Results 1,261-1,280 of 5,027 for speaker:Victor Boyhan

Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)

Victor Boyhan: On a point of order, we are not-----

Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)

Victor Boyhan: The motion has been agreed. Is that correct?

Seanad: Direct Election of Mayor Plebiscite Regulations 2019: Motion (17 Apr 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I am very happy with the outcome of the day and thank the Cathaoirleach for his endorsement.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Regeneration Projects Funding (8 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement matter and welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Phelan, to the House. One might ask why I am raising a matter connected with Shannon.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Regeneration Projects Funding (8 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I actively engage with councillors from all parties and none and some months ago, I met Gerry Flynn, an independent councillor, to discuss Shannon.I do not have to give anyone a lecture about Shannon. The town has a population of approximately 10,000 people and Clare County Council has had responsibility for it since 2014. There have been a number of reports, including a local area plan and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Regeneration Projects Funding (8 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister of State for his response. The Shannon town and environs local area plan was intended to be realised between 2012 and 2018 but has been extended to 2023, allowing time to work out all the concepts, objectives and projects. As I said, there have been three different plans over 16 years. One need only walk around it to see how desperate the place is, despite its great...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Regeneration Projects Funding (8 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I said it has great potential.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I join Senators who have paid tribute to Senator Feargal Quinn. I knew him well and as a matter of fact I worked in one of his stores as a student. He was a true gentleman and a very kind man.I was particularly privileged and delighted when he agreed to endorse me and sign the nomination paper allowing me to contest the Seanad election. It was a very kind, generous offer made by him. At...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Performance Indictor Report: National Oversight and Audit Commission (9 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I thank Mr. McCarthy and welcome him. I am supportive of NOAC and I am familiar with the overview of it but I am not sure if the public at large is familiar with it. There is a lot of work to be done there in how it promotes itself and how it sets the standards. NOAC clearly has a matrix of standards that it judges people from. On resources, does NOAC have the capacity and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Performance Indictor Report: National Oversight and Audit Commission (9 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I ask that they look at it again. That is an alarming situation with fire safety. We discussed issues with fire safety with various people here a few weeks ago and I will not repeat them. People raised serious concerns and allegations about one of the local authorities and it got media attention. We should look at it. There are more than 980 county councillors and they are a conduit to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Audit Service: Discussion (9 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: Can Deputy O'Dowd not wait for the next part?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Audit Service: Discussion (9 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I thank Ms Larkin and Mr. Murphy for attending today. I am a great supporter of the Local Government Audit Service. It carries out an amazing function. During the engagement with Deputy O'Dowd, I heard mentioned that the Local Government Audit Service reviews the minutes of councils. This is the first I have heard of that and it is an important message to disseminate because councils will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Audit Service: Discussion (9 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: -----and I am one of them. I looked at the report, which is excellent, and the combined report, which I downloaded from the website. Then, as auditors do, I looked at ten local authority reports at random. A few issues kept jumping out of the pages. Before I delve into those in more detail, I have a general comment that might be taken on board. The timelines for public engagement with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Audit Service: Discussion (9 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: What Ms Larkin has said is very helpful. To wrap up, I would like to suggest three things that her agency might consider in its next audit. These are only suggestions, because I have no statutory function in all of this. The value and cost of pensions to local authorities is a ticking bomb.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: The declaration of a national emergency in Ireland owing to climate change is welcome. We can declare all these emergencies but we have got to stay focused and on target. We are aware that we have a global problem and we need global solutions. I wish to allude to the meeting of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly that took place over the past three days. The Leas-Chathaoirleach was...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I will focus on one issue. I commend the Taoiseach and those involved with the national Famine commemoration in Sligo yesterday. It was a fitting and meaningful event. The Taoiseach stated, "The best way we can honour those who suffered and died during the Great Famine is by showing empathy with those who are suffering today." He said this in the context of the 1 million Irish people who...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (22 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: Or we can finish at 6 p.m.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: The counts in the local elections have now been completed and 949 county councillors elected. I salute them because it takes courage to put one's name on a ballot paper, no matter what party one chooses to represent or whether one runs as an Independent candidate. We have learned something from the local and European Parliament elections and the referendum. We must acknowledge that voter...

Seanad: Mental Health Services: Motion (29 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for coming. I know he has special responsibility for this. I wish to thank in particular my colleagues, Senators Mullen and Freeman, for drafting and working on this comprehensive motion. It is worthy of support and I was delighted to co-sign it. Three words that jumped off the page when I read the motion were: dignity, respect...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (29 May 2019)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister for attending and covering the issues in detail. The draft questions and answers document is excellent, which highlights the issue of communication. People have a great deal of information to take in and we will have to bear with them, as the Minister pointed out. It is an extensive question and answer section. The local authorities and the Department will need to...