Results 1,821-1,840 of 4,716 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (5 Dec 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department have been working with Galway County Council in relation to this project since 2016. It is a condition of the planning permission given by An Bord Pleanála that NPWS must agree to method statements relating to the Construction Stage prepared by Galway County Council. Two method statements prepared by Galway County Council,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Land Issues (5 Dec 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department occasionally purchases land for strategic and conservation purposes. Such acquisitions are considered on a case by case basis. In light of the commercial sensitivity of such considerations, I am not in a position to comment on individual sites.

Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (30 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the committee for the invitation to attend today. Since I was before this committee a year ago, my Department has undertaken a range of initiatives designed to assist the owners and occupiers of thatched buildings. It will take time for these initiatives to take full effect but I am confident that the steps we have taken will reduce the incidence of fire in thatched buildings and...

Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (30 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I might come in first and ask the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, to speak from her side. Since I was in here last, we have made significant progress, as the Deputy has heard from both of us. There has been really good collaboration. We are talking about very practical supports and advice to the owners of thatched properties. While it is a pilot scheme, it is intended to roll...

Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (30 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I will ask Daniel to come in on that if that is okay.

Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (30 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: The Senator referred to a number of issues as regards the styles of thatch and some properties being modernised inside or modern-ish buildings. I gave the example of the Thatch, in Cloneen, Tipperary. There are some fabulous older businesses still managing to operate from these buildings. There are a lot of traditional thatches where the owners have kept absolutely pure to the original...

Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (30 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: On the grants, we will not have a fuller picture as to the drawdown for a few weeks yet, but there has certainly been very good uptake of the grant schemes to date. The increases in recent years have proven very popular. There is always a challenge with sourcing skilled craftspeople and thatchers in particular. That is always an issue, as are materials. We need a certain degree of...

Committee on Public Petitions: Reform of Insurance for Thatched Heritage Buildings: Discussion (30 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Our Department circulated information on that core group of 320-odd thatched property owners to other thatched property owners to encourage wider membership and participation in the scheme. On the Cathaoirleach's second question, which was what we would say to the petitioner if she were here today, what we have outlined today represents significant progress since we were here last year. We...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No 7: In page 4, line 7, to delete “this Act” and substitute “this Act (other than section 5)”.

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No 8: In page 4, after line 8, to insert the following: “(3) The European Parliament Elections Acts 1992 to 2022 and section 5may be cited together as the European Parliament Elections Acts 1992 to 2023 and shall be construed together as one.”.

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No 9: In page 7, to delete lines 4 and 5 and substitute the following: Cork South-Central The city of Cork, except the parts thereof which are comprised in the constituencies of Cork North-Central and Cork North-West 5 Amendment No. 9 is intended to correct a typographical error in the specification of the constituency of Cork...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I concur with the Deputy. He made a valid point. I ask him and his party to make a submission regarding the research in question. It is a very important point, and it is something to which the commission could give consideration in its research programme next year.

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I thank Deputy Bacik for raising this particular issue. Amendment No. 3 proposes to insert a new subsection 3 into the section 3 of the Bill to require An Coimisiún Toghcháin to undertake detailed research within a period of 18 months from the enactment of the Bill on an appropriate reconstitution of electoral divisions in the State, and on the discontinuance of using former...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 4: In page 3, after line 30, to insert the following: “Amendment of European Parliament Elections Act 1997 5. The European Parliament Elections Act 1997 is amended—(a) in section 15, by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3):“(3) An area specified in the Third Schedule shall be taken to be that area as constituted on 1...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Again I agree with the points raised by the Deputy and I thank her for the constructive engagement. The research programme, as I have said, will be very broad and is as broad as the input which comes in from members of the public and from political parties. We would most certainly welcome any proposals around the size of Dáil constituencies, the fixed number of constituencies and there...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I thank Deputy Bacik for raising this issue. Amendment No. 3 proposes to insert a new subsection (3) into section 3 of the Bill to require An Coimisiún Toghcháin to undertake detailed research within 18 months of the enactment of the Bill on an appropriate reconstitution of electoral divisions in the State, and on the discontinuance of the use of the term "former rural...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 4: In page 3, after line 30, to insert the following: “Amendment of European Parliament Elections Act 1997 5.The European Parliament Elections Act 1997 is amended—(a) in section 15, by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3):“(3) An area specified in the Third Schedule shall be taken to be that area as constituted on 1...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: Again, I agree with the points raised by the Deputy and I thank her for the constructive engagement. The research programme, as I have said, will be very broad. It is as broad as the input that comes in from members of the public and political parties. We would most certainly welcome any proposals on the size of Dáil constituencies, the fixed number of constituencies and there is...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2023)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, line 7, to delete “Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017;” and substitute the following: “Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017; to give effect to European Council Decision (EU) 2023/2061 of 22 September 2023 establishing the composition of the European Parliament; and for that purpose to revise...