Results 101-120 of 2,750 for speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Environmental Policy (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1224, 1225 and 1226 together. Under my remit as Minister of State, my Department convened a meeting of officials which included, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) along with Wexford County Council, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) to establish an oversight group for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Welfare (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1229 and 1230 together. Under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, Member States are required to report to the European Commission on the National Conservation Status of all habitats and species listed in the Annexes of that directive. This reporting cycle is every six years and Ireland has just submitted the fourth assessment to the Commission. As the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: My Department funds a range of grant schemes for the repair and conservation of protected structures and monuments, which may be of relevance to assist in the conservation of these historic sites. The National Built Heritage Service (NBHS) provides financial support for the protection of eligible heritage buildings and historic structures through the Built Heritage Investment Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: My Department does not keep a record of qualifications held by all staff members, and accordingly there may be staff working in various roles who have a qualification in entomology but are working in other areas. The entry grade for recruiting technical and professional staff to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is Wildlife Inspector Grade III. The recruitment process for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Projects (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: National Heritage Week is funded and co-ordinated by the Heritage Council, which is a body under the aegis of my Department. I understand that National Heritage Week 2025 was very successful, with over 2,500 projects and events held nationally between 16 and 24 August. Over the next few weeks the Heritage Council will be correlating data related to National Heritage Week, such as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1295 and 1297 together. My role with regard to the protection and management of our architectural heritage is set out in the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), as are the roles of local authorities and the responsibilities of owners. Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, gives primary...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Heritage Sites (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1296 and 1298 together. The Community Monuments Fund (CMF) is administered through the Local Authorities by the National Monuments Service (NMS) of my Department and has a strong focus on community and voluntary groups. The CMF supports a range of initiatives to conserve, maintain, protect and promote local monuments and historic sites. This investment...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1306 and 1307 together. The EU’s Birds Directive requires all Member States to submit reports to the Commission on bird population status and trends, the pressures and threats acting upon them, the implementation of national provisions taken under the Directive, and the contribution of the network of Special Protection Areas to the objectives set...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Irish Wetland Bird Survey (I-WeBS) is Ireland’s national programme for monitoring population trends of wintering waterbirds and the habitats they use. The survey has been running for over 30 years. The I-WeBS count surveys are completed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), by professional staff of the survey service provider (under contract) and by a network of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Conservation (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I refer to my reply to Parliamentary Question no. 503 of 1 July 2025 and confirm that the position remains the same.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cross-Border Co-operation (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Narrow Water Bridge, when complete, will connect Cornamucklagh near Omeath, Co. Louth with Narrow Water near Warrenpoint, Co. Down, providing a direct link between the Mourne Mountains and the Cooley Peninsula. The project has a strong public profile and strong support from stakeholders on both sides of the border and is entirely funded via the Shared Island Fund. My Department is the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Cross-Border Co-operation (8 Sep 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The selection process and criteria for projects to receive Shared Island funding are a matter for the Department of the Taoiseach, who manage the Shared Island Fund. My Department, through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), is the lead on three nature restoration and biodiversity projects supported by the Shared Island Fund. They are Natura Communities; the Shared Island...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Register of Electors (17 Jul 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Senator for raising the general issue of fraudulent voting. He will understand and will not be surprised to hear that I cannot comment on individual cases, but I will make some general comments because I agree with him that fraudulent behaviour in the voting process strikes at the core of democracy. There are other issues as well. We all, as the Senator said, have put ourselves...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Register of Electors (17 Jul 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I agree with the Senator about the impact of fraudulent voting. It strikes to the core of our democracy, has a serious impact on the candidates who put themselves forward and adds to the stresses associated with election time. We all understand that. There has to be trust in the process, and there is. If there is not, it undermines everything. I disagree, however, in that I do not...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (10 Jul 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I am pleased to bring the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025 before the House. The main purpose of the Bill is to provide for targeted measures on a temporary basis to address unactivated permissions that are due to expire shortly, to ensure that the updated housing requirements in the revised national planning framework, NPF, can be incorporated into the planning system as...

Student Fees: Motion [Private Members] (8 Jul 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I am happy to join with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, and the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, to speak to this from a housing perspective because, obviously, that is another cost that is incurred by students. I want to outline what we will do in that regard. I thank all contributors to this evening's debate. The Government is very much aware of the costs that students and families may...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (8 Jul 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: In addition to the provisions the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, has outlined, the Bill also provides for amendments to the Act 2024 to clarify transitional arrangements as the planning system moves from operating under the 2000 Act to the new Act. The following approval of the revised national planning framework 2025, which will facilitate the delivery of in excess of 50,000 additional...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: This is a great opportunity to raise this issue. Absolutely. As the Minister has constantly said, the answer to providing more units is a jigsaw that involves so many different pieces, and it will include historical structures and older buildings. In the past, we have seen very imaginative developments where historical structures have been turned into apartments or other types of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy McGrath for raising this issue. On the back of him raising it here today, I will speak to the water directorate within my Department, which has a very close working relationship with Uisce Éireann, to ensure any measures that are being taken to get rid of this water discolouration are prioritised and taken as fast as possible. The Deputy will be well aware that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Management of Hospital Waiting Lists and Insourcing and Outsourcing of Treatment: Discussion (2 Jul 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I apologise to the witnesses but I will have to be quick because the time is reducing. I welcome them to the committee. I have spoken to Mr. Gloster before. My wife is a senior medical scientist in CUH. My sister-in-law is a psychiatric nurse. My sister is a radiographer. I go to family dinners on occasions with dread because all we talk about is the HSE. That said, they love their...