Results 1,861-1,880 of 25,975 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Referral to Select Committee (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)(a) and 181(1).

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank all Deputies for their engagement. I believe we have had roughly seven hours of debate. I thank the officials in the Department and the planning officials here who have done an extraordinary body of work. That has to go on the record. Deputy Fitzmaurice is still in the House. I shall approach my response through the Bill itself. It is important to say that while the Deputy...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: We want people to live in rural Ireland. We want the schools to be populated. We want rural towns and rural villages to do well. Under European Union law we must comply with the habitats directive. We are currently doing an update on the national planning framework. We are meeting with the planning advisory forum, which I chair. We have a body of work commissioned with the Economic...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I do not know the Deputy's cousin Vinny but I know of a film called "My Cousin Vinny".

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Deputy is forgetting that Vinny won the case.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: Vinny won the case.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: CEO.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Deputy can write to me in confidence.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Bill deals with all aspects of planning. It is the framework. It will cover urban, rural and towns - the entire spectrum. We are discussing planning in the overall context. It will apply to all locations, urban and rural. I wish to make that point of clarification.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: No doubt to the interest.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: You have the full slot.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is, yes.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I note both points the Deputy has raised. Have the engineers been in contact with the Department on that issue? We do not appear to have received anything specifically on the issue to date. If there is a particular issue, the Deputy might bring it to our attention. More particularly, the engineers might make contact with us. I know the issue came up at a meeting of the Joint Committee on...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Deputy. A body of work on the issue of environmental and climate savings within building, and the employment of modern methods of construction, is under way in the Department. I cannot give the Deputy a formal response as to whether we have engaged with the particular group she mentioned. I will follow up on the issue and revert to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The local authority affordable purchase fund can be used by the LDA in conjunction with the local authorities. That is there and that is its intended use. The local authorities and the LDA can partner up and funding can be provided under the local authority affordable purchase fund. Many local authorities are already seeking expressions of interest from potential purchasers under the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The local authorities identify schemes and seek expressions of interest. Deputy Bruton is making a more general point. Some local authorities would be doing it already but the Deputy makes a very good-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: That is correct although in some cases they advertise beforehand. I have seen some local authorities advertise schemes in advance of them being built. They identify schemes and before they are built, they advertise them. The Deputy's general point is well made though and is something on which I will follow up.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Deputy. The Housing Act 1966 provides for the charging of rent by local authorities on social housing tenancies. Rents are based on household income levels, with those on lower incomes paying lower rents. This system is known as the differential rents system. It is a critical piece of the State's welfare apparatus, subsidising housing costs and supporting households who cannot...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: The differential rent scheme was, as the Deputy said, designed to provide rent at an affordable rate to tenants and provide income to local authorities to ensure they can maintain those properties. That has not changed and remains the model. One of the reasons we are doing a review of the differential rent scheme is to deal with the inconsistency between local authorities. The Deputy will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (7 Dec 2023)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Deputy. Carers do great work and the people for whom they care are hugely important. The Deputy has raised the issue in her constituency of Clare. We welcome the submission from Family Carers Ireland. It is something we will take into account in our scoping and review exercises. We want to ensure we bring about consistency in the schemes. I take on board the points the...