Results 61-80 of 1,864 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (27 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I am happy to provide an update on this matter. A response to the representations received issued on the 21 December 2023 providing details of where the club in question may apply for a permit to host an event in the Nature Reserve. I can confirm that a request for a permit has now been received in my Department and officials from the NPWS have advised me that they expect to issue a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Hedge Cutting (27 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I refer to my reply to Dáil Question no. 332 on 20 February which sets out the position in the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Hedge Cutting (27 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The dates for the cutting of vegetation and hedges are set down in primary legislation. Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976 prohibits the cutting of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August. As the dates are set out in primary legislation, I have no power or discretion to vary them. The dates may only be altered by primary legislation enacted by the Oireachtas. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (27 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Cases such as referred to in Question No. 290 of 1 February 2024 are prosecuted on behalf of my Department by the Office of the Chief State Solicitor with instruction from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department. NPWS exercise due diligence in preparing a case file for the Chief State Solicitors Office and work closely with that Office to progress matters. Taking a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Regulations (22 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The dates for the cutting of vegetation and hedges are set down in primary legislation. Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976 prohibits the cutting of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August. There is provision in the legislation for certain exemptions in respect of cutting vegetation in the ordinary course of agriculture or forestry, for health and safety...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (21 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 to 105, inclusive, together. Waterways Ireland proposes to update the Shannon Bye-laws and Canal Bye-laws which are more than 30 years old and no longer fit for purpose. The needs of users have changed, environmental landscape and health and safety considerations have developed significantly and the waterways themselves have been transformed over the past...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Hedge Cutting (20 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 333 together. The dates for the cutting of hedges are set down in primary legislation. Section 40 of the Wildlife Act prohibits the cutting of vegetation, with certain strict exemptions, from 1 March to 31 August. There is provision in the legislation for certain exemptions in respect of cutting vegetation in the ordinary course of agriculture or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (20 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss (CABL) published its’ report in April 2023. This report was referred to the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action, who held a series of engagement with stakeholders to discuss the issues raised. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action published their report on the recommendations of the CABL in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Cost rental is a new form of tenure which was introduced under the Affordable Housing Act 2021, where rents are set only to cover the cost of financing, building, managing and maintaining the homes. The Housing for All strategy commits to delivering a total of 18,000 Cost Rental homes over the period to 2030, and significant funding is being made available to support provision by Approved...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (15 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 79 together. For 2023, Government agreed an increased provision for social housing acquisitions and my Department provided funding for local authorities to acquire at least 1,500 social homes. The additional acquisitions have focused particularly on properties where a tenant is in receipt of social housing supports and has received a Notice of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (15 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 104 together. Public ownership is a core principle governing the development of water services and the Government has committed to holding a referendum on the ownership of water services. Importantly, the establishment of Uisce Eireann in public ownership is already firmly secured under the Water Services Acts 2007 to 2022. I have previously...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Parks (15 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The site referred to is a privately owned site that has not been considered for national park status. The site already enjoys extensive legal protections as a Special Area of Conservation, a Special Protection Area and a designated Nature Reserve. The site is owned largely by the ESB. I understand a management plan scoping exercise was undertaken by ESB International on behalf of the ESB...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Monuments (15 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: A €7million Community Monuments Fund for 2024 was announced last November, 2023. The closing date for applications to my Department is 14 February next. It is expected that the awards will be announced by mid-April this year.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: National Biodiversity Plan (15 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) 2023-2030 was launched in January and sets out Ireland’s vision for biodiversity, that by 2050 “biodiversity in Ireland is valued, conserved, restored and sustainably used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people”. The Plan strives for a “whole of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Wildlife Protection (15 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Grazing by deer is an integral part of woodland ecology. Where it occurs at appropriate levels, it facilitates structural diversity, encourages high levels of biodiversity in the ground and field layers, maintains open areas and stimulates natural regeneration. Unfortunately, grazing pressure in Irish woodlands is rarely at appropriate levels. Sika deer, fallow deer and red deer have all...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Waterways Issues (15 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 to 242, inclusive, and 247 to 249, inclusive, together. Waterways Ireland proposes to update the Shannon Bye-laws and Canal Bye-laws which are more than 30 years old and no longer fit for purpose. The needs of users have changed, environmental landscape and health and safety considerations have developed significantly and the waterways themselves have...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (14 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: The NPWS Farm Plan Scheme currently has approximately 340 participants. Works is continuing in my Department to verify and process annual payments to 191 participants, in compliance with the terms and conditions of the Scheme. Staff are working diligently to process payments and it is expected that all valid payments will have been made within weeks.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (13 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 381 and 382 together. The general scheme of the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Bill was published in December 2022. Following the scrutiny of the Joint Oireachtas Committee, my Department has been working in close collaboration with parliamentary drafters to develop this Bill. While it was initially hoped to publish in 2023, the legal, technical and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Marine Protected Areas (13 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 to 385, inclusive, together. For the purposes of this reply, Special Protection Areas (SPAs) have a marine element if their boundary encompasses marine waters. 39 such SPAs have published detailed site-specific conservation objective documents. In addition to Activities Requiring Consent, across all of Ireland’s Special Protection Areas...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Strategies (13 Feb 2024)

Malcolm Noonan: Implementation of the National Landscape Strategy is implicit in many of the actions taken across the built and natural heritage sphere. The current work being undertaken across Government in the context of the land use review will supplant and overtake that strategy. Meantime, my Department has made very substantial progress on issues of habitat and wildlife protection, which are tied...