Results 161-180 of 18,724 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I do not know how this arises on the section as it now is, given that the amendment has been defeated, but in response to Senator Paddy Burke, it seems that to say there is no constraint on what councillors can or cannot propose by way of an amendment to a draft plan or insert into a plan is at variance with the experience of many councillors. Their experience is that the executive of a...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: Section 7(e) states that a material change of use includes "in respect of premises used for retail purposes, a change in use from a prescribed retail purpose to another prescribed retail purpose". Why does a change of use have to be from one prescribed use to another? For instance, if we do not want there to be an absolute right to run a fish and chip shop, why does it matter what kind of...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I am just saying whatever kind of thing-----

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: Through the Chair, I am suggesting that there probably are categories of things the Minister of the day will want to have a say on in this regard. If somebody wants to use a premises for a particular use, the Minister will make regulations stating that such an individual must get planning permission. I do not see how it matters what the premises were beforehand, however. That is the point...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: Whatever, yes.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: That is one example. I will take Senator Martin's point, however. For instance, a Minister may think that there should be planning permission for betting shops and fish and chip shops. Those are two things that a reasonable Minister might decide the residents of a road, or owners of neighbouring shops, have a right to be consulted on because the nature of those two businesses causes...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: It seems section 8 seeks to criminalise short-term lets in a rent pressure zone. It deals with the criminal aspect whereas section 7 deals with what amounts to a change of use. I do not think there is a conflict between the two.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I want clarity on this. Why is the first use being prescribed in order that the second use be prescribed? I want clarity and some explanation of why we are doing this. We are saying that a change from one prescribed use to another is a change of use, which will require planning permission. I want to know why it matters what it was before it becomes a settlement item. Maybe what we are...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: Previously prescribed in relation to this?

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I hope we get an explanation on Report Stage

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: A number of things arise in relation to section 8 as it stands. I know we are not discussing the section at this stage, but it is worthwhile to point out that it refers to short-term lettings and it defines them as "the letting of a house or a part of a house for any period not exceeding 14 days, and includes a licence that permits the licensee to enter and reside in the house or part...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: Let us suppose someone is a tenant of a house in Dublin and it is in a rent pressure zone. The individual and two others share the house and his two mates go off to the Continent for two months on holiday and that person is left with the house. As I read it, short-term letting means the letting of a house or part of a house or the licence of a part of a house. If that person takes in...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I have problems with section 11 which I think the Minister of State should take on board and reconsider this provision. I say that because we are on Committee Stage. There may be Report Stage and the whole Bill has to go back to the Dáil. There is time and no urgency to say this section cannot be looked at. This section reads: A relevant declaration shall be conclusive evidence of...

Seanad: Protection of Children (Online Age Verification) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister. I fully accept that the Bill could, on Second, Third and Fourth Stage, be improved and made more specific and the like. However, the principle of the Bill seems to have universal support in this House. The principle of age limits being monitored by domestic legislation in respect of other member states is already breached, if you like, in the Government's...

Seanad: Migration: Statements (10 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister to the House today. At the heart of this, we do have to call a spade a spade, as Senator Garvey said. There is an essential difference between migration and seeking international protection. They are not the same thing. Just as there are nasty people on the right in Ireland who are stoking up false fears abouts migration, the general replacement of the Irish and the...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I do not want to trade legal opinions with anybody else. I see what this section is attempting to do.I am not wholly opposed to what it is attempting to do, which is to secure that the Defence Forces appear to the citizenry of the country to be neutral on matters of politics, not get involved in party politics and the like. It is strange that, for instance, a reservist who is not on...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: It is also for human rights in Ireland. That is going to be considered a charitable purpose under legislation coming from the Government. It does not have to be outside of Ireland and it can be anywhere. The point I am making is that if a society is, for instance, supporting gay rights or LGBTQI+ rights, is that political or not political? Is an address to a society by any member of the...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Tánaiste. It occurs to me that it is a bit artificial that the Cabinet should be organising significant changes to the structure of the Defence Forces and here we are discussing a Bill that has some bearing on those matters and we do not have a complete picture of what is proposed. I appreciate that the Tánaiste said he intends to bring his proposals through the...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: It is Committee Stage.