Results 1,701-1,720 of 7,166 for speaker:Cian O'Callaghan

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister for his response. When I drafted these amendments, I considered those issues around accessibility. Another way to tackle the issue could be that the provision could apply to applications for more than one unit. What sort of developer will put in an application for ten or 100 homes and not be able to do the application in this manner? I accept there will be some cases...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: The vast majority of people get their information with respect to planning applications online. That is when they have the opportunity to look at the drawings, plans and so forth and take a view on matters. Until that information is available, it is impossible for most of the public to participate. The clock starts to tick when the public, for the most part, does not have access to...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Does the Minister have stats on how long it takes planning authorities to get the documents online?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Okay.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I am pressing amendment No. 648.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I move amendment No. 649: In page 213, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “(2) The time period prescribed for making a submission will commence when the planning documents are made available to the public online.”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I will speak to amendments Nos. 668, 669, 671 and 672. Amendment No. 672 is a technical amendment consequential on the other three. If they pass, it is needed for consistency reasons. This is about where a planning authority seeks a time extension from an applicant and the applicant does not consent to that extension. This section says permission will be refused and the applicant can...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: One of the strongest recommendations from pre-legislative scrutiny, which came from a number of areas, was the strong pushback against the idea of fines for late decisions. This section, in effect, means there will be fines. It means there will be penalties for the planning authorities for late decisions. I thought the Government and Minister had listened to those recommendations from...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: During our pre-legislative scrutiny, one of the things that came through very strongly from multiple sources, including practitioners within the system, was that any form of fines, the equivalent of fines or financial disincentives for planning authorities will inevitably lead to two things. First, they will lead to applications that may have been granted permission being refused because...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I will make a couple of points. I want to respond to the Minister. There is an issue in that during pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill we heard from people working in this area, who gave us advice on it. We are now in a situation where the Minister is not accepting their advice or view, and that he knows best over and above people working in the area. They very clearly said that the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Sorry, but if the Minister is addressing staffing issues, I have a right to respond.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I have not come in on those issues previously.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I have finished that point. I am just saying if the Cathaoirleach is not going to stop the Minister talking about it, why is he stopping me?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Deputy Ó Broin and the Minister addressed this issue. Why would I not be allowed address it?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I have finished that point. My second point is there is a clear risk, and we were told this during the pre-legislative scrutiny process, that if financial penalties are conceded by a planning authority, it will not prioritise dealing with that case or application because it will prioritise dealing with other applications in front of it to minimise future financial penalties. That point also...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I move amendment No. 668: In page 220, to delete lines 19 to 27.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I move amendment No. 669: In page 220, to delete lines 28 to 39.