I move amendment No. 57: In page 44, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: "(5) The Housing Commission shall, following consultation with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Údarás na Gaeltachta, and Gaeltacht Language Planning Officers, produce a report and submit it before both Houses of the Oireachtas, not later than six months following the enactment of this Act, examining the impact of short-term lettings on Gaeltacht communities, in particular on the availability o…

Tá roinnt leasuithe anseo. Luaim leasú Uimh. 58 agus 59 agus ceann eile ar a bhfuil mé ag iarraidh aird a tharraingt, is é sin leasú Uimh. 67a. With these amendments, we are trying to ensure that developments in Gaeltacht areas which offend against the Irish language are not exempted. This goes back to the point I made earlier about planning guidelines which would be able to point this out. We should set out specifically in the legislation that no development in a Gaeltacht region will be likely to offend against t…

I move amendment No. 59: In page 45, line 5, after “or” to insert “a language impact assessment or”.

I move amendment No. 67a: In page 45, between lines 37 and 38, to insert the following: “(7) Where the Minister proposes to make regulations under this section that relate to developments in a Gaeltacht area, he or she shall, before making the regulations, consult with the Minister for the Gaeltacht and the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta in relation to the proposed regulations.”.

Mar a dúirt an tAire, rinne muid déileáil leis na leasuithe seo ar Chéim an Choiste. Phléigh muid iad but there is a need to ensure the language impact assessments are embedded in the legislation. I know the Minister is quite favourable to this given that some of the later amendments he has tabled to the Bill will address the issue to some extent. The amendments seek to ensure that happens at an early stage. The Minister stated previously that he has met BÁNÚ and other groups that are very keen to ensure we protect…

I move amendment No. 99: In page 57, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: "(3) (a) An advertising structure or town or landscape map shall only be granted a licence by a planning authority under this section where advertisements on a structure and information on a map are in the Irish language or in both official languages. (b) A planning authority may issue guidelines on how an advertisement structure may comply with paragraph (a) so as to ensure that no less than 50 per cent of the text area is in Iris…

On amendment No. 99, the definition of advertising structure is laid out on page 28. It states: (i) a hoarding, scaffold, framework, pole, standard, device or sign (whether illuminated or not), and (ii) used or intended for use for exhibiting advertisements, or (b) any attachment to a building or structure used for advertising purposes; This is about the licensing of such advertising. It is not specific to advertising. We are not looking for licences relating to a vending machine, hoarding, fence, scaffolding or wi…

I move amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 111: In subsection (3), after “under” to insert “, or the provisions of,”. I listened to the Minister in terms of the amendment to the amendment. To be clear, the amendment the Minister is proposing as currently worded only ensures that this Planning and Development Act will not restrict or affect the functions of the Minister or the commissioners under the current heritage legislation. The intention of this legislation is to ensure that all provisions of the existing heritag…

I welcome these amendments, particularly that relating to community gardens. Many moons ago, when I was only a youngster, there were allotments in Sandymount opposite the Protestant church on St. John's Road. Bit by bit, the older men were leaving the allotments. This was not popular. There was a danger that the allotments would be taken over if they were let go to rack and ruin, which was happening at the time, so my mother persuaded me to take the allotment next to hers. She grew crops in Dublin all her life, rig…

Tá sé ar stailc. It is on strike.

Did the Deputy say the Minister left on his bike?

It has been a useful discussion on the point. I still believe, albeit the Minister has the amendments on a later Stage, that this relates to the national plans and regional plans in setting it out at the right place. It has to be taken into account to ensure these form part of every level, similar to the provision I asked for with regard to the Irish language, that it is not just discussed when it gets to the lower development level and that there is an overall national strategy and the same approach across the Sta…

I move amendment No. 125: In page 65, lines 10 and 11, to delete "National Planning Framework" and substitute "Creatlach Pleanála Náisiúnta". Tosóidh mé le leasú Uimh. 125, a bhfaigheadh réidh leis an teideal atá ann, "National Planning Framework", agus a chuirfeadh "Creatlach Pleanála Náisiúnta" ina áit. Ansin, déanfaidh mé déileáil leis an gceann a chuir mé féin isteach, Uimh. 145. The intention of this is to ensure the insertion of a reference to the protection and promotion of the use of Irish in the Gaeltacht …

The Minister and the Department will be aware of the disastrous impact of the housing and accommodation crisis on the ability of artists to survive, to create, to perform and to tour for work. The question is threefold. Has the Minister analysed the impact of the housing crisis on the arts? Has the Minister discussed the impact with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien? What measures have been taken to reduce hotel costs for touring artists?

Housing is a major crisis and not just in the four years that the Minister has been the Minister as it has extended beyond that for many years. We also know that levels of homeownership amongst artists is a lot lower than among the general population and that artists depend more on private rental accommodation in our cities and in particular those who are working in the area of circus spectacle, street arts and the like. The majority of artists under the age of 25 live with their parents, which is a much bigger fig…

The accommodation crisis is so bad that travelling performers who were working at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre felt the need to put out a call to art lovers to offer spare rooms to put up artists for the weeks they were performing at the theatre. The daily room rate cost in Dublin hotels is around €210. This would mean two thirds of a week's wages under the basic scheme would go on accommodation just for one night. There is an urgent need for a bursary scheme to help those artists who are travelling and performing …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Connolly as ceist na dtreoirlínte a ardú. Gealladh iad seo dúinn breis is dhá bhliain ó shín. Níos luaithe i mbliana, dúradh linn go raibh siad críochnaithe agus go mbeadh siad foilsithe. Níl iontu ach dréacht. Dúradh linn gur dréacht atá iontu agus go mbeadh siad ag dul amach do chomhairliúcháin, rud nach raibh i gceist ar dtús báire. Is í an cheist atá agam ná cá bhfuil siad? Nuair a chuirtear an cheist ar an Aire Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta, an Teachta Darragh O…

This question relates to the programme for Government commitments relating to creative and cultural infrastructure that promised an increase in support in the provision of affordable workspaces, to examine agent of change initiatives, to examine meanwhile use legislation and ensure timely delivery of capital investment, including for our national cultural institutions. Have any of those been achieved?

I welcome the progress being made, especially on the new schemes delivered or being delivered by Dublin City Council's space to create scheme, as well as the Arts Council's visual artists workspace scheme. Artists across the country, however, continue to struggle to secure a space in which to rehearse, work, create, perform or exhibit. Rising rents and overdependence on private operators are often locking struggling artists out of spaces in which to create their work, perform or display their works. The agent of ch…

There is no legislation in relation to the night-time economy. There is nothing even at draft stage yet that would also deal with the meanwhile-use legislation. I am not sure whether it will be part of the night-time economy legislation or if it will be a stand-alone Bill. Meanwhile use would help to protect the temporary use of empty buildings or land for pop-up shops, exhibition spaces and cultural or co-operative working spaces until they can be used on a permanent basis. The other danger in terms of the agents …