Results 5,301-5,320 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Deputy mentioned the Planning Regulator, which is obviously central to our system in checking that the development plans are consistent with the national plans. We have had recommendations from the regulator where voted changes to the development plan have not been accepted. Those recommendations have been followed through in the main by the Minister of State responsible for planning,...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I assure the Deputy that I will work on the wording. I have taken on board the points members have raised on that.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Of course. I certainly get the point. Deputy O'Callaghan has done development plans too. I assume every person in here has sat through and voted on a development plan. When looking at development plans, you will see where school sites are identified and where there are objectives for school sites and community facilities. That is all part of the plan-making process. What we want to do...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: First, I do not necessarily subscribe to, let us say the greater Dublin area, GDA, that we have a big overhang of overzoned land. To be fair to the Office of the Planning Regulator, OPR, it derisks overzoning. I have seen recommendations that have come up because I have to deal with them as Minister. Very specific and detailed is work done by the OPR. Once a draft development plan is...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not agree. We do not know what evidence backs that up. If the Deputy is saying outside of Dublin, is he referring to outside of the city? It is not the situation in Fingal and is certainly not the situation in south Dublin. I do not agree. We could have a debate on that or we could talk about the amendment.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Certainly, it is appreciated. The residential zoned land tax, RZLT, is another activation measure and it is important that where land is zoned that it is used, and for the purposes that it is zoned for. I agree with the point and will conclude on this. There should be no assumption from one development plan to another that just because land is zoned in one, it should remain zoned in the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Amendment No. 723 is a consequential amendment to amendment No. 595

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Where an application has been lodged with and validated by either a planning authority or the commission, the deciding authority must have regard to the policy or plans that were in effect on the date that the application was made. I intend bringing forward an amendment to this effect on Report Stage. Amendment No. 723 from Deputy McAuliffe is consequential to that amendment.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I have responded.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The amendment states: "after “applies” to insert “(and, with respect to an application to extend the duration of a permission under section 135, that applied)”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The substantive point is that section 83 states that when making its decision in relation to an application under this section, the planning authority or the commission shall be restricted to considering the proper planning and sustainable development of the area and it "shall have regard" to that.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Bhíomar ag plé an tseachtain seo caite, ar feadh tréimhse fada an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo. We debated this matter at length last week. I will reiterate a couple of commitments on this for the committee. I discussed these with Gaeltacht communities on Monday of this week, when I met them in Galway. I have given a commitment that priority area plans will be...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I should have mentioned the other piece. I gave a commitment to members last week on the consultation. To be clear, we will be looking at Údarás na Gaeltachta and Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga as well when we come back on that consultation. On the language planning amendment, one would have to clearly define the concept of language planning. "Language planning" is the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It is the development plan-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: If the Deputy wanted to be specific, he would be writing in specific changes in the primary legislation to deal with issues that are perhaps unique to one Gaeltacht area versus another.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It was defined in the 2012 Act but not in the amendment. The Deputy made reference to the 2012 Act.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I understand the points that have been made. On page 85 of the NPF the whole section on the Gaeltacht and the Irish language deals with language plans and Gaeltacht areas, language planning areas, Gaeltacht service towns and Irish language networks. It is there and it is legislated for under the Gaeltacht Act 2012, which Deputy O'Callaghan did note last week, so I was not saying that he did...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: As I mentioned previously, the planning system in Ireland recognises the importance of the continued daily use of the Irish language, especially in Gaeltacht areas. We have gone through that with an interdepartmental group working on it. The Gaeltacht planning guidelines will be very important to make sure this is implemented also. As I said to Deputy Ó Snodaigh earlier on, we will...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputies O'Callaghan and Ó Snodaigh. What they have referred to concerning these amendments is provided for in the Official Languages Act 2003. In practice, though, I have a degree of sympathy with the suggestions the Deputies have made. I have discussed this aspect with groups. I refer to the different levels of service given in all State bodies to people who wish to conduct...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I think we have covered most of this. It is not only a context where it would be desirable that people would be able to communicate in Irish but one where the Official Languages Act 2003 is supposed to vindicate their rights. In a practical context, however, the Deputy has already referred to the expertise and detailed knowledge required, especially in detailed planning applications. This...