Results 4,181-4,200 of 5,040 for speaker:Victor Boyhan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Generally, would this intervention be seen as a good and successful one? Would the BAR intervention be viewed as having been welcome, supportive and having achieved good outcomes? Would that be Ms Fay's general comment on it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I thank Ms Fay very much for that information. Turning to the potato sector, which is critically important, we import many potatoes. I refer to the challenges in this area, particularly concerning the supply of seed potatoes, in the context of Brexit etc. This situation is evolving and changing, as Ms Fay well knows. Does she have anything to say about this context?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: In terms of challenges in this area, clearly some are ongoing in relation to seed potatoes. What would Ms Fay consider the major challenges that will be coming forward in the next 12 months? It is clearly still a concern. We need to build up our seed potato stock. Have the officials any concerns about that they wish to express?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I am grand. Ms Fay need not go to any more trouble. However, there are ongoing concerns. Does Ms Fay suggest that we need to be vigilant and we need to monitor that area?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Adjustment Reserve Fund: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Thank you very much. I genuinely thank the officials for their engagement.

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad (29 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I look forward to travelling to Canada shortly.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Media Sector (29 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister of State to the House to take these Commencement matters. I know this is not a matter directly related to his Ministry but it relates to the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, who is our Minister for arts, culture and media. The matter is to ask the Minister for arts, culture and media to make a statement on her new funding proposals for newspapers, local radio...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Media Sector (29 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister of State for that detailed response to the Commencement matter. The Minister of State touched on the application being made to the European Commission to review the scheme under the state aid rules. Clearly, that has delayed the establishment of the schemes. I received correspondence from the chief executive of Newsbrand Ireland, Ann Marie Lenihan, flagging this issue...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I raise the Peter McVerry Trust and the work it does. I commend the Government on having approved yesterday the advancement of €15 million to the trust for the homeless. Homelessness is very obvious and in our face, but it also feeds into deprivation, social isolation and many of the other issues that propagate disquiet within our community. It is important, therefore, that the...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad (30 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I want to be associated with the kind remarks to the Romanian ambassador and his staff. I have been to Romania on a number of occasions. It is truly a beautiful place, and they are beautiful people. I also acknowledge that many Romanians work in the Seanad, including Ilinca. We have many Romanians working in the catering, housekeeping, secretarial, administration and security services....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: We have read both the submissions and I appreciate them very much. I just have a few questions. I will go to the Department first and just touch on these issues in a block and then the witnesses can respond accordingly. We have had the Electoral Act and this committee has been hugely involved in the Bill. There was a lot of engagement and public consultation on a wide variety of issues,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I have two questions and they overlap in both the witnesses' areas of responsibility. I will address my first question to Mr. O'Leary. It relates to the Electoral Commission's research consultation. We know from the Department's submission that the programme for Government contains commitments in the context of examining a number of issues. We know this anyway, but the Department has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Seanad Éireann has an election that is run internally. It is a most unusual election because the bulk of the Members of the Seanad are elected by politicians. It is, quite frankly, a very difficult place to get elected to because, for starters, you have to canvass politicians. There is oversight of that process. Ballot papers are sent out in brown paper envelopes that are subject to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Good.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: At best. It could be earlier.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I have one follow-up question before moving to the officials from the Department. Where the Minister writes to the commission, as provided for in the legislation, to request it carry out research, does it publish those letters? How does the public know what the Minister is requesting of the commission?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Yes, but this is about openness and transparency, which is critical in light of all the other considerations the commission has owing to the nature of its work. How does the public looking in know the Minister has written to the commission to request research? Is that via circular? How does the public know?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: No, but the public would be interested.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Yes, it is about the commission adopting an open and transparent policy. All this documentation, to and from anyone, as part of this consultation should be available for inspection on the commission's website. It is a good idea, within the constraints the commission may have to operate within.