Results 1,301-1,320 of 2,967 for speaker:James O'Connor

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: I want to ask about and bring to the attention of the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the passport applications that are unsuccessful and the administrative issue that arises where an unsuccessful application is notified quite late in the process. The process does not necessarily allow applicants to amend the errors and there is a lack of an efficient and effective system in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: The reason this is being raised is that we all know about the chaos that ensues when something goes wrong with a passport applications. As Deputies, we were all inundated with queries about that and the Minister's answer is perfectly justified in terms of the backlog that is there and that we are dealing with post Brexit, with people seeking Irish citizenship and passports, as well as the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: Maybe there is not a backlog as such but the processing times for the applications, particularly for first-time applications, are what I am coming at. I accept there are systems in place and I acknowledge the fantastic and phenomenal work that is being done by officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs to try to cut down on waiting times, and some turnarounds have been as short as a...

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: The position relating to the processing rate is quite interesting. I would like to get some further information on that. Ms Buckley speaks of the need for a rate of 300 decisions per month. Where does it stand at moment?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: For the benefit of the public, this is really interesting information. Those decisions obviously vary form apartment complexes in city centres to-----

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: -----John who has an issue with his next door neighbour's extension.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: How does An Bord Pleanála differentiate in the context of what needs to be prioritised? Is it about where they are in a queue? Can Ms Buckley say that, within the organisational structure, she can go in and has the capacity and decision-making ability now to be able to differentiate between the smaller cases, dare I say, nimbyism, versus that of large-scale housing development that is...

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: It is as much about the objector as it is about the person in that process. I genuinely believe it is a point worth making given the context of where we are right now today where there are tens of thousands of units-----.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: How many fines did An Bord Pleanála have to pay in 2021 or the previous year?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: That gives an indication of just how big a problem it is and gives context to it

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: Ms Buckley is relatively new to her role. I do not want to be overly critical, but I want to tease this out. It is deeply helpful for us in the Oireachtas to know what is going on.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: An Bord Pleanála hopes to get from a processing rate of 90, as Ms Buckley said, up to about 300 per month.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: That includes everything, not just the new housing estates or the new Department development statistics. It is back to the nitty-gritty.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: Perhaps it needs to be legislated for. Ms Buckley made reference to that. Is there a system or a way of segregating new housing developments from individual planning complaints and concerns so they are not all in one bundle? Having all those developments lodged in with the small-scale issues is to me unacceptable. I cannot see from a financial point of view how that stacks up or...

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: I would love to get a definitive answer on that point.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: I do not take away from that. Obviously, staffing is the issue. Did Ms Buckley said the board had gone to 209 staff?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: From what?

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: In terms of the proportion of work that has come before the board, that is nowhere need where it needs to be.

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: On the interaction between An Bord Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator, OPR, I understand, from my limited time in local government and from people I speak to with vastly more political experience in the area of planning, that there is a concern that the OPR has a growing and growing remit. In this year’s round of county development plans, it intervened in the draft...

Public Accounts Committee: An Bord Pleanála - Financial Statements 2021 (27 Apr 2023)

James O'Connor: If the Department wants to comment, it would be welcome.