Results 4,561-4,580 of 11,114 for speaker:Damien English

Seanad: Presidential Voting Rights: Motion (30 Nov 2016)

Damien English: What were we doing before that?

Seanad: Presidential Voting Rights: Motion (30 Nov 2016)

Damien English: This motion is not for his Department.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I probably do not have any answers that will satisfy the requirements of the debate but I will outline our reasons. I do not propose to accept the amendments. We understand the motivation but cannot accept them for a number of reasons. Some of these amendments, if accepted, would effectively prevent a developer who had not commenced building on foot of planning permission for more than 100...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: Regarding the previous amendment, we will be using many incentives to try to encourage owners to develop their sites. Much of the approach in our action plan to the unused 28,000 planning permissions is to incentivise development and make it worthwhile for everybody. While we do not want to give anybody increased profit margins, we will work with him or her on his or her sites. History...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: The Bill proposes that the new streamlined planning procedures for large-scale housing developments apply as a temporary measure, initially for a period of up to three years to the end of 2019. It further proposes that the Minister may, by order, extend the period for a further limited period of two years, up to the end of 2021 to coincide with the timeframe for Rebuilding Ireland. There...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: They achieve the same thing.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: There would be nothing to stop the Minister of the day seeking to have an independent review. However, I think Departments generally do well in carrying out reviews. It does not mean they review themselves. Generally, reviews involve stakeholders getting involved in the process and giving written submissions. I have been involved in many reviews. The process of having an action plan for...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: All the stakeholders will be involved in any review, which will feed into the Department. Their thoughts and concerns will be included in a report by the Department. The Department does reviews well. The review is meant to be inclusive. All of the actions were part of a process. They were not one person's great idea. They came from discussions, reviews and consultations with...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I thank the many Senators, including Senator Boyhan, for their contributions on the subject of these amendments, specifically the role of the elected members in the new procedures for large scale housing developments. There was extensive debate on the issue in this House last week, which the Minister and I as well as our officials have listened to carefully. The Minister indicated last week...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I will try to answer most of those questions, working backwards. I disagree with Senator Gavan that this is not workable. I have been involved in the process and it has worked. It happens regularly. It certainly did when I was a councillor. I am referring to strategic development zones and councils making submissions to An Bord Pleanála hearings. In my years in politics, everything...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: They should be. Area meetings are. If they are not, that is up to local authority members. It is a local decision. We would encourage it.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: Yes.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: If there is a major concern, we can examine the matter in the Dáil, but meetings should be public. They are meant to be. When I was a councillor a long time ago, they were public. It is up to local authorities. We can go further and try to recommend public meetings, but my understanding is that they are a given.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: Generally, most meetings have been tweeted before they are even finished. We can work on this issue, though. If it is the Senator's main grievance, we can discuss it. Senator Coffey referred to material contraventions. They are not allowed. A material contravention would have to be dealt with before any application. It could not be addressed in the middle of this process. We respect...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: It has not been worked out, but it will be done. We will try to get it done, if we can. The issue of levies was raised. It is a given that they belong to local authorities because they are based on contribution schemes put in place by them. They assess the need for infrastructure throughout a county, including amenities, bridges, roads and everything else. That is on what levies are...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I must oppose the amendment which relates to the changes proposed in the Bill to the Part VIII procedures for the approval of local authority own-development proposals, including social housing. In this regard, the Bill proposes a number of key changes to the existing procedures in section 179 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The public consultation period for a proposed local...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I suspect that a man in the Senator's position would not ask the question if he did not know the answer. There is no law to prevent it happening. There is a mistake being made here in that people think a receiver can walk in and turf the tenants out. They cannot. The tenants' rights, obligations and security of tenure do not change if a receiver takes over their homes. There are other...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: I have read the Threshold submission and it has been well investigated as part of the rental strategy. We have received the same submission a couple of times. It is a very strong submission. I am not saying we are not prepared to take on board some of Threshold's changes. We will make some changes through the rental strategy. The legislation is complex and we want to ensure we get it...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: It is déjà vu. This sounds similar to a debate that we had previously. I will address a couple of issues. Of us all, Senator McDowell summed it up best. This is about getting the balance right. If one or two changes are introduced without an overall package, there is a risk of affecting supply. The solution to all of our problems - social housing, private housing and the cost...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Damien English: This is about doing, and getting, the right thing, that being, the overall package. Senators referred to buying a car, a pig in a poke and so on. I told Senator Kelleher, one of the sponsors of this amendment, in conversation that we would introduce a package in a few weeks' time. It will be a full rental strategy. If Senators wish to revert to the car analogy, we will introduce a full...