Results 6,061-6,080 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan
- Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)
John Paul Phelan: Briefly.
- Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)
John Paul Phelan: By way of background, Part 6 of the Local Government Act 2019 provides for the holding of plebiscites on the direct election of mayors in Cork city, Limerick city and county and Waterford city and county. Section 41 of that Act provides that the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government may make regulations for the purposes of holding a plebiscite.The draft regulations were laid...
- Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)
John Paul Phelan: To answer many of the questions, the report from Government is just a report from Government. There will have to be legislation to follow up on that. The Bill we debated in the House mandates that the Minister has to reflect the outcome of the plebiscites in the report that he or she gives to Government, and the legislation on establishing the role will go into detail as to pay, in...
- Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)
John Paul Phelan: Hypocrisy exists in politics, but that would be rank hypocrisy.
- Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)
John Paul Phelan: Can I make a final point?
- Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)
John Paul Phelan: On what is contained in the report, and the report is clear and Senator Coffey asked a good question, this is about a rebalancing of the functions between the unelected executive of a council and what has been heretofore a ceremonial role as mayor. There will be no removal of powers. In my two years I have not taken a single power off councillors. The Moorhead report will recommend giving...
- Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)
John Paul Phelan: They have not.
- Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)
John Paul Phelan: They have not.
- Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)
John Paul Phelan: Councillors never had the power to make individual planning decisions.
- Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (18 Apr 2019)
John Paul Phelan: The Local Government Reform Act 2014 saw the dissolution of 80 town councils and the Government has no plans for their reintroduction. Instead, the focus of current policy is to strengthen the operation of the 95 municipal districts established in 2014 and which cover the entirety of the State’s population as opposed to the 14% of the population previously represented by town councils....
- Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (18 Apr 2019)
John Paul Phelan: On 24 May 2019, the electors of the administrative areas of Cork City, Limerick City and County and Waterford City and County Councils will be asked to vote in a plebiscite on the Government’s proposal for a Mayor with executive functions to be directly elected by the people. An independent Committee, chaired by Henry Abbott, a retired judge of the High...
- Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commissioner of Valuation (8 May 2019)
John Paul Phelan: The issue referred to is a matter for the Commissioner of Valuation. I have no function in this respect. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries of this kind. The contact email address...
- Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (8 May 2019)
John Paul Phelan: The issue referred to with regard to Kingscourt, Co. Cavan is a matter for the Commissioner of Valuation. I have no function in this respect. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. The contact email address for the Valuation Office (VO) is...
- Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (8 May 2019)
John Paul Phelan: On 24 May 2019, the electors of the administrative areas of Cork City, Limerick City and County and Waterford City and County Councils will have an opportunity to vote in a plebiscite on the Government’s proposal for a Mayor, or Lord Mayor in the case of Cork City, with executive functions to be directly elected by the people. The Local Government Act 2019 provides the...
- Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Disability Support Services (8 May 2019)
John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1517 to 1519, inclusive, together. Recognising that people with disabilities have particular needs, my Department endeavours to ensure that the voting process is as accessible and inclusive as possible across all constituencies. In the run up to polling day at elections and referendums, my Department publishes information in national newspapers at key...
- Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (8 May 2019)
John Paul Phelan: Section 9(10) of the Valuation Act 2001 (as amended) provides that the Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions, and decisions with regard to the selection of rating authority areas for revaluation is his sole prerogative and the statute does not accord me, as Minister, any role in this regard. The Commissioner has responsibility under the Valuation Acts...
- Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (8 May 2019)
John Paul Phelan: The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 provide for the valuation of all commercial and industrial property for rating purposes. The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Acts and the making of valuations for rating is his sole responsibility. I, as Minister, have no function in decisions in this regard. There is a distinct separation of function...
- Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Election Management System (8 May 2019)
John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1563 to 1566, inclusive, together. I am aware of the National Disability Authority Report Voting Trials for Voters with Sight Loss, published in January 2015. The Authority noted that the results of the trials did not produce a clear recommendation for a secure voting method that is likely to meet the needs of most voters with sight loss. However, the...
- Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Register (8 May 2019)
John Paul Phelan: A report in relation to the responses received on the consultation process to modernise the electoral registration process is currently being drafted. It is intended that this report will be published shortly. A total of 187 submissions were made in respect of the public consultation phase up to the deadline of 15 March 2019. They included submissions specific to particular proposals and...
- Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Commission Establishment (8 May 2019)
John Paul Phelan: Twenty-three submissions were received by my Department in relation to the public consultation on the Regulatory Impact Analysis on the Establishment of an Electoral Commission. It is not intended to publish a report on these submissions. However, the submissions can be viewed online at: www.housing.gov.ie/local-government/voting/electoral-commiss...