Results 5,321-5,340 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (Resumed) (24 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Yes. There are some Members of this House who said that we should stick with the link between Senators and councillors. Absolutely not. If councillors are to get the PRSI entitlements to get the pension entitlements, this link between councillors and a grade in the public service is the crucial step in getting the other ancillary benefits for councillors, as well as the pay issue.This is...

Topical Issue Debate: Foster Care Provision (26 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I was in my office on Tuesday night but I am aware of the programme.

Topical Issue Debate: Foster Care Provision (26 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I want to offer the apologies of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, who is with President Higgins on official business in the United States this week and could not be in the House. I did not get to see the programme Deputy Rabbitte mentioned in real time, but I watched part of it later and read the horrific story in graphic detail in various newspapers. I share the...

Topical Issue Debate: Foster Care Provision (26 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: As I said, the correspondence was dated 24 April and the Minister is actively considering it. We are awaiting the national review panel report, which should be completed very soon, according to the information presented to me by the officials before I came in. The Deputy asked a direct question earlier about why the apology was only made on Tuesday and I am not in a position to answer that....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Postal Voting (26 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 611 of 24 April 2018, which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Register (1 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I refer to the reply to Question No. 332 of 21 March 2018 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee Report (2 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I established two independent Local Electoral Area Boundary Committees on 13 December 2017 to review and make recommendations on local electoral areas having regard to, among other things, the results of Census 2016 as well as the commitment to consider reducing the size of territorially large local electoral areas as set out in A Programme for Partnership Government (May 2016). The reviews...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: European Parliament Elections (2 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The composition of the current 2014-2019 European Parliament was established by European Council Decision 2013/312/EU of 28 June 2013 which, in the case of Ireland, provided for the election of 11 MEPs. The current number of MEPs in the European Parliament is 750 plus the President with each Member State having between 6 and 96 Members. Council Decision 2013/312/EU provided that it would...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Election and Referendum Posters (3 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Section 140 of the Electoral Act 1992, which also applies at a referendum, provides that every notice, bill, poster or similar document having reference to an election or referendum or distributed for the purpose of furthering the candidature of a candidate at an election or a particular result at a referendum shall bear upon its face the name and address of the printer and of the publisher....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Fund (8 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: From the 1st of January 2018 motor tax receipts accrue directly to the Exchequer rather than to the Local Government Fund (LGF). Accordingly, there will be no shortfall in income to the Local Government Fund as a result of any decline in motor tax receipts. As set out in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2018, income to the LGF will amount to an estimated €595m, comprising a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Register of Electors Administration (8 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Electoral law provides that an application for inclusion in the supplement to the Register of Electors must be signed by the applicant in the presence of a member of An Garda Síochána from the applicant's local Garda station who must first be satisfied to the person's identity before signing, dating and stamping the form. The Garda may request photographic or other...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Register (8 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Constitution (Article 47.3 and Article 12.2.2) provides that Irish citizens who have the right to vote at Dáil Elections shall have the right to vote at a referendum and at an election for President.   British citizens, who are ordinarily resident in the State and are 18 years or older, may vote at Dáil, European Parliament and local elections if they are entered in...

Seanad: Local Government Accountability Bill 2018: Second Stage (9 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Senator Coffey is present for the Government but he is not in his seat.

Seanad: Local Government Accountability Bill 2018: Second Stage (9 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Senator is being misleading.

Seanad: Local Government Accountability Bill 2018: Second Stage (9 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I thank Senator Ó Domhnaill and the co-sponsors for tabling the Bill. The Government has considered the Bill and will not be supporting it. Before the Opposition jumps on me completely, I will outline the reasons and outline why this, in itself, is not the end. At the start, Senator Ó Domhnaill spoke about the setting up of the group on councillors' remuneration. I would like to...

Seanad: Local Government Accountability Bill 2018: Second Stage (9 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: As I stated, the Government is of the view that the existing provisions of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended, meet the principal aims of the Bill. In particular, section 136 of the Act, which concerns the furnishing of information by the chief executive to the elected council, is applicable in this instance. Subsection 136(1) provides that the chief executive shall, whenever...

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services (15 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I am taking this issue on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to provide an update on improvements by Irish Water to the water supply in Ratoath, County Meath. Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has had statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level....

Topical Issue Debate: Water Services (15 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I do not have the full details on what is happening with the Staleen plant but I will endeavour to get the information for the Deputy from Irish Water. It is not unrealistic that an approximate timescale would be provided. I want to outline to the House that neither myself nor the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, has a role in the selection and progress of individual water service...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Register (15 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Eligibility for inclusion in the supplement to the register is determined by eligibility on the date of the application to the registration authority. For practical and administrative reasons there has to be a cut-off point in advance of polling day for the receipt of applications for inclusion in the supplement to the register so that they can be processed by registration authorities. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members (15 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The number of elected members for each local authority area is set out in Schedule 7 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended by the Local Government Reform Act 2014. The reviews of local electoral areas now underway are based on there being no change in the total number of elected members in any of the thirty-one local authorities. In the case of Cork specifically, I understand that...