Results 761-780 of 4,773 for speaker:Paudie Coffey

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Planning Issues (13 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: I am informed by Kildare County Council that the arbitration process in respect of the stalled development at Naas Town Centre has not yet concluded. As indicated in the reply to the Topical Interest Debate of 11 November 2015, the management of the development in question is primarily a matter for Kildare County Council in the first instance, and it would be inappropriate for me to...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites (13 Jan 2016)

Paudie Coffey: The Derelict Sites Act 1990 requires local authorities to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site. To this end, local authorities have been given substantial powers under the Act in relation to any such sites, including powers to require...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: Government amendments Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, were passed by the Dáil yesterday. They relate to sections 2 and 3 of the Bill and have been grouped together for discussion. These are primarily minor or technical in nature and I will address them in turn. Section 2 of the Bill inserts a new provision in section 28 of the principal Act to indicate that guidelines issued by the Minister...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The second group of amendments comprises amendments Nos. 7 and 21. Amendment No. 7, which is of a technical nature, amends section 168 of the Principal Act, which relates to the preparation of a draft planning scheme for strategic development zones, SDZs. Amendment No. 21 is also a technical amendment to two sections in Part XAB of the Principal Act relating to appropriate assessment,...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: These amendments, which are primarily technical, relate to sections 4 and 5 of the Bill. They do not change the intention of the provisions but rather provide for either technical or minor amendments or amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency. Sections 4 and 5 provide, respectively, for the process to be followed for the modification of a SDZ planning scheme while it is going...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I recognise the mandate of local councillors and their importance, given their power in drafting and adopting county, local area, conservation and other plans. Ministerial directions are rare, and the rarer, the better. We are adopting national planning frameworks and have regional plans under which we are trying to direct investment and public policy decision-making towards appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board Administration (17 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented residential sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board Administration (17 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established in September 2004 under the Residential Tenancies Act. The PRTB’s funding is derived primarily from a proportion of the fee income accruing from tenancy registrations, as set down by Ministerial Order. The Board is currently entitled to retain 80% of the registration fee income to fund its activities, with 20% going to fund...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Priory Hall Development (17 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: In so far as my Department is concerned, the contracting authority for any work of this nature would typically be a local authority, in this case Dublin City Council (DCC). The specific information sought is, therefore, not available within my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board Staff (17 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) is an independent statutory body established on 1 September 2004 under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The Act regulates the landlord/tenant relationship in the private rented residential sector and the PRTB is charged with the administration of the Act including, inter alia, the resolution of disputes. Details of the PRTB’s income...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Private Residential Tenancies Board Staff (17 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The primary functions of the Board are to operate a national tenancy registration system and to resolve disputes between landlords and tenants in the private rented residential sector. Section 159 of the Act provides for a Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC)...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I move amendment No. 3:In page 3, line 19, to delete “requirements of”.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I move amendment No. 4:In page 3, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following:“(b) in subsection (2) by inserting the following after paragraph (a):“(aa) When making its decision in relation to an application under this section, the planning authority shall apply, where relevant, specific planning policy requirements of guidelines issued by the Minister under section...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: They are generous.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: They are not.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: The Deputy’s colleagues want 100% ghettoisation.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I again thank the Deputies for this debate which is interesting, relevant and important. I acknowledge that the amendments are made with good intentions. I have no issue with that but Government considers it is important that we get the balance right. We consider that minimum standards must be generous and they do compare quite well with other areas, as I have already stated. We must also...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: One of Sinn Féin's Deputies said that on Second Stage. Does the Deputy realise that?

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: I thank the proposers of the amendments for giving us the opportunity to have this debate, which has been very interesting and wide-ranging. It has touched on many aspects of the issue of housing and apartments, not only in terms of the standards and regulations that apply but also in regard to how they are financed, all of which are pertinent issues in the wider debate. Deputies...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2015)

Paudie Coffey: He does not acknowledge the investment the Government, for the first time in many years, is making in social housing. We are doing that through the local authorities and through the affordable housing bodies. The Deputy does not recognise that and, while he is entitled to take that view, I believe he is clouded in that respect. Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issue of passive housing in...