Results 61-80 of 4,711 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I will do so. While I appreciate plans have been drawn up in the past, going back ten or 15 years, as I said the standards are such now and into the future, as the recast takes place, that the directive will be in force by the end of 2025. Member states will have to have it transposed by 2030, as far as I understand. That will create quite onerous targets in terms of not just tertiary but...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Deputy for raising this critically important issue. The supply of public water and the provision of water services in general are matters for Uisce Éireann in the first instance. Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. The Minister has no function regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has a long history of collaboration with academic institutions to support the delivery of its key functions. Strengthening links with research institutions is an objective of the NPWS Strategic Plan 2023-2025. NPWS is currently in discussions with a third level institution to develop, an approach to collaborative working to test and inform...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Article 12 of the Birds Directive (Directive 2009/147/EC) requires Member States to report “on the implementation of national provisions taken under this Directive”. The reporting requirements and format are specifically set out by the European Environment Agency and accepted by the EU Member States at each reporting interval, including detailed guidance documents on how exactly...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS) is the national programme for monitoring population trends of wintering waterbirds. The I-WeBS programme began in 1993 and is one of Ireland’s longest running bird monitoring programmes. It provides comprehensive national coverage, across over 250 wetland sites, including extensive coverage within Ireland’s network of waterbird Special...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: There is a large population of Teal (Anas crecca) that migrate to Ireland to ‘over-winter’ for the non-breeding period, and a relatively small population that breeds in Ireland and is considered resident. The Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS) is the national programme for monitoring population trends of wintering waterbirds and the habitats they use. The I-WeBS is delivered...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (23 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The UNECE Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) requires Parties to prevent, control and reduce transboundary impact, use transboundary waters in a reasonable and equitable way and ensure their sustainable management. While Ireland intends to accede to the Convention, there is no agreed timetable to do so at this...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Policy (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The intention and work of the Government is to end the dependency on HAP. A total of 16,000 families have transferred from HAP to permanent accommodation solutions. That is to be noted. The Government has built more social houses in the past four and a half years than in the past 50 years. I was a member of a local authority for 16 years. I remember distinctly during that time when a...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Policy (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an cheist seo. I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 , 67 and 69 together. Supporting individuals and families facing homelessness is a priority for Government. Critical to supporting households to exit homelessness is increasing the supply of housing. Almost 12,000 new social homes were delivered in 2023, through build, acquisition and...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógail) - Other Questions (Resumed): Housing Policy (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputy has raised the issue in Galway city on many occasions in the Dáil in recent years. Galway City Council is the housing authority and, through the ambition of the housing strategy, will be met with funding from Government. That has been the consistent approach we have taken with all local authorities. Considerable progress is being made in addressing homelessness,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógail) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Defective Building Materials (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I see what the Deputy is saying. There have been a number of cases like this. Those cases are not uniform and every homeowner has different issues. As I said in the original response, the replication of the house is a like-for-like dwelling. However, given there are significant issues involving a young disabled child, I ask that the Deputy would bring the issues forward to the Department...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógail) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Defective Building Materials (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: As I said, there is flexibility in terms of the footprint.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógail) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Defective Building Materials (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: If the Deputy will furnish the details to the Department, we will look at it. That is the best way I can respond at this stage. As the Deputy said, there are serious considerations. No two cases are alike. Again, we would appreciate it if the Deputy could provide the details and we can then give consideration to it.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógail) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Defective Building Materials (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. As the Deputy is aware, the defective concrete blocks, DBC, grant scheme is neither a redress nor a compensation scheme, rather a grant scheme of last resort to enable affected homeowners to remediate homes. The scheme facilitates the remediation of existing houses that have been damaged by the use of defective concrete blocks. The construction of new...

Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. There is very little I can disagree with in anything they have said.

Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I will say the point critically here. We are at the end of a political cycle and we can see the quietness around Leinster House today. This is a three-party coalition. There is no commitment in the programme for Government on Seanad reform. It is not there. Critically from all of our perspectives, it is important as we look towards our manifestos for the upcoming general election to...

Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to bring the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024 before the House. There are three main components in the Bill. First, it proposes a significant extension of the franchise for electing the six “University” members of Seanad Éireann to graduates of designated institutions of higher...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Housing for All commits to delivering a total of 18,000 Cost Rental homes over the period to 2030. As of Quarter 2 this year, more than 2,180 Cost Rental homes have been delivered since the launch of the new tenure in late 2021, and a very strong pipeline of future delivery is now in place. The continued development of Cost Rental homes is supported by my Department through a mixture of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 provided for the development of a deposit protection scheme to be operated by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). However, significant changes have taken place in the rental market since this legislation was passed. It should be noted that, unlike many other jurisdictions examined, Ireland already has a well-established quasi-judicial dispute...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (22 Oct 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act), which was commenced on the 22 of June 2023, contains the enhanced grant scheme and the related Regulations were adopted on the 29 of June 2023. The DCB Scheme is neither a redress nor a compensation scheme, rather it is a grant scheme of last resort to enable affected homeowners remediate their...