Results 581-600 of 962 for speaker:Francis Noel Duffy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I thank the witnesses for sharing their knowledge and wisdom with the committee. The work of Professor Murphy and her colleagues, some of whom I know quite well, for more than a decade have found us where we are, endeavouring to recreate our historic centres that have ended up in their current position. It was not that people were not interested. Since the Act of Union, there has not been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: Given we do not CPO very often, because there is a process involved and we have to get lawyers in, who have to drink a lot of tea thinking about what they are doing or whatever it is they are at, how do our guests foresee that going forward? My understanding is the push the Government wants is to ensure we find these units and, if they are not being used after six months, CPO them. Do our...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I wholeheartedly welcome the indefinite tenure measures in this Bill. I have submitted three amendments in total to the Bill. Amendment No. 24 deals with removing the sale as a reason to end a lease, which is similar to the protection of leases on commercial properties in other jurisdictions. My other two amendments are critical to solving the issue of homelessness as a result of...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I am nearly finished. We need early intervention. Families should not be waiting in limbo indefinitely, prolonging the inevitability of transitioning to a new home. I have a constituent, a mother with children, and they are being evicted in January. She has been in the system for 17 years and, therefore, the system should understand her position. The system needs to be proactive, not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Business of Joint Committee
Update from Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (7 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I congratulate the Minister of State on the great strides he has made as a Green Minister of State with responsibility for heritage and electoral reform and for the updates today. Two of my questions relate to the recent discussion we had here in the committee with the Heritage Council, with respect to the national policy on architecture, which the Deputy mentioned already. The others...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I thank the Minister of State for bringing forward this Bill. A crucial provision of the Bill is the introduction of indefinite tenures, which is a Green Party policy and a commitment we secured in the programme for Government. However, in a recent discussion with Father Peter McVerry, he had a very clear and frank message for us legislators, which is that we have to be far more radical...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I move amendment No. 3: In page 4, line 25, after "development" to insert "and does not materially contravene the development plan or local area plan relating to the area". The Minister and I have served as councillors, as have most Deputies present. I am fully aware of the significance and value of county development plans and the long hours or debate and consultation that goes with...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: From my experience in the architectural space, I know that developers tend to push the boundaries. They normally go beyond what development plans say can be done to see what they can get permission for. That makes this difficult. I will mention two recent examples of problems. In rural areas, An Bord Pleanála has given permission to developers to build large developments in areas...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I thank the Minister for his commentary. I am divided on this. From working in my area of the city in the past 20 years, I have seen multiple planning applications . They contain layer upon layer. I have experience in this so I can read through these things and organise them, but if you are going to get blank planning applications that are not going through, it will seriously confuse...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I move amendment No. 21: In page 7, to delete lines 28 to 30.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I will withdraw it in light of the Minister's response.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: That should have been withdrawn already.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: A circular issued in 2018 was interpreted by South Dublin County Council, at least, as prohibiting councillors from requesting a planning application or from being shown large ones. Mr. Paul Hogan from the Department told us a new circular would be issued to clarify the original document, or whatever you want to call it. In South Dublin County Council, we were not allowed to look at...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I move amendment No. 37: In page 10, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 37 of Principal Act 6. Section 37 of the Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 2A: “LRD Appeals 2B. The Board shall not grant permission for a LRD where the proposed development, or a part of it, contravenes materially...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I move amendment No. 39: In page 11, lines 5 and 6, to delete “in particular houses and duplexes” and substitute “including houses, duplexes and apartments”. This amendment very simply extends the definition of homeownership to include apartments. For many people apartments are their forever home and many choose to downsize as they get older by purchasing...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2021)

Francis Noel Duffy: I will be very quick. I broadly agree with the other Deputies on these amendments. To ensure an inclusive and transparent planning process, we believe that the LRD opinion, and the application documents, should be made available to the public on the planning authority's website within three days of the provision of the LRD opinion. I am not sure where that is going at the moment, but in...