Results 4,801-4,820 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: The Parkinson's Association of Ireland has been discussed in the House previously. I ask the Leader to have a debate shortly after the Easter break on services for people suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: The Parkinson's Association of Ireland has 12,000 members who receive no State support. We heard heart-moving stories yesterday, especially from Gary, a young man suffering from Parkinson's disease, who said support from the HSE has been excellent and that support has helped him to live a fuller life. Certainly, there is a need for practice nurses and for support workers with regard to the...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: However, we need proper planning and a cost-benefit analysis. Putting massive rail lines through communities such as Rathmines and Ranelagh, where they may not be needed, is probably the wrong way to go. I am very concerned that engineers are planning our cities. We wish to see a city of villages and living, breathing communities, for which we need proper planning, whereby people of all...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive contribution, which is of great interest. Everybody is trying to achieve a proper regional structure. As part of that, we need a democratic and answerable structure which is not necessarily there within the region. I am only raising this with the Minister of State now because he raised it. The ratio of elected members to the number of...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I apologise; I thought I had turned my phone off.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: It is always my intention to turn it off before I come into the House. I again offer my apologies. I ask the Minister of State to give some kind of commitment on rebalancing the democratic deficit in this area, sooner rather than later. Perhaps he might come back on Report Stage. There is an urgent need to address the democratic deficit in the greater Dublin area and in many other areas....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 36a:In page 47, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following:“Amendment of section 21 (Power to Make Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy) of Principal Act 10. The Principal Act is amended in section 21(3) by inserting the following paragraphs after paragraph (b):“(c) In the case of a regional spatial and economic strategy for one or more parts of a...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply, including his reply to amendment No. 47a, which has been ruled out of order.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I do appreciate it. I do not say that lightly. It was quite a comprehensive reply. I do not particularly want to press this amendment because there are difficulties in drafting detailed amendments on this issue and in respect of the impact on other legislation. However, there is an enormous difference, for example, between Fingal, which has 98,000 residents to one representative, and...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 42:In page 53, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: "Exemption from fees for submissions and observations by councillors on planning applications 24.Section 246 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 is amended by inserting the following new subsection after subsection (1):"(1A) Regulations under subsection (1) shall not apply to the making of a...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Social and Affordable Housing (18 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I am sorry that I am slightly out of breath. I have just returned from An Bord Pleanála where I attended in respect of the 3,500 units being developed at Poolbeg west, which is in Ringsend. Last week, it came to public attention that the receiver was appealing the requirement for 900 social and affordable units. There was an agreement on 18 May 2017...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Social and Affordable Housing (18 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I find the answer the Minister of State gave to be totally unacceptable. The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government was on the phone to Dublin City Council on 18 May 2017. It was party to the negotiations with the receiver and Dublin City Council. Those phone calls took place on 18 May 2017 and I challenge the Minister of State to say that they did not take place....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Social and Affordable Housing (18 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: The clarification needs to be given to the Seanad, not to me personally. I say that on foot of what has been said on the record of the House.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Deer Culls (18 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I welcome members of Ballinteer Educate Together to the Gallery. I hope they enjoy their visit to Leinster House. I call Senator Coghlan.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I pass on my sympathies to the family of the late John Carroll who was a trade union leader. I have been handed a note saying he passed away recently. He played a huge role in the modernisation of the trade union movement. He was a good friend to my late father.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: He was indeed. I thank the Cathaoirleach.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Cathaoirleach for that timely intervention. He is correct. Mr. Carroll had a long history with this House. The eastern region is facing many challenges. Newspapers and the media are talking about the water supply coming from the Shannon to Dublin and tackling the leakage in the city centre. At the same time we are looking at transport challenges. I refer to the MetroLink...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I welcome the debate on the amendments. It is very important. There is certainly no doubt that the zero rating is important. I do not believe it should be done by regulation; it should be done by primary legislation because Ministers, and viewpoints, can change. As a councillor I was involved in many development plans. Councillors need to show leadership in this regard and not follow. I...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: There are a few reserve functions for councillors. They have a reserve function in relation to the estimates or the budget and to the sale of land and property. They also have a reserve function in relation to the development plan. Observations on planning are normally made on the development plan. I do not think I have ever made an observation on planning unless it was in some way...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2018)

Kevin Humphreys: I accept that.