Results 1,501-1,520 of 26,006 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation (15 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998 provides that the role of my Department is to ensure that there are adequate structures and supports in place to assist housing authorities in providing accommodation for Travellers, including a national framework of policy, legislation and funding. The Act provides that housing authorities have statutory responsibility for the assessment of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reviews (15 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 117 together. Housing for All commits to reviewing the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme and a report on the review has been prepared by my Department. The review was informed by engagement with external stakeholders, including the Department of Health, the HSE, the Disability Federation of Ireland and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Urban Development (15 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: My Department and the Department of Transport (DoT) jointly established a working group in December 2021 under ‘Housing for All’ to consider opportunities for Transport Orientated Development (TOD) in major urban centres. The group comprises membership from my Department, DoT, the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the Land Development Agency (LDA). Transport Orientated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Housing for All commits to reviewing the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability scheme and a report on the review has been prepared by my Department. The review was informed by engagement with external stakeholders, including the Department of Health, the HSE, the Disability Federation of Ireland and the Irish Wheelchair Association. Written submissions were...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I apologise for being delayed. I thank the Acting Chair and Members for their indulgence. I will speak to amendments Nos. 40 to 46, inclusive, in the name of the Labour Party, Civil Engagement Group and Sinn Féin Senators as they have been grouped for discussion. These amendments relate to the requirement for the mayor to present a draft of the mayoral programme for consideration by...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Members for their contributions. Amendments Nos. 47 to 66, inclusive, have been grouped for discussion so I will speak about them as a whole. Amendments Nos. 47 to 50, inclusive, seek to change how council members and others are to be appointed to the advisory and implementation committee. The role of the committee will be to support the mayor in preparing and implementing their...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Amendments Nos. 75 to 80 on the transport subgroup are similar to the amendments proposed to section 33 and many of the same points apply. I feel that the membership of the subgroup as provided for is appropriate, so I do not propose to accept amendment No. 75. Amendment No. 76 seeks to include a representative of the Climate Change Advisory Committee in the subgroup. That committee was...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Yes. Just to give context, though-----

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Sorry.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: To give context, under the climate action legislation - to give it its formal name the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act, 2015 - section 14B of that Act requires that all local authorities are now required under a statutory basis to prepare climate action plans. Limerick City and County Council are currently preparing theirs. It is about to be finalised. It went out on...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I have given a commitment on that.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Amendment No. 81 proposes adding a new section in the Bill to empower the mayor of Limerick to apply for EU funding on behalf of Limerick City and County Council. Currently, EU funding applications are signed by the figures with the legal status to sign on behalf of their organisation, and this is in line with guidance issued by the European Commission. There is currently nothing in the...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: If I may, I would also like to acknowledge a former Member of the Houses, former Deputy Mary Upton, was previously in the Gallery about ten minutes ago and she left.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Amendment No. 82 proposes a new section authorising, subject to council approval, the mayor to enter into co-operation agreements with cities and municipalities in any country for the benefit of diplomatic, cultural, environmental, social and economic relationships. The amendment also proposes that co-operation of this nature can focus on participating in European Union projects. There is...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Absolutely. The mayor is a member of the chamber, it is 40 plus 1. He or she is accountable to the chamber and is in essence taking up a senior role within the chamber. He or she will be bringing forward proposals. Once again, it is hugely important in the spirit of co-operation and looking at local authorities around the world where having a directly elected mayor has worked, they have...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: If I may explain, it was put to the people that certain activities, such as staffing, administration of schemes, housing and general operational matters, would remain with the CEO. The CEO will continue to be the accounting officer, very similar to a Secretary General of a Department. Everything else moves to the mayor. The mayor will be responsible for bringing the annual budget to the...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: The director general. It is a change of title

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is the same role. Dare I say it, we can always look for the negative. The role was designed and put to the people. There is a similar role and relationship between a Secretary General of a Department, who is the Accounting Officer, and the Minister. It is virtually identical. This is a significant shifting of powers from the CEO, who will now be called the director general, to the...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Senator lived there for many years. He knows the city very well. I acknowledge the Senator's bona fides in the matter. There is one key element that was not discussed. There will still be the chamber of 40 councillors who have reserve functions. The mayor will be bringing proposals to the chamber. Their role remains unaffected, but it means that the mayor can drive policy on...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Amendment No. 83 proposes to place a statutory obligation on the mayor to act in a manner consistent with achieving the United Nations sustainable development goals, with a particular emphasis on goal 11 on sustainable cities and communities. It is important to note that Ireland's second National Implementation Plan for the Sustainable Development Goals 2022-2024 was developed in...