Results 1,841-1,860 of 11,785 for speaker:Niall Collins

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. In summary, the debate has been quite a useful exercise in which Members have engaged over the last two evenings-----

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: -----in a discussion on planning. It intrigues me to observe how Labour Party Members in particular are quite uncomfortable when discussing planning. I will go into further detail in a few minutes.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: I have described what the Minister of State published yesterday as a whitewash and I do so for the following reasons. She has come up with 12 recommendations and I will provide a flavour of some of them. She mentions material contraventions and consolidation of the planning Acts. She refers to reminding local authorities of the need to review policies regularly, to communication, to...

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: The executives of local authorities should be doing this each day of the week. The point is that a number of complaints were made that had a degree of substance and coming up with 12 recommendations and asking someone independent to implement recommendations-----

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: -----when an independent person should be holding such inquiries. That is the point.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: She has consistently sought-----

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: -----to get away from the fact that there were inquiries ready to go.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: Letters of appointment were ready to issue and all the Minister of State had to do was to push the green button in this regard. There has been a consistent theme in this debate, namely, a policy of the parties in government to try continually to rubbish the Green Party and to rubbish John Gormley-----

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: -----in respect of planning policy. If there is anything one can say about John Gormley and the Green Party, it is that they have high standards in respect of planning policy. This charge has been led by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, who has just happened to leave the Chamber.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: One should consider his track record and his credibility because he continually calls into question John Gormley's credibility. He campaigned against the Dog Breeding Establishments Bill.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: He went around the country, spoke at public meetings and promised to reverse it. However, when he entered office, he commenced the legislation. Similarly, he opposed the Wildlife (Amendment) Act relating to the Ward Union stag hunt. He went around the country and told every group, including RISE!, that Fine Gael would reverse it.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: It relates to the credibility of the man who was sitting beside the Minister of State a few minutes ago. He will say one thing when in opposition but will say another and will act completely differently when he is in government. The point is that-----

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: While he could have remained here, he ran out the door.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: The point is a number of complaints were made to the Minister of State's Department by the Office of the Ombudsman and the local government auditor. These were not spurious complaints lodged by people from the sides of the streets or by a couple of cranks. They were made by reputable organisations and the Minister, who has left the Chamber, has conveniently sought to try to rubbish some of...

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: Members of the aforementioned two parties, along with all other local authority members nationwide, grossly over-zoned land. I do not make this point for the benefit of Members in the Chamber but for the benefit of those outside who may be listening. Fine Gael and the Labour Party were party to the building up of the property bubble. They were party to the building up of the complete...

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: Moreover, it is a fact that enough land was over-zoned in Ireland to build 1.5 million houses. When one is a member of a local authority, as were members of Fine Gael and the Labour Party and my own-----

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: -----one is involved in making development plans and local area plans in which one zones land. The Government parties display a complete absence of responsibility for the local authorities they control because they do not wish to recognise and accept they played a significant part in over-zoning the supply of land, which helped to build up the property bubble.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: That is a fact. Another point worth noting is the Minister of State did an interview on RTE radio with Mary Wilson yesterday, in which she referred to Fianna Fáil, the Mahon report and criminality in the same sentence. When she was challenged on it, she withdrew it.

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: However, if the Minister of State wishes to talk about criminality, what has she to hide?

Independent Inquiries into Planning Irregularities: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jun 2012)

Niall Collins: I will turn to the position in Waterford, which was not one of the seven local authorities named. There was a finding of corruption and criminality in the criminal courts in Waterford.