Results 441-460 of 3,000 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:John Paul Phelan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: General Elections (13 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Electoral law provides that a ballot paper at an election is invalid for a number of reasons: if it does not bear the official mark; does not clearly indicate a first preference for some candidate; indicates a first preference for more than one candidate; or has anything written or marked on it, which in the opinion of the returning officer, is calculated to identify the elector. The results...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Measures (13 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Following the enactment of the Local Government Act 2019, provisions under Part 18 of the amended Local Government Act 2001, relating to the changing of names of areas, have been commenced and previous provisions, relating to place-name changes, under the Local Government Acts 1946 and 1953, have been repealed. The commencement of the provisions in the Local Government Act 2001, as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (13 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: In January 2015, the National Disability Authority published a report on Voting Trials for Voters with Sight Loss. The Authority noted that the results of the trials did not produce a clear recommendation for a secure voting method that is likely to meet the needs of most voters with sight loss. However, the Authority recommended that ballot paper templates (BPTs) be trialled at a future...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates Exemptions (13 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The Commissioner of Valuation has responsibility for valuation matters, including determination of relevant property under the Acts for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Fund (13 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: In 2020, the Exchequer will provide €156.06m to the Local Government Fund (LGF). If this were to be increased by 20%, this would involve an additional cost of €31.2m. The overall income of the LGF in 2020 (including Local Property Tax receipts) is estimated to be €636m; a 20% increase on that overall income base would cost €127.2m.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (13 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: The levying and collection of rates are legally matters for each individual local authority. Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes. In order to support the local government sector in the context of the COVID-19 emergency, my Department is continuing to keep local authority income, expenditure and cash flow generally...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates Impact (5 Mar 2020)

John Paul Phelan: I understand the vital role local businesses play in supporting local authorities to deliver services to their communities. Commercial rates, at approximately €1.5bn per annum, make up roughly a third of local government current (revenue) income.  Local authorities are required by law to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes, in accordance with the details,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Postal Voting (5 Mar 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of a number of categories of electors, including electors whose occupation, service or employment makes it likely that they will be unable to vote in person at their local polling station on polling day.  Other categories of electors who may avail of postal voting are whole-time members of the Defence Forces, members of An Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (5 Mar 2020)

John Paul Phelan: The people of Limerick voted in favour of a directly elected Mayor with executive functions for their local authority area in a plebiscite on 24 May 2019. The Local Government Act 2019 requires the Minister to submit to the Oireachtas a report with legislative proposals for a directly elected mayor for Limerick, within two years of the plebiscite vote, i.e. by...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (5 Mar 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Section 142 of the Local Government Act 2001 and the Local Authority Members (Gratuity) Regulations 2002 to 2006 provide that, subject to certain conditions, a person with at least 2 years qualifying service who ceases to be an elected member of a local authority is entitled to receive a gratuity payment at, or after, the age of 50. This is regardless of whether the retirement is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Register (18 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Following an initial consultation with local authorities on a set of policy proposals, I launched a public consultation on the electoral register modernisation project in December 2018. 187 submissions were received from a broad range of stakeholders and I intend to publish a report on the consultation very shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Reform (17 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Citizens’ Assembly recommended in its report on The Manner in which Referenda are held & Fixed Term Parliaments (June 2018) that the voting age should be lowered to 16 years as a means to increase voter turnout at elections.  While the Assembly voted by 80% in favour of a reduction in the voting age, it is noted that the report did not specify the election or...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (17 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Government policy on local government reform was set out in the 2012 policy document Putting People First, Action Programme for Local Government which committed to strengthening the role of local government and providing for a wider range of suitable functions. The Local Government Reform Act 2014 provided for inter alia a refocusing of the role of local government on economic, social and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Staff Recruitment (12 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The pay scales for a Grade 7/Administrative Officer, with effect from 1st September 2019, are outlined in the following table. Incremental credit is generally given for each year of service in the role, on the anniversary of appointment. Additional costs that are borne by the employer include Employers PRSI and Superannuation contributions. Grade 7 - Administrative Officer ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (11 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Since 2015, the revenue of local authorities has grown from approximately €4 billion to €5 billion. This mainly comprises income from goods and services, commercial rates, Government grants and Local Property Tax. Between 2015 and 2019, Irish Water was not liable for commercial rates and approximately €47m p.a. was paid to local authorities to compensate them for the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Seanad Reform (11 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: In April 2018, the Taoiseach established an Implementation Group on Seanad Reform (SRIG) to consider the Manning Report (formally known as the Report of the Working Group on Seanad Reform) and to develop specific proposals to legislate for Seanad reform. The SRIG's report, together with a draft Bill, was published in December 2018. The SRIG Report contains recommendations in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (11 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Local authorities have a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. The elected members of local authorities have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, including...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Process (11 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Following a detailed proposal from the Interdepartmental Group on the Security of Ireland’s Electoral Process and Disinformation, the Government agreed on 5 November 2019 that my Department would prepare the General Scheme of a Bill which would provide for the display of specified information in respect of the use of paid political advertising in online media during electoral periods....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Property Tax (10 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Local Property Tax (LPT) was introduced to provide an alternative, stable and sustainable funding base for the local authority sector, providing greater levels of connection between local revenue raising and associated expenditure decisions and making the taxation system less dependent on other taxes. LPT accounts for approximately 9% of the local government sector’s current income,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Proposed Legislation (5 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The establishment of an Electoral Commission is a key commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government.  An Electoral Commission will bring together several electoral functions in an independent, dedicated public body. The Electoral Commission’s establishment is guided by a number of recent reports and public consultation processes, including: - the 2016...