I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this matter. While not commenting in any way on the European case, it relates to what was in place in 2019. The Government and the Department have made seismic advances in terms of registering statutory instruments. We are now down to just 40 and we expect to have them dealt with shortly. I agree that the protection of Ireland's natural habitat is of the utmost importance. The Department is fully committed to continuing the process already ongoing to ensure we will be fully compli…

I thank Senator Davitt for raising the matter of the security of councillors once again. I acknowledge the work he has done in this area on behalf of all our colleagues and councillors the length and breadth of Ireland. I have huge respect for the work they do. I started as a councillor and my colleagues were very supportive in allowing me to continue my political career by electing me to the Seanad. I wish to acknowledge that. The matter raised is in the context of the recently published regulations on security fo…

Once again I thank Senator Davitt for raising this very important matter. Improved home security measures can help somewhat to reassure councillors and provide peace of mind for them and their families. However, there are wider questions of civility in public life and respect for elected office, which must be tackled at a societal level.

We are here to represent the public. It is very much an interactive model. We have a particular system in Ireland where we are very close to the public and we must maintain that. It brings an added dimension to our political life that is not available in some other countries. For that to happen, we must have respect on both sides. That is the case for the majority of the public. I would hate to have a situation whereby the behaviour of a few impinges on our interactive electoral system that works very well for the …

Deputy Munster will be aware that there was a recent allocation of Government funding for housing adaptation grants. I take the Deputy's point about waiting lists. A review was carried out by the Department on the housing adaptation grant scheme and I am giving that serious consideration at the moment. The Government and the local authorities are very conscious of this issue. All I can say is that an allocation of funding was given quite recently for the current year. I have just received a proposal from my Departm…

I would hate the impression to go out that the tenant in situ scheme is not working, because it is. It has proven to be a very successful scheme to date. We have well over 1,100 applications in process. We have put a target of 1,500 and we want that exceeded. I am not privy to the particulars of the cases the Deputy brought up, but I might discuss them with him to see what we can do. The scheme is there and I think every Member of the House will have had people come to them, we have contacted the relevant local aut…

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development Act (Exempted Development) Regulations 2023, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 31st March, 2023.

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Section 181) Regulations 2023, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 3rd May, 2023.

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2023, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 4th May, 2023.

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. X) Regulations 2023, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 4th May, 2023.

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. Y) Regulations 2023, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 12th May, 2023.

I thank the members of the Rural Independent Group for bringing forward this motion. It is very well-intentioned, but we will be opposing it because it fails to recognise the progress being undertaken to encourage growth and development in rural Ireland in a way consistent with our national planning policies and the substantial public investment underpinning them. I assure Deputies that the Government's plan is working, and we are committed to achieving success to benefit rural areas across the country. I will deal…

-----but I would hate for it to be put out that counsellors in respect of zoning decisions and politicians here in the Dáil and Seanad are not doing their jobs in the proper way. We are bringing in the residential zoned land tax, the legislation for which is in, and the land sharing tax. We are conscious of the impact the residential zoned land tax is having on active farmers. We want to ensure that active farmers can continue. The Taoiseach is on record saying that any active farmers who have difficulties arising …

Is the Deputy talking about the help-to-buy scheme?

That is the case.

That is something at which we will look.

Are you talking about yourself?

I just received the proposal and the review that was carried out by the officials in the Department. I am considering it very carefully, along with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. We intend to make a decision on that pretty quickly. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is something we are giving huge priority to. The housing adaptation grants for 2023 have just been announced. It is something that we are giving very careful consideration to.

That is the Deputy's 30 seconds.

I thank Deputy Canney. This is a matter of which we are very conscious. We want active farmers to be able to continue to farm. As the Deputy is probably aware, if under residential zoned land tax arrangements a farmer wanted residentially zoned land to be dezoned, it would be considered not included in respect of the tax. Farmers up and down the country appealed to An Bord Pleanála up to 1 May. We are very conscious of the phasing of the zonings, and our Department is considering it actively.