Results 21-40 of 6,031 for speaker:Cian O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: 211. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will look into practical issues applicants are experiencing with the vacant property refurbishment grant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17094/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: 228. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will reconsider classifying Covid-19 as an occupational illness, as has been recommended in many EU member states; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17095/24]

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: In follow up to that, it relates to all of our amendments here and certainly to amendment No. 954, that overall question of the changes proposed here, what are the problems that is trying to be solved? What is the evidence for it? What data is there? Can that data and evidence be shared with the committee? What is the intended impact of the changes? What analysis has been done on the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: The questions I asked were these. What are the problems here that are trying to be solved? What is the supporting evidence or data for the changes proposed? What is the intended impact of the changes proposed? What outcome is envisaged? What analysis has been done on the predicted effects of each change? If analysis has been done and there is data, will it be shared with us? It is...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Regarding the speed of the judicial review process, I cannot for the life of me understand, given the importance of housing and key infrastructure, why the Government simply does not appoint a sufficient number of High Court judges to speedily look at judicial reviews. Overall, as a society, the gain we would get for this would be well worth it rather than bringing forward changes that will...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: I have one follow-up question based on-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: No. It is based on the answer. I am trying to find out whether there is data.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: First, the Minister of State told us, and I think this is correct, that any research undertaken was fed into the review undertaken by the Attorney General’s office.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: However, that is vague. That does not tell me whether research was undertaken, who undertook it or what sort of research was undertaken by the Department. If it was undertaken by the Department, why can that research not be shared with us? We would then see some of the data and evidence we are looking for that informs this. We know the Attorney General’s legal advice will not be...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Have the Department and the ministerial team seen that research?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: But the Minister of State will not share it with us.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: He could. That is a decision of Government not to share the research that informs this.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: My view is that legal advice and research are two separate things. Us looking to see the research on this is entirely legitimate. I think if it were put in the public domain, we might understand some of the rationale here and so forth. I have a question on this. The European Union Court of Justice in the Puškár judgment made clear the need to evidence any changes in EU law...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: The Government will not provide the evidence to make clear these changes that are needed as per the Puškár judgment. Is that the situation? We will not be provided with it.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: Respectfully, when it comes to legislation, it should not be a matter of imagination, but hard data, evidence and facts. That is what we have been asking the Minister of State for. We do not want people imagining things. We just want to see what the data and evidence are. Will he provide them to us? Can the legislation and the changes the Government is making be justified by hard data...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: The proposed changes to judicial reviews and the data we are seeking now.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: The Minister of State said he is satisfied that this proposal is Aarhus compliant and that the Attorney General has told the Department it is compliant, which is the standard response when I raise anything to do with Aarhus. We are told that the Attorney General has looked at this and that it is Aarhus compliant. Has the Attorney General specifically looked at the Aarhus Convention...