Results 1,761-1,780 of 8,167 for speaker:Peter Burke

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank Senator Byrne for raising this, which is a very important and pressing issue in society. It is true to say we are seeing an increase in the number of people accessing emergency accommodation and the situation is proving very challenging. The Government, local authorities and those in the NGO sector are making every effort to prevent and protect those at risk of homelessness....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Provision (9 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: I assure the Senator that we will continue to monitor all those metrics in the Department. We have a huge challenge in the winter months in terms of the security of tenancies but the fact that the temporary no-fault eviction ban is in place gives us time to increase the supply. That is the key area. We are trying to increase right over our cities and rural areas the supply of housing,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (9 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank Senator Ahearn for raising this important matter again. I had the pleasure of visiting Kickham Barracks and the site and know the huge work being done there. As the Senator said, almost all the Cabinet were down to see it and I have no doubt that will bear fruit in the future. The Minister, Deputy Harris, was eager to be here to respond directly but, unfortunately, had to attend...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (9 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank the Senator for putting that passionate and detailed case in relation to Kickham Barracks. It is an excellent site, as I said when I visited. URDF is due to open again shortly. That is a competitive process but we supported that project in the past.One of the key matters arising from the first successful call and, in particular, the last call that was unsuccessful was that we...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Transport Authority (9 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I hear the frustrations he has quite rightly articulated in respect of his community and decisions that were taken. Public consultation should be at the core of decision-making processes of all State agencies. There are a number of different ways in which the NTA meets with elected public representatives to discuss public transport projects. At...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Transport Authority (9 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: I again thank the Senator for outlining the position in his community regarding the projects and the NTA. I will absolutely go back to the Minister. I always report back to senior Ministers when an issue comes up during engagements with Senators, especially when there are concerns in the context of State agencies liaising with public representatives. This is a very important issue. During...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Local Authorities (9 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank both Deputies for giving me the opportunity to outline funding and Government support for local authorities, with particular reference to Galway County Council. Across all schemes and funding sources, my Department provided €82.9 million in 2020, €84.4 million in 2021 and €24 million to the end of September 2022 to Galway County Council. Included in this is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Local Authorities (9 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: In the first instance, the €2.75 million is for Galway alone, not other local authorities throughout the country. That is a recognition of the total allocation of €12.8 million for 2023. That is a significant allocation by the Government at a time when moneys are, as we know, difficult to raise in the current circumstances. I acknowledge Galway County Council is doing work...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Reviews (9 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: The Review and Consolidation of the Planning & Development Act 2000, is progressing in line with timeline set out by the Office of the Attorney General, who is leading on the project and it is expected that the draft Bill will be brought to Government before the end of the year. Intensive engagement between the working group, the Department and other stakeholders with regard to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Public Appointments Service (9 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: My Department advised the Public Appointments Service (PAS) of the requirement to hold a recruitment competition for a replacement permanent Chief Executive in Galway County Council.  It is a matter for PAS to put the necessary recruitment arrangements in place and in this regard I understand that the post was recently advertised by PAS on www.publicjobs.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Properties (8 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: The Derelict Sites Act 1990 imposes a general duty on every owner and occupier of land, including a statutory body or a State authority, to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the land does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site. The Act also imposes a duty on local authorities to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as Minister I am specifically precluded from exercising power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Flexible Work Practices (8 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: My Department has undertaken a wide variety of initiatives aimed at making the role of the councillor as flexible and inclusive as possible. Through funding research, providing supports to organisations that deliver capacity building and training, and annual calls for funding for both local authorities and political parties, my Department is working to make the role of the councillor more...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Community Employment Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes, in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The Commissioner of Valuation has responsibility for valuation matters. While some property and land is exempt, most...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: It is important to note the role of the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) in the overall plan making process. One core function of the OPR is the independent assessment of all local authority and regional assembly statutory plans, including county and city development plans, local area plans (LAPs) and regional spatial and economic strategies (RSESs). The OPR provides observations and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (the Act), I am specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be concerned. This includes the Section 254 licensing process. This question is asking for an interpretation of the Law which is a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Process (8 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: The General Scheme of the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022 was approved by Government on 27 July 2022 and is published herewith on the Government website: www.gov.ie/en/publication/4258f-general-scheme-of-local-gove rnment-maternity-protection-and-other-measures-for-local-aut hority-elected-members-bill-2022/. The Bill...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: It is important to note the role of the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) in the overall plan making process. One core function of the OPR is the independent assessment of all local authority and regional assembly statutory plans, including county and city development plans, local area plans (LAPs) and regional spatial and economic strategies (RSESs). The OPR provides observations during...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (8 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: The Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) is a new tax that was introduced in Finance Act 2021. It applies to land that is both zoned as suitable for residential development and is serviced. The RZLT is an annual tax, which will be first due in 2024 in respect of land which met the relevant criteria on or before 1 January 2022 and which is reflected on the map to be published by local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (8 Nov 2022)

Peter Burke: Article 156 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended (the Regulations), states that a fee shall be paid to a planning authority by an applicant when making a planning application. Class 1 of Part 12 of Schedule 9 to the Regulations sets the amount of the fee payable in respect of a planning application for the provision of a house at €65. Class 12 of Part 12 of...