Results 181-200 of 6,031 for speaker:Cian O'Callaghan

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: That is great. I thank the Minister for that. I support amendment No. 892. It is an excellent amendment. There is a huge amount that can be done in the area of community-led housing organisations, housing co-operatives and community land trusts. I do not think anybody is suggesting that all housing supply will come from this, but it could be a hugely valuable part of housing supply....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I will be just one minute then. Is that-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I agree absolutely with Deputy Boyd Barrett that "undue segregation" implies that there is a due level of segregation. I do not believe any of us agrees with that. That wording should go and the amendment should be accepted. There is an issue, which I have brought to the Minister's attention before, of on-site segregation where Part V units are designed in a different way. I gave an...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank the Cathaoirleach. In a way amendments Nos. 897 and 898 are very similar. We have constructed them in slightly different ways. The Cathaoirleach has probably done it more efficiently. They both have the same objective. When I am speaking about amendment, No. 897 I also want to address amendment No. 909, which is related. Amendments Nos. 897 and 898 seek to include new language...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: The thing about wording in legislation is that it should be explicit and clear. The whole rationale of this Bill was originally that we wanted to have something clear that is easy to follow. Why say houses and duplexes? Duplexes is in the legal definition of houses as well, so why say houses and duplexes but not apartments? It states, "in particular houses and duplexes". It is very hard...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Are duplexes included in that definition?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Yes. Does that definition actually include apartment blocks specifically?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: What we want here is for the housing strategy to talk about the existing and likely need for future housing, including houses, duplexes and apartments, including for purchase by intending owner-occupiers. We want the housing strategy to explicitly cover that. If it is hidden in the definitions, we have every chance that, when we get the housing strategies from different areas, they will not...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Most people understand, in common language, and this is how they will read this Bill as well, that there are houses, duplexes and apartments. Duplexes are specifically mentioned. In Dublin last year, 72% of new builds were what are traditionally know as apartments. Much less than that were what are traditionally known as houses and duplexes. We have an awful lot of apartments getting...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: The OPC specifically advised to mention duplexes but not apartments?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Why does that advice then not apply to duplexes?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: As are duplexes, so why does that advice not apply to duplexes?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: We have been discussing amendment No. 909 but the Minister of State has not yet responded on it.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: It was linked.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: In the context of what I outlined, does the Minister of State accept there is a problem, which is that most new builds in Dublin are apartments? It was 72% last year. The bulk of them are not available for individuals or families to buy. Does the Minister of State accept it is a problem that a minority of people who want to right-size to apartments in communities where apartments go up are...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: My amendment allows for that.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: There has been some suggestion that my proposal to the effect that at least 50% of new-build apartments would be available for individuals and families to buy, except in cases of social and affordable housing, affordable rental or purpose-built student accommodation, could be a blunt instrument. However, the current situation is not working and is incredibly blunt. We are close to 0% of...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: On viability, not only does Part V assist with viability by putting downward pressure on land prices, it also helps with the viability of projects in terms of there being a certain percentage of guaranteed sales that the developer knows it will get. That helps with financing of the project and its entire viability because the developer is guaranteed 20% upfront sales. That helps developers...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Briefly, I want to strongly support these amendments. They are incredibly important. We are at a time when huge asks are being made of a lot of people with regard to climate change. For us to effectively not make similar asks of developers is completely inequitable, when you think of what other sectors are doing. The built environment is one of the biggest contributors to our carbon...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: It works very well when it is done, does it not?