Results 4,381-4,400 of 5,040 for speaker:Victor Boyhan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Proposed Changes to River Shannon, Grand and Royal Canals and River Barrow Navigation By-laws: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Jan 2024)

Victor Boyhan: There will be two public consultations and therefore, two further opportunities for members listening here today to come, meet and engage with Mr. Rowe and Waterways Ireland robustly, I hope.

Seanad: Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (7 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I join with others and would like to be associated with the many tributes to John Bruton, the TD, Taoiseach, father, friend, brother, supporter and encourager. What a wonderful man he was. I knew John Bruton personally. I had many reasons to be with him in County Meath. I was down in Meath yesterday and spoke to a number of people in Navan and in a lovely little place called Kilcloon....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I want to flag that the UCD Earth Institute, in conjunction with UCC, will host a seminar next Tuesday, 13 February, for one hour. It will be in No. 45 Merrion Square, which is the Irish Architectural Archive building, and the topic is unregulated private wells, hidden hazards and the evidence for policy and action. It is very important, and I want to use this opportunity in advance of that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (13 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this important Commencement matter and I thank the Minister of State for coming to deal with matter of the Government’s enhanced grant scheme for defective concrete blocks. In many ways, the Minister of State is very close to it. It is a major concern in his constituency and I note his commitment to address it. I also note his experiences and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (13 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: That is a comprehensive report. It is helpful and addresses many of the issues that I raised. As I stated at the outset, it is a draft report. The Minister of State has confirmed that the Department has it. The Minister is aware of it. I was interested particularly in the Minister of State's response in relation to the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office because that...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I note the Leader's proposal on the Order of Business for the mayor of Limerick Bill this evening and I have no difficulty with it. The issue I want to bring up is that of the local elections. I received correspondence in the post from the Department on Friday confirming that the Minister was not in a position to confirm the date of the local elections. The range could be possibly 7, 8 or...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Second Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: You are doing a great job.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister. I want to say well done to her for getting her message across in a very tight timeframe. The other day I was in Leinster Marts in Kilcullen. They are looking for an auctioneer and I thought the Minister would fit the bill quite well. I say again well done. The Minister had a lot to contend with. I will start with the very positive points and the last point the...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: No, it was not.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I will be brief. Senator Moynihan spoke on amendments Nos. 40, 41, and 44 to 46, inclusive, and I concur with her. She set out the rationale and the argument concisely. I join with her, support those amendments and speak in favour of them.

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I absolutely agree with this. Senator Boylan has made it clear. The Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, uses the d'Hondt system. Many local authorities use the d'Hondt system for various committees and sub-committees. It is important that it is representative. It gives support and legitimacy to what are, in effect, equal, valued members of a local authority. They have been...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I support these amendments. I am particularly interested in amendment No. 76. Senators Garvey and Pauline O’Reilly are not present to move it, but may I discuss it?

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: The amendment is interesting and I thank the Senators for their support. They are Government Members and they have a view on the amendment. I would be interested in hearing what the Minister of State has to say. The Senators’ focus is on the Climate Change Advisory Council and the knowledge and experience around practicalities that it possesses. The Senators are members of the...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I note the Minister of State’s comments on amendment No. 76, but climate change and climate action are at the very heart of local government and are Government policy. The Government empowered local authorities in this regard and there is a great deal of focus on climate change. The Department of local government is responsible for them. In fairness, the Minister of State commends...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: From my experience in local government, this already exists. Many local councils enter all sorts of partnerships be they commercial or environmental. We see it with a whole load of agendas, particularly within the European Union. We see all sorts of partnerships. We see locally elected members of councils and local authorities having exchange programmes and going to different parts of...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: To carry on there, I know this is structural, but all through the Bill the mayor can devolve some or all of his functions to the chief executive. I ask the Minister of State to hear me out. The real issue is responsibility, and the word "responsible". Ultimately, the mayor can devolve functions; they will be less effective. Not every mayor will have qualifications in accountancy,...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I can see why Senator Higgins would not lose any opportunity to promote the sustainable development goals. I fully commend her on doing so. She continues to highlight them at every opportunity. Ireland has signed up to the sustainable development goals. As for the local authorities, the preamble to my local authority's county development plan refers to its significance and the authority's...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: Again, I support Senator Higgins. She has set out very clearly the rationale behind her amendment on the rights of persons with disabilities. We have designated disability officers in our local authorities, or we should have. There may be a gap or vacancy currently but there are designated disability officers. I make the point, and it is important we raise this in the House, that there...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I move amendment No. 85: In page 30, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “Implementation of regeneration projects 38.(1) The Mayor shall be responsible for the implementation and management of regeneration projects in the Limerick City and County Council area. (2) The Mayor shall be required to submit an annual report that will be reviewed by members of the Local...