Results 481-500 of 4,715 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Textbooks (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Senator will be aware that the Department of Education's 2023-25 statement of strategy sets out its vision for an education system that is of the highest quality where every member of our educational community, including our children and young people, their families and all the staff who engage with them, feel valued and supported. It sets out a goal to ensure equity of opportunity in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Textbooks (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The introduction of the junior cycle schoolbook scheme is another historic moment in Irish education and helps us to live up to the promise of free education. I want to thank the Senator for raising this Commencement matter and emphasise the significance of the funding for this ground-breaking scheme. I also want to acknowledge the enormous amount of work that has taken place since the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wildlife Protection (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The light-bellied Brent goose, Branta Bernicla Hrota, breeds in the Canadian high Arctic and winters, almost exclusively, on the island of Ireland. Under the European birds directive, the Brent goose is a protected species, and Ireland has designated a total of 23 special protection areas for the Brent goose, with one further SPA for which the species is listed as an additional special...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wildlife Protection (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I absolutely appreciate the challenge this has created. We are in the depths of a biodiversity crisis and it is important. Our urban areas and Dublin have a huge role to play around the species of wetland birds. We know that the Brent goose population has increased by 230% from 1994 and 1995 and from 2018 to 2019. It is quite a significant population increase, which suggests that it is a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Schemes (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: There are specific questions here particularly in regard to that timeframe. That is a valid question to ask and certainly we can ask the Department to look at that. In regard to the second question, I cannot give the answer to it here, so again I will ask the Department to look at that, about challenging those decisions, if that is okay. Fingal County Council has been quite progressive....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Schemes (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I will read the script and then come back with the specifics. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. Under Housing for All, there is provision for 200 social housing acquisitions each year. However, with increased pressures on housing and the exit of landlords from the market, the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, reinstated delegated sanction to local authorities in April 2022 to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Community Heritage Grant Scheme is a programme of the Heritage Council, which is responsible for decisions on funding and timeframes. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: It is my intention that an Ocean Environment Policy Statement will be included as part of the forthcoming Marine Protected Area Bill. The policy statement is intended to set out the policy objectives, priorities and targets of the Government in relation to protection and sustainable use of the marine environment including by designation of marine protected areas. The preparation of the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I will not rehash the issue. I will address it briefly but amendment No. 895 was already discussed just before the break and we have moved on. Deputy Ó Broin referred to the planning system being blind to housing need. That is what the housing need demand assessment, HNDA, is about. It has been tested in many counties. The methodologies are also being adopted in other counties. It...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Amendment No. 897 from Deputy O’Callaghan seeks to delete lines 7 and 8 in page 404 and replace them with "the existing need and the likely future need, including houses, apartments and duplexes, for housing for purchase by intending owner-occupiers". However, I can confirm that the text as drafted includes all housing types, including apartments, so although not explicitly expressed,...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I again go back to that definition.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: In the definition, "house" means a building or part of a building that, in subsection (c), "in the case of a building or part of a building containing more than one apartment, flat or other dwelling, each such apartment, flat or dwelling".

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Yes. It is inserted into the 2000 Act.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The definition is clear.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: That is a different matter. That is really to do with tenure. It is not, with regard to what the Deputy is seeking to achieve here-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: We would say that it is explicit with regard to the definition of a house. It is very clear in its definition.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: It is because the word "houses" refers to, as I said, a building or part of a building containing more than one apartment. It is not that it is hidden in there. It is something that is defined in the legislation. As it is defined in the legislation, we do not need to repeat it in the Bill. It is a standard approach of drafting and preparing the legislation. It is on advice from the OPC...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The OPC advised against repetition of it because it is already explicitly defined.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: It is already explicitly defined as a house.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The reason duplexes are referenced is because that is not repeated. Again I go back to the Bill where "house" is defined as "a building or part of a building containing more than one apartment, flat or other dwelling".