectors, especially within the construction sector and within local authorities, there is a competitive process to get skilled talent and graduates form the various universities that qualify these types of professionals. There is always a competition in a vacancy. We are looking to increase the number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: Certainly, that speaks to the point around the need for proper consistency and alignment throughout all the planning process, at national, regional and local level. I think those are the inconsistencies that cause people who submit applications to be angered and it leads to increased frustration. Certainly, the Planning and Development Bill 2023 is looking to address that, especially around...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: There are liaison welfare officers in each of the local authorities who work with individuals who are at their most vulnerable.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: Our Department is developing a ministerial action plan on planning resources which, to the Deputy's point, responds to the capacity challenges in the planning sector. A steering group led by the Department has been established. It will co-ordinate and provide oversight to the action plan. As we said, it will comprise representatives from the local government sector, the Office of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: They will.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: It is interdepartmental.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: I move amendment No. 219: In page 71, line 4, to delete “Act.” and substitute “Act;”.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: I move amendment No. 220: In page 71, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: “(p) integration of relevant climate action related policies and measures of the Government, including those prepared pursuant to the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, into regional spatial and economic strategies,development plans, urban area plans, priority area plans and...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: The arguments Deputy Danny Healy-Rae is presenting are made on an individual basis in his constituency in Kerry.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: In many cases, the local area development plans and county development plans are agreed by the local members in accordance with national policy. To say the planners themselves make the determination on an individual basis, based on policy-----

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: What we are doing is ensuring we have a Bill that is fit for purpose in the here and now. The existing legislation is 24 years old. By enhancing the policy, the national planning statements and the national planning framework, we are coherently recalibrating and rebalancing what we need to do in our planning system, which is really important. Everyone should have a right to live and work...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: It is the planners who are actually trained and qualified to ensure they implement policy. I have never seen a politician, be it a councillor or Deputy, make an assessment of a planning application. They are not technically qualified to do so. Today we are addressing the issues within the Bill, not the issues in Kerry County Council. The national planning statements replace section 28 and...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Alan Dillon: I did not blame anyone.