Results 261-280 of 5,027 for speaker:Victor Boyhan

Seanad: Death of Martin McGuinness: Expressions of Sympathy (21 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I express my sympathy to Martin McGuinness's wife, family and to his colleagues in both Houses of the Oireachtas. From talking to several of his colleagues today, I know how profound and sad his passing has been for them and their work. When one looks at his legacy, it is complex to say the least. He had a remarkable journey. He finished school at the age of 15 and passed away at 66....

Seanad: Pensions (Equal Pension Treatment in Occupational Benefit Scheme) (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (22 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister and Dr. David Parris and his partner to the Seanad. I do not doubt the Minister's personal commitment to this issue. I hope the Government will come on board and that this will not be dragged out. Senator Bacik has to be thanked for the way she set out the background to this Bill and the work she did in bringing it forward. She and her colleagues in the Labour Party...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement on Common Travel Area: Department of Justice and Equality (23 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the witnesses for attending the Seanad's hearings. They are welcome. I also thank the Chairman and wish him well in his job. It is an important position. That we are meeting in the Seanad gives us a sense of the committee's importance. Establishing the committee was a decision of the Seanad. In time, we might tweak how we do our business. In the meantime, I will stick to the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Tribunals of Inquiry Recommendations (28 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister of State for being with us. The Mahon tribunal investigated planning corruption in Dublin between 1997 and 2012. The tribunal cost more than €160 million, consisted of 589 days of public hearings and taking evidence and had 427 witnesses. One might ask what the taxpayer has to show for all of this work and all this money and these hours of investigation? We...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Tribunals of Inquiry Recommendations (28 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. It will feed into a proposal on a draft Bill on which we are working and which will come before the House at some point. I want to raise two issues. The Minister of State has not identified the new independent office of planning regulation. He acknowledged it, but gave no commitment on its implementation, including the date of...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I support the proposal made by Senator Humphreys because it is right and important. It has gone too far in respect of the Garda Commissioner. The gap between the number of breath tests the Garda claims to have carried out and the number identified by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety coupled with the extraordinary interview on "Morning Ireland" earlier have to raise widespread concerns...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister and thank him. I know his absolute commitment to this matter. I have three points and four questions for the Minister. First, we know the Bill is to provide for an automatic entitlement to a medical card for those in receipt of the domiciliary care allowance. The Minister also intends to reduce the prescription charges for medical card holders aged 70 years and...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Tourism Project Funding (29 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: There is no money available.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I shall comment on the local infrastructure housing activation fund, LIHAF, which is critical infrastructure funding that was announced by the Government yesterday. The funding is welcome. As much as €226 million will be spent on the critical roll-out provision of essential infrastructure for the development of new homes. The scheme will cover 34 sites and 15 councils. I would like...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: The Senator should.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also welcome all of the people of different ages who are seated in the Visitors Gallery and thank them for taking the time to come here. I commend Senators Fintan Warfield, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Lynn Ruane on introducing this Bill. Senator Norris is right that the Bill consists of three paragraphs on two pages. Let us be clear what...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: Nowhere in legislation is such an appointment precluded. We are talking here about electoral reform and allowing young people to fully engage, which I fully support. I would like to see young people being able to vote. They can already vote in universities and I would like to see a major expansion of that franchise. It is another area where we should have young people engaging, being able...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: They want to influence key decisions that affect their lives and the lives of the people they live with and in our communities of all ages. They bring a vast energy, enthusiasm and commitment to their own communities and to life itself. We have seen the track record of young people engaging in environmental issues and in many referenda and we have seen them actively participate in...

Seanad: Adult Safeguarding Bill 2017: First Stage (30 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I second the proposal.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister to the House. A Minister of State from his Department was here the other day and I asked two questions about this legislation. They are very important points and I was not quite satisfied when I reflected on his contribution. I want to raise these two issues now. They relate to section 45 and the anomaly with a 16 year old and an 18 year old. I asked then what will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Quarterly Progress Report Strategy for Rented Sector: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Resumed) (30 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: We are dealing with Pillar 3 and I wish to comment on 3.1 which relates to the local infrastructure housing activation fund, LIHAF, and then I will ask three questions about 3.6, 3.8 and 3.9. I do not wish to miss the opportunity to say well done to all involved in LIHAF, which was very impressive. We had a discussion about these three pillars in the Seanad with the Minister responding....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Quarterly Progress Report Strategy for Rented Sector: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Resumed) (30 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I am conscious that we are here to read a report on actions due to be taken by the last quarter of 2016. There were 13 items under Pillar 2. According to the report, eight were on schedule and five had been completed. One of the great features of Rebuilding Ireland, as I said to the Minister, is that it is a brave Minister who sets out his plan, vision, timeframes, actions and deliveries....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Quarterly Progress Report Strategy for Rented Sector: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Resumed) (30 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: The witness is doing well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Quarterly Progress Report Strategy for Rented Sector: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Resumed) (30 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I do not have a question; it is more of a comment. We are nearly into the second quarter of the year. I presume the Department is working on the next quarter at this stage. It is the end of March this week. There will be busy people in the Department. I thank the Chairman for facilitating a varied discussion. I also take the opportunity to thank the secretariat and the Secretary General...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Quarterly Progress Report Strategy for Rented Sector: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Resumed) (30 Mar 2017)

Victor Boyhan: The standard is very high. There was great excitement about rapid build housing, but there has been no delivery. It is an easy knock to say they have not been delivered, but it is never too late to pull back on something. My view is that the rapid build programme in Dún Laoghaire should not go ahead as part of a major town centre zoning. I would like someone to examine this and to...