Results 6,141-6,160 of 26,666 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Embodied Carbon in construction materials makes a significant contribution to the lifetime carbon emissions of new buildings. These embodied carbon emissions are being addressed by the Climate Action Plan, the review of the EU Construction Products Regulation and the review of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). Whilst all new dwellings are A2 rated with regards to their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: On 7 December 2022 the Government approved the publication of the General Scheme of the Registration of Short-Term Tourist Letting Bill (STTL Bill) and the priority drafting of the Bill which provides for the establishment of a new registration system for short-term lettings to be operated by Fáilte Ireland in line with the commitment under Housing for All - A New Housing Plan for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Election Management System (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Local authorities, in their capacity as registration authorities, are responsible for the management and maintenance of the electoral register. It is their duty, as far as possible, and with the cooperation and engagement of the public, to ensure a complete and accurate register of electors. While every resident over 18 is entitled to be included on the register of electors, it is a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Fire Service (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department supports fire authorities by establishing policy, setting national standards for fire safety and fire service provision, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects and the procurement of essential frontline fire appliances, ancillary vehicles and equipment....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputies. They have outlined briefly the rationale for supporting co-ordination for land-sea interactions with a legally compliant approach to maritime spatial planning and legally compliant maritime spatial plans”. That provision is already in the Maritime Area Planning Act, which this Oireachtas debated at length. Deputies will recall that Members had different views...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: As I said in my opening remarks, it is already covered in the Bill. That interaction is already covered in Section 19(2)(e) which refers to "providing for land-sea interactions and securing coordination with the National Marine Planning Framework". The maritime spatial plans would sit under that and they are governed by the Maritime Area Planning Act. They are legally bound to do so...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The word "coordination" is actually in the amendment and in the Bill.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: It has to be compliant because it sits under the framework. A marine area plan must be compliant with the national marine planning framework. That is the hierarchy of plan making. Effectively, it is already covered. I think we are splitting hairs here, to be frank. The Marine Area Planning Act for the first time sets out the national marine planning framework and this whole section deals...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Amendment No. 151 is the Cathaoirleach's amendment. Will I respond to amendment Nos. 148 and 151?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: That is okay. I thank the Deputies for their amendments. I will say to Deputy Boyd Barrett that there is no question when we detail things in legislation, as we have done in the most significant reform of our planning legislation, that anything within this is lip service. It is not. It sets down in law what is required. The definitions, though, are something we discussed at length last...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: No, 19(3)(d)(iv) in the Bill refers to archaeological, architectural and natural heritage. That covers it very well, i mo thuairim, but I did say that we would look it and I stated that already.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I have not agreed to anything. Well done, if you drafted and worded it yourself, Cian. I think is a fantastic job. Being serious, I get the point that the Deputies are trying to make here around the biodiversity and aspects of the Bill, which are very important. We want to make sure they are right. I have given the commitment as well to look at that in advance to see where we can...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: We could name many other things of which the same is true. However, I agree with the Deputy on that point.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank Deputies for their contributions. I will try to cover them as best I can. I will start at the beginning with regard to the restoration. I have already addressed what we are doing on the biodiversity front. I am not going to repeat that; we will come back to it. The amendments around the national planning framework, NPF, requirement regarding conservation of the environment and...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank members. On Deputy Duffy's point, I do not think we can speak in isolation on the nature restoration law because a national nature restoration plan will flow from that. That is going to be very exacting, by the way. My Department has interacted on that and I am not sure that people understand the import of it. It is needed. There has been a lot of political debate on it and there...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The plans are at a lower level and are already provided for. The plans-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I have always supported nature restoration, and so has the Government.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Ní féidir liom an leasú seo a ghlacadh. I have said that already. I said that we would have a national plan that would flow from the nature restoration law, which is very important, but I will come back on Report Stage to further strengthen definitions concerning biodiversity. We have discussed this at length and I cannot be clearer. I am not accepting the proposal as it...