Results 361-380 of 4,645 for speaker:Victor Boyhan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the witnesses. The Minister, who I congratulate on his appointment, made an opening statement at last week's meeting and I would like to make one or two comments on that. When the Taoiseach announced his appointment two weeks ago, he stated, "Rebuilding Ireland is working but it may not be enough and so I am tasking him to review it within three months and to consider what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I would like to come back at some point to Pillars 4 and 5 if I could.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: My request for clarification concerned St. Laurence's Park and George's Place in Dún Laoghaire. I think the Minister is going to answer those questions so that is fair enough and I accept that. I would also like to address point 4.23, which is on page 47. This deals with accommodation in the rental sector. There are three points I would like to make about this. Is the Department...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: While Mr. Walsh is here, I want to say something relevant to this point about LIHAF in the broader sense, rather than specifically on Cherrywood which is the one that I know best and on which I want answers. All moneys going to LIHAF are public moneys. Mr. Walsh makes a very valid point about the arrangements regarding the planning authorities and the agreements but ultimately, there has to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: The site is in a major town centre and 12 units are being proposed. The private sector developer across the road built a five-storey private block, yet Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council with the help of the Department is proceeding with a two-storey, 12-unit, block on part of a large site it owns, which is zoned as a major town centre. Good planning tells us to maximise our zoning....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: We all know what a major town centre zoning comprises. It envisages two-storey units, yet across the road there is a five-storey block which sold out and which benefited from Part V. This project was a knee-jerk response to getting some rapid build in Dún Laoghaire. That has not started and it should not start. We should maximise the full potential of the entire site, which is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I ask the Minister to have a look at this. We are where we are because of the mess of local authorities. I was a member of one for many years. We now have a Government policy, which is Rebuilding Ireland. The Minister is the guardian of it and he must fast-track and deliver it. This hinges on him how. I fully respect councillors having a say but the majority are politically...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I will clarify. The Minister was not here and I know he was attending other business at Cabinet. What he said is not correct. We have been constantly told for the past number of years there were negotiations with the people. The owners of the site changed and next door, part of the bigger site, was put up for sale. The council failed to secure it and it was outbid on it. That is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: They have not come up with a plan and it has been going on for years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: They argue that they want a synergy with the private developer next door but that has not come off. I wish them well but in the meantime, we cannot leave these units empty.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: We are talking about this for the past four years. To be helpful, I ask the Minister to visit this at some stage. He is just up the road from it. He would be appalled to see what is happening at these units. Another block in McIntosh Park has the same type of properties, built by the same developer, and everybody in them is very happy. They are not knocking them down.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (27 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I stated this earlier but I will do so again as the Minister is here. He stated last week that, as Minister, he would look at everything new. There is clearly a need for publicly built, publicly owned and privately rented accommodation on public lands. We should stop getting hung up on that issue. Deputy Boyd Barrett raised an alarming issue on the record of this meeting that there is a...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I would like to raise three issues today. The first issue relates to Stormont and the looming deadline for power sharing with the DUP, principally the DUP and Sinn Féin. Second, I wish to refer to the Irish seafood sector, particularly because Seafest 2017 will be launched tonight. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine will host a special conference in the Radisson Hotel...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I formally second the Bill. I welcome the Minister of State back to the Seanad and I would also like to acknowledge the presence of Deputy McGuinness from Kilkenny and the enormous amount of work that he has done in the Upper House, and indeed outside of Parliament. He has been a constant advocate on this matter.

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: In the Dáil. The other House, let us say.

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: It is important to acknowledge the enormous work that my friend and colleague, Senator Norris, has put into forwarding this Bill. I am delighted to second it and to have been asked to do so. Let us add some context here. What are we talking about? The purpose of this Bill is to provide for the establishment of an industrial and provident society we call the national housing co-operative...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I will raise four items today. Today the IFA and farmers are coming together in the biggest dairy sector trade show and information day in Moorepark in Fermoy in County Cork. It is the biggest gathering of dairy farmers and the farming community. The big focus this year is the shortage of labour supply and professional skilled labour. It is a big challenge for the agricultural sector...

Seanad: Report on Dying, Death and Bereavement: Statements (4 Jul 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I warmly welcome the new Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty, and wish her well in her role. I thank Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell for this brilliant piece of work. It is a really important document. However, important documents are no good unless we take them on board and implement them. The report is 256 pages long and contains 86 key recommendations. The Senator engaged in 34...

Seanad: Report on Dying, Death and Bereavement: Statements (4 Jul 2017)

Victor Boyhan: It is an exceptional piece of work and it will be more relevant if we put it to use.