I will give a quick list of all the additional work that local authorities are doing, including in areas such as active travel, town centre first, the expansion of services around arts and culture, social inclusion, integration and local community development committees, LCDCs. These are all extra services provided by local authorities and a welcome increase in their range of functions, which I am sure all elected members would welcome. The Department and Government have provided extra planning staff to deal with t…

I move amendment No.1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "recognises that: — the Government's Housing for All: A New Housing Plan for Ireland (Housing for All) is working, with more new homes built in 2022, the first full year of the Housing for All plan, than any year in the last decade; — supply is key to improving our housing system and it is increasing, with almost 30,000 homes built last year, an increase of 45.2 per cent from 2021 (20,560) and 41.3 per cent from 2019 (21,1…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir as an gceist seo. This is an important issue relating to planning permission in respect of holiday homes and holiday villages. In this regard, the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, requires that all developments that are not exempted developments are required to obtain planning permission. This may include where a permission for a change of use of a property is required, such as from holiday home use to long-term residential use. Where an individual wishes to change t…

I understand that the consultation is being led by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which has re-established the deer forum. We are conscious of the deer population. We need better data and statistics, but there has been good engagement with the public consultation and we are getting a better picture of the situation. It is important-----

I cannot say, as it is being led by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

I also welcome the pupils and wish them a happy St. Brigid's Day. It is important to have robust debate and it is good to see such impassioned contributions in the Chamber. Before I close, I will try to reflect on some of the contributions made by Deputies since I came into the Chamber. Quite a lot of the issues raised were not particularly related to the motion but they are related to local government in general with regard to funding and provision of facilities. Deputy Boyd Barrett raised the issues of social and…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist seo. The aim of the Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Act 2022 is to afford time for housing supply to increase and to reduce the burden on homelessness services and the pressure on tenants and the residential tenancies market. To assist in managing demands on housing services after the winter emergency period and to ensure there is no cliff-edge impact on 1 April, the Act provides for deferred notices of termination to take eff…

I am not familiar with the specifics of the cases the Deputy has raised. If he would bring them forward to us, it would be useful. While there are no further proposals in respect of the extension of the current moratorium, the Department is keeping this under constant review and our Department has commenced work on an overall review of the private rented sector, as committed to under a review of Housing for All, which was published last November. As for acquisitions and support to prevent homelessness, the Departme…

The State is intervening at an unprecedented scale in dealing with the homelessness crisis and the issues of residential tenancies. Specifically, our Department is reviewing the case to which the Deputy refers. I give that assurance to the Deputy. So far I cannot speak any further to it but it is under review.

I am sharing time with Deputy Matthews. I welcome the opportunity to address the House on Ireland's new forestry strategy. I commend my colleague the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, on her Trojan work in securing an unprecedented €1.3 billion to execute this key pillar of Ireland's climate action plan over the next five years and the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, on his leadership in this role. As the Taoiseach told the IFA last week, the forestry strategy was designed to benefit rural Ireland by giving farmers…

This is an issue I have dealt with at a local level in respect, in particular, of Traveller accommodation. It is a very serious public health issue. I absolutely agree that it needs to be tackled. In accordance with section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, local authorities are legally responsible for the management and maintenance of their housing stock. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure that all of their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented H…

To give assurance to both Deputies, it is important to follow up on this in regard to looking at our Department and perhaps the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in particular regarding retrofits and to ensure that we work towards eliminating mould from properties. I say this in regard to flats and social housing stock and all housing stock. That is critically important. I have encountered this in Traveller accommodation. It is a serious public health issue. We saw the case in the UK. We are…

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Convention on Biological Diversity Protocol: Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity, a copy of which has been laid before Dáil Éireann on 8th December, 2022.

I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 (Appointment of Registration Body) Order 2022, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 18th November, 2022.

Ar dtús, cuirim fáilte roimh an gclann Aylward anseo inniu. I was first elected to Kilkenny County Council in 2004. Bobby had served for a few years on the local authority at that stage, so I had the privilege of serving with him for a few years before he was first elected to Dáil Éireann. Even on my first day, which, like anyone's first day after an election can be a very daunting experience, Bobby was the first person over to me to offer his support and whatever help he could. That was the measure of the man he w…

I will not be accepting this amendment. The independence of the board is already provided for in section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which covers limitation on ministerial power, and provides that the Minister shall not exercise any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or the board is or may be concerned.

There is a clear separation between the Minister and board members under section 30. The Government is satisfied that the independence of the board is already well-provided for in section 30.

I thank Senators for their contributions. That is the case, as Senator Cummins said. On section 6 and the matter of satisfactory experience, while Senator Higgins called it "a general soup" of expertise, it is quite specific in that it provides for the range of expertise that will be needed on the board. Regardless of that being there or not, we have to be mindful, and the Senator mentioned COP15, that we will soon have a new national biodiversity action plan, NBAP, and the nature restoration law regulations will b…

I very much recognise the spirit of these amendments relating to the robustness and transparency of the appointment process. I take Senator Cummins's point about the accountability of the Minister. He is correct that it is about trying to ensure there is predictability in timelines and that we deal with backlogs. Decision-making certainly must be robust but there also must be a process within the system that gives certainty for communities. I cannot accept amendment No. 5. It is appropriate that the overall number …

I will speak to the amendments. I do not accept amendment No. 9. This provision is necessary to ensure that ordinary board members can be urgently appointed, on a temporary basis, where the number of applications, appeals, referrals or other matters with which the board is concerned is at such a level so as to require the appointment of additional members. Amendment No. 10 is not being accepted as the provision in section 9 of this Bill is providing for the urgent appointment of temporary board members where requir…