Results 301-320 of 6,071 for speaker:Cian O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: 762. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will extend the roll-out of free period products to all higher education institutions including universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16537/24]

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I agree with the previous comments about the fees and public participation. I can see clearly in my constituency that when it comes to public participation, the fees are not a barrier for a significant cohort and then, in other areas where there are people are on low incomes, they are a barrier and obstacle and basically prevent the latter group from participating and giving their views on...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I wish to come in as well but can we go to vote?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I will come back in after Deputy Matthews.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I want to address the Minister of State's reply that the fees from public participation are to cover the costs. It is strange then that the fee for making a submission or observation to the council is €20 and €50 to An Bord Pleanála. Are we implying that the cost to An Bord Pleanála to process a submission is more than double that of a local authority? Is the board...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: That might make sense for the €200 fee in regard to An Bord Pleanála. That could be more complex. A €50 fee just to make an observation and for someone to effectively have his or her say in that process, when there is already an appeal going on and the complexities are already being looked at, is where it stands out to the €200 fee. Obviously, there is a higher...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Yes.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Yes, I would like to do that.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I move amendment No. 775: In page 298, to delete lines 23 to 39, and in page 299, to delete lines 1 to 25 substitute the following: “the authority or the Commission shall refuse to grant the permission concerned and notify the applicant accordingly.” This section of the Bill is about refusal of planning permission for past failures to comply. Can the Minister of State...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister of State for the reply. In it, he talks about striking a careful balance and fair procedure. Will he tell us how many times this provision has been used under the existing legislation? What is the balance here?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: It has been used, has it?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: You think so.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: The Minister of State thinks it has been used. I am not so sure it has ever been used.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: We are talking probably two or three times, something along those lines.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: If even; so it might have been used once. If this has almost never been used and might have been used once - I am not aware of that occasion when it was used - that is not striking a careful balance. It is quite extraordinary. These are circumstances where someone has carried out substantial unauthorised development, has been convicted of an offence under planning law or is not in...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I wish to raise a short point that is not directly related to this. The Minister of State’s predecessor, Deputy O’Donnell, gave a commitment to us during Committee Stage that the terms of reference of the ESRI study would be shared with this committee. He gave that commitment twice but it has not been shared with the committee yet. I ask the Minister of State to please follow...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: It is on the housing needs assessment. It is just that we were given that commitment twice, so if the Minister of State can follow up on that, it would be appreciated.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Not on a small point.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: It is my amendment. I do not see why other Deputies would come in at length on my amendment and I would have to be confined to a small point.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Perfect, thank you. I will be concise. People in communities where this is an issue, far from judge, jury and executioner being applied, would love to see even just one of those when it comes to these issues. My amendment does not seek to ensure that the planning authority or commission would be judge, jury and execution because I specifically leave in section 160(6), which is the...