Cathal Crowe
Question:442. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his main policy and legislative priorities for 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55211/23]
View answerTuesday, 12 December 2023
Questions (442)
Written answers
The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, is the foundation for my Department's main policy initiatives. My Department has commitments across 10 of the 12 Missions in the Programme. My Department's Statement of Strategy 2023-2025 was published last August and sets out our strategic goals, objectives and actions for the period ahead. It is available on my Department's website at the following link www.gov.ie/en/publication/3be76-statement-of-strategy-2023-2025/. My Department's website, www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage, is a good source of information about activities and initiatives, but by way of illustration, some of the main policy priorities in 2024 include:
• Supporting the implementation of Housing for All, Government's Housing Plan to 2030. The Updated Action Plan, published on 14 November 2023, identifies 30 priority actions and a further 84 supporting actions focused on activating and accelerating the delivery of housing
• Providing support and oversight to An Bord Pleanála as they transition to An Coimisiún Pleanála and put in place the new governance and board structures as provided for in the Planning and Development Bill 2023
• Supporting the development of Modern Methods of Construction
• Supporting the establishment of the Construction Industry Register Ireland, (CIRI)
• Progress the establishment of the Building Standards Regulator
• Re-establishing the Building Regulations Advisory Body
• Publication of Building Regulations (Part B Amendment) Regulations and the associated Technical Guidance Document
• Continuing implementation of the National Cyber Security Strategy 2019 - 2024
• Introduction of a Corporate Governance Framework for Local Authorities
• Promotion of gender balance and diversity in local government
• Establishment of the office of a directly elected Mayor of Limerick
• Continued Implementation of the Retained Review / Retained Workplace Relations Commission Agreement
• Ongoing management of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, and the roll out of Call 4 for project proposals
• Marine Strategy Framework Directive
• Marine Protected Areas Bill
• Water Services Policy Statement
• Publication of ten-year World Heritage Strategy for Ireland 2024-2034
• Publication of the Marine Planning Policy Statement
• Agreement of the National Marine Planning Framework Monitoring Approach
• Publication of the Offshore Wind Energy Guidelines
• Publication of the Designated Maritime Area Plan Guidelines
The National Parks and Wildlife Service will continue to deliver the priorities set out in the NPWS Strategic Plan throughout 2024. This will include progression and delivery of an ambitious policy and legislative Programme which include:
• Manage the formal designation of Natura sites as required under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives
• Continue to develop and implement the NPWS Conservation Measures programme, in accordance with EU and national obligations
• Continue and develop the NPWS Peatlands restoration programme with a particular focus in 2024 on Blanket Bog habitat restoration on State owned lands
• Continue and develop NPWS projects under the EU LIFE and Just Transition Programmes
• Expand Ireland’s network of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves
• Continue to support Waterways Ireland in carrying out its functions as a cross-border body responsible for the navigable inland waterways, including the Ulster Canal
• Development and delivery of pilot eLicencing portal
• Development of policies and strategies for the prevention, detection and enforcement of breaches of international, EU and national nature legislation
• The publication and commencement of the delivery of 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan
• The coordination of the preparation of the National Restoration Plan
• Nature Restoration Law & Regulation
• National Management Plan for Invasive Species
• To coordinate and promote best practices in the capture, integration, analysis and archiving of biodiversity data across NPWS and to maximise the discovery and access to such data through data sharing and open publication in line with the objectives of the 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan and the Minister’s obligations under the Open Data Directive and Reuse of Public Sector Information Regulations
• To carry out the acquisition of certain land for the use of the National Parks & Wildlife Service and to investigate and rectify title to existing lands under the remit of the NPWS
Some of my Department’s main legislative priorities for 2024 include:
• Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill
• Housing (Miscellaneous Provision) Bill 2024
• New regulations for gratuity scheme for councillors
• Planning and Development Bill 2023
• Marine Protected Areas Bill
• Water Abstraction Regulations
• Drafting and signing regulations (in particular Prescribed Monuments Regulations) to allow commencement of the Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023
• Seanad Electoral (University Members) Bill
• Maritime Area Usage Regulations 2023
• Maritime Area Consent (Non-Material Amendment) Regulations 2023
• Maritime Area Planning Regulations for development in the nearshore
• Amendment of Maritime Area Planning Act to align timeframes for marine spatial plans with proposed Planning and Development Act
• Amendments Maritime Area Planning Act re Cables traversing EEZ and Notification to MARA
Updates in the form of press releases are regularly issued by my Department, particularly when outcomes are achieved, and these can be found at:
www.gov.ie/en/search/?type=press_releases&organisation=department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage
The Departments high level activity, with respect to the Statement of Strategy, is documented in its Annual Reports, which can be found at gov.ie - Annual Reports (www.gov.ie).
As a whole-of-government approach has been adopted to the implementation of Housing for All, Housing for All updates and progress reports are being coordinated and overseen by the Department of the Taoiseach, in close cooperation with my Department. These can be found at www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/dfc50-housing-for-all/.
Question No. 443 answered with Question No. 405.