Results 1,701-1,720 of 4,716 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Animal Culls (1 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department’s National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is responsible for the implementation of a suite of National and EU legislation in relation to invasive alien species in Ireland. There are currently 76 species listed on the Third Schedule to the 2011 Birds and Natural Habitats Regulations (Ireland's de facto national list of invasive alien species) and 88 species on the EU...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Biodiversity Plan (1 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Ireland's 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) 2023-2030 was published last week and sets out Ireland’s vision for biodiversity, that by 2050 “Biodiversity in Ireland is valued, conserved, restored and sustainably used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people”. The Plan strives for a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (1 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 278, 290 and 291 together. Wildlife crime is a serious issue seen across many jurisdictions that poses a threat to our biodiversity and the sustainable development of countless communities. Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity contribute to the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework through National Biodiversity Action...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (1 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department employs a range of administration, professional and technical and industrial staff across a number of grades. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) is responsible for conducting the recruitment process for both administration and professional and technical staff. My Department conduct the recruitment process for all industrial...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: World Heritage Sites (1 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The process to inscribe a Tentative List site on the World Heritage List takes a number of years (minimum of five years) and is dependent on various factors. Each Tentative List site is different and, depending on its complexity, will progress through the nomination process at a different pace. As the Transatlantic Cable Ensemble Tentative List site is a "serial transnational" application...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Quality (30 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: In accordance with a key commitment in the Programme for Government, a new revised and strengthened River Basin Management Plan will outline the national policies and high-level goals that will protect and restore our natural waters and will advance Ireland’s implementation of the Water Framework Directive. My Department is currently finalising the third River Basin Management Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (25 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Community Monuments Fund for 2024 was announced in November 2023. The closing date for applications to my Department is 14 February 2024 and it is expected that the awards will be announced around the second week in April.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (25 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Ireland's 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) 2023-2027 is published today and sets out Ireland’s vision for biodiversity, that by 2050 “biodiversity in Ireland is valued, conserved, restored and sustainably used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people”. The Plan strives for a “whole of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (24 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist seo a ardú. I thank the Deputy for bringing the question forward. We were wandering the roads of Sligo together last Friday. I thank him for the hospitality shown to me last week. I understand the Deputy’s question relates to the community involvement scheme which provides financial assistance to local communities for repairs...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (24 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: As I recall from my time on a local authority, the LIS similarly was always oversubscribed. There are very good schemes just like the CIS. Given the scale of our rural roads network, demand will always exceed supply. We understand that the road network suffers deterioration over time and these impacts are felt by communities especially on more lightly trafficked public roads that serve...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Sports Facilities (24 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputy has made a good suggestion. I will take it back to the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne. Critically, it would be important that DCC would engage with the clubs and try to find a solution, particularly when incidents such as this occur because they can leave a pitch unplayable for quite some time. The capital grants I spoke about will allow the works to be carried out on these...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Sports Facilities (24 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, who has noted with dismay the reports of recent vandalism and damage to the sports facilities in Dublin. I saw some of the reporting on it myself. It was more than superficial damage, from my view of it. I cannot stress enough the importance and value of such facilities to local communities. The maintenance...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (24 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The function of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, under the National Monuments Acts, 1930-2014 is to ensure the long-term conservation of national monuments. Kilmainham Gaol is a national monument in their ownership and they are responsible for policy to ensure its long-term conservation and for the issue of Ministerial Consent under the Acts with respect to works at or...

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

Malcolm Noonan: The National Parks & Wildlife Service in my Department are currently looking into the establishment of a stakeholder forum on the sustainable hunting of protected wild birds. Details of any such forum, including the scope and membership, will be communicated to the relevant stakeholders in due course.

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

Malcolm Noonan: Waterways Ireland is a North/South Implementation Body established under the British Irish Agreement of 10 April 1998. It is funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland. The information requested in relation to the protocol for supply of electricity to boats on Lough Derg during the winter months is not held in my Department. Arrangements have been...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wastewater Treatment (23 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: There are currently three separate Domestic Waste Water Treatment System (DWWTS) grant schemes available to householders. The purpose of the grants is to provide financial assistance to householders to repair or upgrade their defective DWWTS, commonly called septic tanks. In order to avail of the grants, householders must have failed an inspection under the National Inspection Plan and be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service (18 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Gortacullin Bog is designated as a Natural Heritage Area (NHA) under Section 18 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, by Order S.I. 434/2005. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has not undertaken a targeted study of habitat for grouse in this NHA. The 2021/22 National Red Grouse Survey adopted a landscape-level sampling approach that included a sample site in Gortacullin Bog. The survey...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Marine Protected Areas (18 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Government is committed to achieving 30% Marine Protected Area (MPA) coverage of Ireland's Maritime Area by 2030, in line with the Programme for Government, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and a number of International initiatives such as the UN post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. To this end my Department has been working in close collaboration with parliamentary drafters...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Priorities (18 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: In respect of acquiring or accepting properties, my Department acquires heritage structures and monuments, which are either of national importance or strategic importance, from time to time as resources and opportunities permit. Usually this is in the interests of the preservation, conservation and management of monuments or sites. Such acquisitions are considered within the context of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Quality (17 Jan 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: That work has to be carried out.