Results 5,141-5,160 of 6,937 for speaker:Cian O'Callaghan

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: I will speak to amendments Nos. 129 and 130. It is welcome that a representative of the CCMA will be on the board. That is a good idea. Amendment No. 130 is very good. We probably all have, at various stages, experiences with boards that sometimes do not have the required expertise. I understand the Minister not wanting to be overly prescriptive but some formula of words should be put...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: The key issue is independence of the board. In order to operate well, function well, be able to sometimes give a different view and, if necessary, call an issue out, boards need to have a degree of independence as well as expertise. Amendment No. 129 is a marginal improvement on what is contained in the Bill whereby it is stated that several of the members of the board would be officers of...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: Absolutely.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: The role of the board in holding the chief executive and chief executive's team to account is important. We are all agreed on that. The independence of the board is important. Is the Minister of State saying he feels the competition allows for an independent board?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: How can it be an independent board when it is populated by officials from the Departments? As Deputy Boyd Barrett has said, it is not a criticism of officials from Departments to say they are heavily constrained. They do not have the independence of someone with expertise in the marine environment and biodiversity, or someone with academic expertise in this area. By their nature,...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: In one sense, using the local authority analogy in this context is probably not a good example because of the history of why local authority members, as effectively being the board, were taken out of the planning process. I will not go through all that-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: No, but that-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: I hear what the Minister of State is saying on that point. I am saying, though, that the local authority example is not a good one to use because of why the local authority members were taken out of that process. It was for a whole set of reasons.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: It was reactive, and it was not necessarily done as best practice or as the best model. It was undertaken as a reaction to a set of circumstances which meant that change had to happen. In and of itself, that example does not necessarily justify replication in this regard.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: Yes. If the board does not have that role then what is the oversight mechanism? If there are problems with the process and decisions are being made then who has oversight? If the board feels that there are problems is it constrained and can it not do anything about them? Where does the role of the board start and stop?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: Does the board have no role whatsoever?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Marine Planning Area Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: What can the board do if it believes there is something wrong with the process? Does the board have a mechanism in such a case?

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (3 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 173. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if an estimation is being carried out of the greenhouse gas emissions savings if bottom trawling is banned or limited to certain areas in Ireland's exclusive economic zone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53470/21]

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: The figures from the Residential Tenancies Board show that rent caps have been breached in every county in Ireland where they have been introduced. Figures given to me by the Residential Tenancies Board also confirm that sanctions against landlords for breaching rent caps have only been applied in about 10% of the cases investigated. Clearly, rent caps are not working. It is not just the...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Climate Change Policy (2 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 128. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide a fasttrack one-stop-shop framework for planning and licensing as was recommended by the Just Transition Commissioner in his progress report dated April 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52100/21]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (2 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 129. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there has been an environmental assessment carried out on the importation of peat; if not, if he will conduct one; if so, if he will publish the details of the assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52101/21]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: National Asset Management Agency (2 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 253. To ask the Minister for Finance if NAMA will make available a map and the details of land that NAMA holds by location, size, planning permission and commercial viability analysis; the details of its property portfolio locations and vacant units; the details of the person or body NAMA is selling its property to and the amount; if NAMA receivers are evicting any tenants; and if he will...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (2 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 406. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the fresh start principle as outlined in Housing for All will come into operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53253/21]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (2 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 411. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of a passport application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52098/21]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (2 Nov 2021)

Cian O'Callaghan: 412. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of a passport application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52099/21]