Results 6,341-6,360 of 6,944 for speaker:Michael McNamara
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: The mid-west needs a strong Limerick.
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: I am still at a loss to see any rationale for the offices of speaker and vice speaker, and also of mayor, other than that they were recommended by the implementation group.
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: So it will run more smoothly. Could the Minister of State explain to me how it is likely to run more smoothly when there are so many titles and officeholders?
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: I do not want to be difficult. I understand that the implementation group has recommended the arrangement and that the Minister of State, as the person driving this legislation, has taken it on board.
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: Therefore, I will table an amendment on Report Stage to abolish the office of príomh comhairleoir. I have heard no basis advanced for the creation of this new office.
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: May I ask just one question?
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: I have no problem saying the mayor should have powers in addition to those of the cathaoirleach. What is happening, however, is that we are giving the mayor some powers – I would say not enough – but not even all the powers of the cathaoirleach. There is one person who is getting some of the powers of the cathaoirleach, the mayor is getting other powers, and-----
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: Yes.
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: We said yesterday we would go through Schedule 1 and this is the appropriate time to do so. It was given that the purpose of the Bill is to extend real powers to an elected mayor. Part 1 of Schedule 1 sets out powers that are to be retained by this - “speaker” is what it is in English but the legislation provides for a “Príomh Chomhairleoir”. I propose the...
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: Yes.
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: Yes, because I think we would all agree that they are powers that the current mayor enjoys but that the new mayor will not enjoy, notwithstanding the fact that the new mayor will supposedly be more powerful than the old one. The question, therefore, is why these powers will not be enjoyed by the new mayor. It is a valid request if we are to tease out this legislation in any meaningful way.
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: I have them here as well, but the difficulty with-----
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: With respect, I would argue that we are to set up an office, that it will be expensive, that we have had a referendum that cost money-----
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: -----and that we are to put in office somebody whose predecessors enjoyed all these powers but who did not have a direct mandate, somebody who will go into office with a direct mandate, but these powers are being carved away from him or her.
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: It is-----
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: I would argue that three quarters of an hour is not a lot of time in the context of having had a referendum whereby we will give somebody more powers and setting up and maintaining an office of príomh chomhairleoir which will cost quite a lot of money. As I said, I hope there will be more titles and derelict sites in Limerick because the number of derelict sites is decreasing and the...
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: I will go through the ones I have concerns about. Section 31(4)(a)-----
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: So the príomh chomhairleoir will enjoy precedence rather than the mayor, who has a directly-----
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: Yes, so there will be a príomh chomhairleoir, who is indirectly elected, to chair the meeting and there will be a directly elected mayor, but the príomh chomhairleoir will enjoy precedence at the meeting-----
- Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Nov 2023)
Michael McNamara: I am sorry if I put the Minister of State through that.