Results 6,261-6,280 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Seanad: Local Government Rates and Other Matters Bill 2018: Motion for Earlier Signature (10 Jul 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I thank Senators for the debate and their interesting and thoughtful questions. I also thank my officials for their work and for giving up their summer holidays.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Register (6 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: In order to vote at an election or a referendum a voter must be registered in the appropriate register of electors for that election or referendum. The Electoral Act 1992 provides for the registration of voters where they are ‘ordinarily resident’. Depending on the circumstances, the registration authority may consider it appropriate to register a homeless person at a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Regeneration Projects (18 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Over the lifetime of Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, some €211 million is being made available under the national regeneration programme to support the delivery of more than 1, 000 new social housing homes. Together with providing a significant number of new homes, the projects seek to address the causes of disadvantage in these communities through a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Regeneration Projects (18 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I agree with virtually everything Deputy Ellis has said. I am not in a position to direct local authorities as to what they should do with sites like this or, indeed, with issues like this in their own functional areas. However, it would not be unreasonable to hope that Dublin City Council could begin the consultation process when the demolition works are actually happening, so that what...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (18 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Local Property Tax (LPT) is a vital source of funding for local authorities. Authorities use the funding in the provision, for example, of parks, libraries, leisure amenities, fire and emergency services and improvements to the public realm, all of which benefit citizens directly and improve the fabric of our communities and quality of life. LPT allocations are based on estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates Impact (18 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Local businesses play a vital role in supporting local authorities to deliver critical services to their communities. Commercial Rates, at c€1.5bn per annum, make up roughly one third of local government current income. The Local Government Rates and Other Matters Act 2019 was enacted earlier this year, in order to modernise and improve the rates system for ratepayers, local...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to explain the role of the Office of the Planning Regulator. As he is aware, the final report of the Mahon tribunal recommended the establishment of an independent planning regulator and legislation for such a regulator was in train for a number of years. The Office of the Planning Regulator, OPR, was established in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I cannot comment on individual planning applications but I fully understand the points he is making. We are into new territory now as the Office of the Planning Regulator has just been established, having been spoken about for years. One of the key points at the centre of its establishment was its independence from the Department and politics. It is the result of the planning tribunal report.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Planning Issues (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I was going to get to that point. I will speak to the Minister and, as the Deputy noted in his opening comments, there is a balance to be struck. We want the office to be completely independent but it does allow for research. I looked at a map of the area in question and it is large. The Deputy has represented it for years and it has the potential to change utterly the landscape out...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 536 and 553 together. Local authorities derive their income from a variety of sources including commercial rates, charges for goods and services and funding from Central Government. Central Government funding of local authorities includes transfers, both current and capital, from a range of Departments and Offices for a variety of purposes. Some streams of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Representational Payment that the 949 elected members of local authorities receive has a statutory link to the basic salary of a Senator and is adjusted in proportion to any adjustments made to a Senator's salary. With effect from 1 September 2019 the Representational Payment is €17,359 per annum. Based on a simple flat rate calculation of stand alone increases to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: At its meeting on 4 December 2018, the Government reviewed further the progress on the overall programme of Bills to amend the Constitution. Having regard to other referenda that are proposed to be progressed in the short term and having particular regard to the heavy legislative programme scheduled for 2019 arising from the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The people of Limerick City and County decided in a plebiscite held on 24 May 2019 to support the Government's proposals for a directly elected mayor with executive functions for their Council area. Work is now well underway on the necessary preparatory work to deliver on the will of the people of Limerick. Under Section 44 of the Local Government Act 2019, the Minister is required to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: In May 2018, a Local Government Funding (Baseline) Review Group was established to consider the methodology to determine local authority funding baselines, to inform the distribution of any additional funding that could become available for general, operational purposes. Recommendations were received from the Review Group in August 2018 and these fall to be considered in the context of...

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: As a former Member of this House, I am delighted to see the Seanad back in its rightful place and to address it here for the first time. I thank Senators for the opportunity to discuss the report of the implementation group on Seanad reform. I recognise and acknowledge the work done by the 23 members of the group in preparing the report and the accompanying Bill. I thank Senator McDowell...

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: In order to progress that commitment, an independent working group on Seanad reform, chaired by Dr. Maurice Manning, was established in December 2014. The principle focus of that group was on possible reforms of the Seanad electoral system and the manner in which the House carries out its business within the existing constitutional parameters. The group published its report, known as the...

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Oh God.

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Oh God.

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: It is.

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: It was 5.3 million people.