Results 1,761-1,780 of 7,983 for speaker:Peter Burke

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (28 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: The Building Control Acts set out the statutory framework for the regulation and oversight of the design and construction of buildings. Currently, there are no plans to revise this Act. The Building Regulations apply to the design and construction of new buildings (including houses) and certain works to existing buildings. Their aim is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Reviews (28 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: The review and consolidation of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) is progressing in line with the timeline set out by the Office of the Attorney General, who is leading on the project. A Bill is expected to be brought to Government by the end of the year. The Attorney General has established a working group of planning law experts to assist him with the review and there is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (28 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: Statutory ‘Section 28’ ministerial guidelines for planning authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas (the ‘Sustainable Residential Development Guidelines’) were last issued in 2009.  The aim of these guidelines is to set out the key planning principles which should be reflected in development plans and local area plans, and which should...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (28 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: 204. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider introducing minimum core funding for family resource centres in counties Longford and Westmeath under the national family resource centre programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47382/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wind Energy Generation (27 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: My Department’s Foreshore Unit operates the consenting regime under the Foreshore Act 1933, managing the regulation of a range of different marine activities and infrastructural developments. The volume of applications made under the Act in recent years has grown significantly. In parallel, my Department is leading an extensive marine management reform programme, the likes of which the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (27 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: In January 2022, my Department communicated with local authorities that it is increasing the funding made available since 2018, to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office including a vacant homes officer in each local authority, from €50,000 to €60,000 per annum. This supports the commitment in Housing for All to ensure that the vacant homes officer role is full-time. The...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Gaeltacht Policy (27 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: The Interdepartmental Group (comprising of officials from my Department, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and Údarás na Gaeltachta) is in place to support and accelerate the ongoing work in relation to planning in Gaeltacht areas. One of the key aims of this interdepartmental group is to ensure that procedures and systems will be tailored, as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (27 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: The Department does not maintain information on un-commenced Part 8 planning permissions from the local authorities. We do, however, publish a range of information on the advancement of social housing programmes broken down by local authority. This includes programme level statistics on a quarterly basis on social housing delivery by the local authorities, with data up to the end of Quarter 1...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (27 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: 301. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to address the pay-scales and current pay rates of the community employment supervisors and assistant supervisors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46864/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: 332. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) qualifies for the benefit payment for 65-year-olds. [47182/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (27 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: 572. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on further information for agency roles working in the HSE; and their eligibility for the pandemic bonus payment. [47332/22]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Housing Policy (22 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 to 253, inclusive, together. Section 3A of the Planning and Development, Maritime and Valuation Act 2022 provides for the introduction of a new regulatory regime in relation to the short-term letting sector, specifically non-principal private residences advertised for letting in the designated Rent Pressure Zones. However, the provisions cannot come...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: I thank the members for affording us the time to come to the committee in relation to this pre-legislative scrutiny. I also thank the committee for the expeditious way it has dealt with this issue, notwithstanding how busy it is. My opening statement has circulated and I will outline a few points contained therein. A key priority of mine when I was appointed as Minister of State was to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: The Senator's points are very valid and well made. We are hoping to bring in legislation in relation to sick leave as well, with the explicit wording "will be absent due to illness or in good faith" to cover other areas the Senator referred to. This is important because if someone is undergoing chemotherapy or is very ill and has a protracted absence, it is very unfair that the council...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: I expect it will be operational from the enactment. We have regulations currently, which were advanced on in relation to that administrative support aspect. If a councillor chooses to remain in office but wants administrative support to carry out their functions over their maternity leave period, we will be bringing in regulations in tandem with the Bill for doing that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: As soon as the Bill is ready, we will publish both together. There will be a suite of measures to support it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: I have indeed. We are looking at approximately €230 per week of administrative support for local authority members on maternity leave that would help them with secretarial work if they so chose. There is a genuine fear held by some women that they do not want to step away from their role fully but need support like that. This support mirrors what Oireachtas Members get currently...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: That is the language we have inserted. I see that as coming into force if someone has a very significant reason that incapacitates them or if they are very ill. Going around the country, I have met people and seen a number of circumstances where the family of a very sick individual have had to request the local authority to extend their period of absence. Again, requesting a resolution of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: We will do it through the current vouch scheme we have for local authority members. What we did this year on foot of the reforms requested through the Moorhead report is we have brought about a fully transparent vouch system for all local authority members where they have to furnish invoices in respect of payments they give. It is through mirroring that system that we will be giving the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Peter Burke: My view is that they should be but that would obviously be at the request of the council. The local authority is the key decision-maker on what positions any elected member holds at any time, by resolution of the council. In terms of good faith, it would be hoped the positions of a councillor who is on maternity leave would fall into the place of an individual who is providing a role as a...