Results 3,081-3,100 of 4,726 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: That could be correct. I am not sure.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: One should be mindful that as well as the blanket measure around the €200 rebate, there have been targeted measures around addressing fuel poverty. The upcoming budget will address more issues for families and vulnerability around fuel poverty.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: If it is okay, I will refer back to the Acting Chair with figures on that, specifically on those low-cost measures. Again, I do not have figures to hand on solar panels.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I appreciate that.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: It relates across all schemes given the challenges there have been not just with the supply chain but also labour. Certainly, deep retrofits take longer and there is a longer lead-in time for them as well. There are significant of challenges as we ramp up these schemes. The SEAI has been available to Deputies to give detailed briefings on all the schemes, and I encourage them to avail of that.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Yes.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My understanding is that they factored in an overestimation of the number of households. When the full payment had been paid out to households there was €20 million left over from that.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (12 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: A number of Deputies raised this issue. We will refer back to the committee with a response on it. To refer to the Acting Chair's, the SEAI is reviewing the end of June numbers currently and will revert to the Department shortly with specific detailed numbers for the rest of the year. That will give us a better picture of our position towards the end of the year.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senators Moynihan, Hoey, Sherlock and Wall for this amendment, which proposes that the establishment date of the electoral commission be appointed as a day not later than four weeks from the passage into law of the Electoral Reform Bill. I do not propose to accept this amendment for a number of reasons. First, the Bill is subject to commencement provisions as set out in section...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senators Higgins, Ruane, Flynn and Black for these amendments, which relate to the membership of an coimisiún. I welcome the sentiments behind them, which relate to participation in, and wider engagement with, our electoral process, as Senator Ruane outlined. That is what this Bill, in its overarching thrust, sets out to achieve. Amendment No. 2 relates to the gender balance...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Senators for the proposed amendment, which will require that the commission lays a record of all contracts for consultants or advisers before both House of the Oireachtas an a biannual basis. Appendix B5 to the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies: Business and Financial Reporting Requirements requires that expenditure by public bodies on external consultancy and...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senators Higgins, Ruane, Flynn and Black for these amendments, which propose that the chief executive of an coimisiún may only be reappointed once. Section 20(6), as passed by the Dáil, limits the chief executive of an coimisiún to serving no more than ten years in total where a term of office is a maximum of five years. Amendment No. 7 and amendment No. 8, the...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senators Ruane, Higgins, Black and Flynn for tabling these amendments, which relate to requiring that an coimisiún undertake a review of the Electoral Act 1997. As the Senators will be aware, Chapter 9 of Part 2 of the Bill provides for an coimisiún to take on a new policy, research and advisory function. As part of its work, an coimisiún will prepare research...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senators Ruane, Higgins, Black and Flynn for these amendments, which seek to amend the existing provisions relating to the publication of information by the electoral commission. Amendment No. 12 specifies that in addition to an coimisiún's annual report being published that it be published in an accessible manner. Amendment No. 15 specifies that as part of an coimisiún's...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I again thank Senators Higgins, Ruane, Flynn and Black for amendments Nos. 13, 21, 24, 35, 36 and 44, which all relate to the franchise for Seanad Éireann. Before I speak specifically to the amendments, I appreciate the level of debate, in particular the very passionate debate by Senator McDowell and others yesterday and by Senator Higgins today. I note that and I would say in response...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Senators Moynihan, Hoey, Sherlock and Wall for these proposed amendments, which relate to the publication of the register of political parties. These amendments were previously tabled by Deputy Nash in the Dáil on Committee Stage. In respect of amendment No. 18, when bringing across the 1992 Act’s existing provisions in respect of the making available of the register, I...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I will not mention the war. I know the county boundary Senator Cummins is referring to.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: These amendments provide that an coimisiún toghcháin would recommend Dáil and European Parliament constituencies based on four, five and six seats, that it would recommend as few three-seat constituencies as possible and as many five-seat constituencies as possible when making recommendations regarding Dáil constituencies, and that it would have regard to all county...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: We have discussed this quite a lot and the overarching point I will make is that the potential the establishment of this commission will have to achieve all the objectives spoken about around participation of minorities, gender balance in our electoral process and making Dáil, Seanad and council chambers more representative of the people therein cannot be underestimated. It has immense...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (7 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I again thank Senators Higgins, Ruane, Flynn and Black for these amendments, which specify an coimisiún's approach to conducting its public education and information function under section 66 of the Bill. I am strongly of the view that it would be desirable that an coimisiún would carry out its work on increasing awareness of and participation in the State's electoral and...