I will bring these comments to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Foley. The Senator has made a strong case for the school. St. Paul's Community College is a multidenominational, co-educational post-primary school under the patronage of Waterford and Wexford ETB. The enrolment for this school for the 2020-21 academic year was 572 and pending validation of all enrolment returns, it is understood to be well above 600 in the current school year. There have been consistently strong enrolments in this school and this…

I again thank Senator Cummins for the strong and robust case he has put forward for St. Paul's Community College. I will bring the case in regard to the community college in the context of the overall long-term plan to the attention of the Minister for Education. I agree that it is important staff of the Department of Education liaise with the patron and the community to find the best possible solution for the school. We appreciate all of the school's efforts in terms of increased enrolments. I have no doubt it is …

I thank Deputy Aindrias Moynihan for raising this matter, which is very important to his community. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage's role in relation to the planning system is primarily to provide a policy and legislative framework under which the planning authorities, An Bord Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator perform their statutory planning functions. The legislative framework chiefly comprises the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and the Planning and Develop…

I thank the Deputy again for articulating the concern of local residents in Gougane Barra. I am clear, however, about my role under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which means that I am unable to comment on specific cases. This is clearly enshrined in the legislation. I referred to the guidelines and energy targets earlier to try to set the context regarding where the Government is coming from and its direction of travel. Regarding this project, however, An Bord Pleanála has clearly set out in …

I thank the Members who contributed on the Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022. Once this legislation is enacted, all builders will be required to register with CIRI. Section 33 provides that an unregistered builder may not provide building works for anyone, be it for a State contract, a developer, or for an individual. The register is of competence. It is an essential consumer protection measure giving those who engage a registered builder the assurance that they are dealing with a competent and co…

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage pursuant to Standing Orders 95 and 181.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 66 together. Local authorities have been provided with a number of powers and measures to deal with the issue of derelict properties both in larger urban settings and in smaller rural towns and villages. There also exists a framework of overarching policy and capital funding which provides support to development, including urban regeneration. The Derelict Sites Act 1990 imposes a general duty on every owner and occupier of land to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the …

I thank the Deputies for their questions. To respond to Deputy Nash, the review began in November 2021. We have received a number of submissions from right around the country. There is a workshop this Thursday that will examine the content of those submissions. I hope to make progress early this year. I will also outline that there are a number of funding streams in place to tackle dereliction. That is important. These provide a carrot for owners of such properties to encourage them to develop them into residential…

I reiterate that a huge effort is being made right across the Government through the numerous schemes I have mentioned to bring vacant and derelict properties back into use. The State is serious about employing both a carrot and stick approach in that regard. Regarding the Croí Cónaithe cities fund to which the Deputy referred, it is aimed to have regulations issued shortly for a first-time buyer's grant to enable the purchasing of derelict properties. That scheme will be an asset to the State. Therefore, we have a…

The Deputy is the only one laughing here as far as I can see.

The Deputy is the only one laughing here, as far as I can see. In the first instance-----

I ask the Deputy to let me continue without interruption, please. I did not interrupt the Deputy once. That is his problem. He keeps interrupting and is unable to listen. For someone talking about listening to vulnerable people in his constituency office, which I do every week, the Deputy finds it difficult to listen to people here. That surprises me. I see vulnerable people every week looking for the housing solutions we are working so hard to deliver, while I also see the Deputy's party engaging in the blocking o…

I am referring to the Deputy.

The Deputy's party is voting against numerous developments-----

-----week after week.

The Deputy's party has one common thread on housing. It is oppose, oppose and oppose again.

That can be seen right across the city councils and our network of 31 local authorities. As I said about public houses on public land, Sinn Féin voted that down in Wicklow. That is a fact. The Deputy can dress it up anyway he likes and talk out of both sides of his mouth in this Chamber, but those are the facts.

My Department is working with the County and City Management Association, CCMA, in seeking to define more closely the resourcing needs of the local authority planning sector, and following on from the commitment on the adequate resourcing of planning authorities in Housing for All. This review will examine a range of factors and is advancing in parallel with actions on learning and development and digitalisation of planning which are also important components of delivering an effective service. Most immediately, re…

In the first instance, we have been clear that, under the new LRD arrangements, the relevant fees payable will be retained in full by the planning authority. This will give authorities increased funding to manage their staff and resources. The two-stage process is being restored and the local authority will give the decision closest to the local functional area, which is a positive move. In the second instance, the Deputy used the term "gold rush". In December 2020, there were 21 applications at pre-consultation st…

The negativity towards constructing new homes continues. In the first instance-----