I will say two things about dealing with this. It is about protecting homes and also, as Deputy Kerrane referenced, the SAC which is currently being seriously damaged because of the levels of the lake. My main focus here is the people who are living around Lough Funshinagh. I have met them and seen what they are going through. It is all about finding a solution and I accept we all know what the permanent solution is. Every aspect we discussed on the day is being considered by the Attorney General. That is why I wan…

I thank Senator Martin for his interest in Castletown House and estate. Since becoming Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW just last Wednesday, I have heard from Members representing Kildare North how important Castletown House and estate are and how much the communities enjoy and value them, and we have met. More broadly, Castletown House is of international importance as a result of its built heritage and collections. The OPW took ownership of Castletown House and estate in 1994. While this initiall…

I thank the Senator. Obviously, I note how committed the Senator, other Oireachtas Members, councillors and, more particularly, the community groups in the area are to this issue. The OPW has long had the policy to seek to reunite the historic Castletown estate. That remains OPW policy. As things stands, the OPW is committed to resolving, as I am, the issues of staff accessing the manor and respects the interests of our staff and the local community while at the same time believing in our responsibility to preserve…

Especially in Gaelic football.

As the Deputy is aware, there is nothing to prevent people in any local authority area from applying to build houses and structures made of wood. However, it is up to a local authority to assess each application on its merits. That message needs to go out. I do not know the specifics of this case. The Deputy may wish to provide them to me. We obviously cannot get directly involved in any planning matter in any individual case.

As matters stand, there is nothing to prevent anyone from applying for planning permission for any wooden structure that is a house.

The particular matter Deputy Feighan referred to is really one for Uisce Éireann. As he is probably aware, in terms of our Department, there are grants available of up to €12,500 for upgraded septic tanks. However, the particular matter the Deputy raised in respect of houses on the outskirts of areas that have mains sewerage is something my Department will look into.

As Deputy Duffy is probably aware, legislation is currently being prepared in terms of primary legislation in this area. It is currently being progressed by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. We have supports in terms of interim measures. As at 31 January this year, 79 applications had been processed across 22 local authorities, representing a total of 7,412 residential units, and 80% of those are actually based in the four local authorities. The Deputy raised the specific issue of OMCs. We will consider that as…

I am not familiar with the case of Sean Meehan. I have made the general point, however. I do not know the specifics around the planning application, and neither should I, in terms of interfering with the planning process. In a general sense, however, anyone can apply to any local authority for any structure, be it wooden or otherwise, in terms of a house or structure. It is down to the individual planning authorities to make their decision. If the Deputy will provide me with the details of Sean Meehan and the speci…

These amendments propose that three new provisions be inserted to Part 8 along with consequential amendments to the Long Title, the collective citation and the commencement provisions. These are housing activation measures. The first substantive provision proposes an amendment to the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 to allow for the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform regarding the Housing Finance Agency borrowings and to increase the statutory borrowing limi…

I will speak to amendments Nos. 3, 4, 15 to 18, inclusive, 21 and 49 to 55, inclusive. These are minor technical and drafting amendments. Amendments No. 3 and 4 to sections 23 and 25 aim to ensure consistency of language across various sections. Amendments No. 15 to 18, inclusive, and 21 to existing sections 65 and 66 are of a technical drafting nature and there is no change to the substantive provisions therein. The collective citation of the Affordable Housing Acts has been relocated to section 1. Amendments No. …

Regarding amendment No. 5, section 27 provides that the mayor may delegate in writing certain of his or her functions to the director general. This applies only to the functions that transferred from the chief executive to the mayor when he or she assumed office. This amendment requires that the elected members of Limerick City and County Council are notified when a function has been delegated to the director general or where a delegation has been revoked. This amendment arises from the discussion of the matter on …

It is about delegate functions.

To be helpful, it is about delegate functions.

There is a slight clarification to that point. Currently under section 154 of the Local Government Act 2001, the CEO can delegate functions to staff within the local authority. However, the CEO continues to be responsible for those activities. Similarly, we made an amendment to the legislation whereby the mayor is entitled to delegate the carrying out of functions to the DG, which was the CEO, but the mayor continues to be responsible to the Chamber for those functions. We see it as an administrative measure in ter…

I will go through the points made by Deputy Quinlivan. I am conscious that people voted by plebiscite to bring in a directly elected mayor, but 48% of the people of Limerick had reservations and voted against it. We need to bring those people with us. In regard to staff, we tabled an amendment on Report Stage in the Dáil. This was something that Deputies Quinlivan and Mitchell and others looked for whereby the staff would be selected in consultation with the mayor. The staff remain overall under the responsibility …

We have debated this at length. This Bill has had 20 hours of debate - four days in the Dáil and four days in the Seanad. We can agree to differ. We have put in place something that will bring about a very good mayor. It is based on what the public voted for. Certain functions stay with the CEO, now to be called the director general. Amendment No. 5 specifically is about being consistent with what is there at the moment, whereby a CEO can delegate functions to any of his or her staff while ultimately being responsi…

There was some discussion on Committee Stage in the Seanad about the importance of ensuring the membership of the delivery board and the transport subgroup of that board includes a person who has relevant climate expertise. More generally, we discussed how to reflect the role of the mayor in relation to climate matters in the new structures under the Bill. I indicated that I would consider the issue in the round. Subsequently, I introduced amendments on Report Stage in the Seanad to address this matter, which we ar…

Amendment No. 7 proposes to amend section 31(4) regarding the mayoral programme. The mayor must present a draft of their mayoral programme for consideration by the elected council at a council meeting. As currently drafted, the members would receive a copy of the draft mayoral programme seven days before the meeting. This amendment would extend that period to 14 days. This issue was discussed in the Seanad. I believe a longer period for elected members to consider the programme is appropriate. I trust that Members …

Amendment No. 8 adds two new functions to the mayoral advisory and implementation committee at paragraphs (d) and (g) of section 32(5). These are in the areas of nature, biodiversity and sustainability and regeneration projects in Limerick. There is also some re-ordering of paragraphs. That is the technical point. The importance of having regard to nature, biodiversity and sustainability was a recurring theme of the debate on Committee Stage. I undertook to consider whether there was a benefit to making a specific …