Results 5,201-5,220 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Report of the Joint Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Statements (Resumed) (18 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I agree with Deputy Corcoran Kennedy on the importance of Members' placing on record their position on this issue and all other issues. As abortion has been the most dominant issue in my political life, I believe it is more important still that Members do so on this issue. I have listened to most of the debate and, with few exceptions, it has been worth hearing. 6 o’clock I...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Boundaries (18 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 342 to 346, inclusive, together. My Department has not received any formal proposals in relation to Cork under section 29 of the Local Government Act 1991 at this time. A boundary alteration can be given legal effect through the existing statutory procedures in Part V of the Local Government Act 1991, or in the absence of local authority...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (18 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 347 to 351, inclusive, together. The Programme for Partnership Government includes a commitment to consider directly elected mayors in cities as part of a broader range of local government reform measures aimed at strengthening local democracy. In response to this commitment, a policy discussion report on metropolitan governance for Ireland's cities is at...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Commission Establishment (18 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The 2016 report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht on the establishment of an electoral commission is informing the implementation of the commitment in A Programme for a Partnership Government on establishing an electoral commission and it is informing the preparation of an Electoral Commission Bill to give effect to that.  Work is ongoing in my...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Expenditure (23 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The elected members of local authorities have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, including adopting the annual budget and authorising borrowing, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority.  It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary...

Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: As láthair.

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services Infrastructure (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I am obliged to inform Deputy Mattie McGrath of what is in the reply but I will go off script. I do not agree with the Deputy that the children's hospital is a white elephant. It has been spoken about for all of my lifetime, just as this issue has been discussed as well. 3 o’clock I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy...

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services Infrastructure (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: On the points the Deputy has raised, it would be a good idea to have a briefing with Deputies-----

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services Infrastructure (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: -----from the mid-west area, including Tipperary------

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services Infrastructure (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: -----and Deputies from Dublin with Irish Water and I have no problem facilitating that. I fully agree with the Deputy's points regarding the amount of water that is wasted. A huge amount of time has been devoted to that subject in this Chamber over the past five or six years. It is equally important to point out that Irish Water has made significant improvements in certain parts of the...

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services Infrastructure (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The purpose of the scheme is to look toward the longer-term future for Dublin and the eastern region. It is not correct to say that the regions through which the pipe passes will not be supplied. They will not be linked in to the main pipe, or at least not legally so, but there are methods-----

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services Infrastructure (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: -----of ensuring that there will be services to the midlands-----

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services Infrastructure (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: -----as well as Dublin and that forms part of the scheme. We have to ensure------

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services Infrastructure (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Deputy McGrath is, like myself, a country man at heart-------

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services Infrastructure (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: -----but we need a thriving capital city and environs, such as east Meath, where Deputy Thomas Byrne is from. That part of the country has experienced huge development in recent years-----

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services Infrastructure (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: ------with more to come and needs an adequate water supply. However, I am happy to arrange a briefing on this scheme and will revert to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Divisions Establishment (24 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: It is my intention that reconfigured Local Electoral Areas for Cork City and County Councils will be ready for the 2019 local elections and I intend to make the appropriate arrangements in due course, informed by the work of the Cork Implementation Oversight Group.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (25 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Programme for Partnership Government includes a commitment to consider directly elected mayors in cities as part of a broader range of local government reform measures aimed at strengthening local democracy. In response to this commitment, a policy discussion report on metropolitan governance for Ireland's cities is at an advanced stage of preparation. It...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Functions (25 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I have no proposals at present to make adjustments to the boundaries of electoral divisions, which were formerly known as district electoral divisions. However, I established two Local Electoral Area Boundary Committees on 13 December 2017 to review and make recommendations on local electoral areas. They are tasked with reporting to me within six months. The review is being undertaken...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Television Licence Fee (25 Jan 2018)

John Paul Phelan: There was no problem with the delay. It was interesting to listen to the debate about seaweed harvesting, on which I am not an expert.