Results 3,241-3,260 of 14,706 for speaker:Phil Hogan

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Direct Provision System (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: I thank Senator Ó Clochartaigh for raising this issue and apologise on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, who is at a European Council meeting. The Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, of the Department of Justice and Equality is responsible for the accommodation of asylum seekers in accordance with the Government policy of direct provision and dispersal....

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Direct Provision System (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: I accept, on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, that there is a problem, which I acknowledged in my contribution. Pending the enactment and commencement of the legislation to which I referred, the Minister for Justice and Equality indicated to me that he proposes to introduce new arrangements for the processing of subsidiary protection applications in the light of recent...

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: Did she get elected?

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Senator must not have done a good job of canvassing.

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: Not at all, not at the age of 14.

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: I thank Senators for submitting the amendments that give us the opportunity to tease out this issue. I agree with the intent of the amendment, which is why I have put my own to the Bill, which will improve the situation significantly from what it is currently. I share the views of the Senators that an improvement should be made to the narrow, two-day, window of opportunity that exists...

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: I consulted the Attorney General also. The returning officers are people both the Senator and I respect. We must ensure we have integrity in the process and that when somebody signs up for a postal vote that person exists. The timescales suggested by the Senator would not allow that happen.

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: I am talking in regard to the people implementing this on the ground currently. We can have all the theory we like, but I must talk to people on the ground in regard to the practical implementation of the process. That is what I did. Arrangements need to be put in place very soon after the close of nominations in an election and returning officers need more time to attend to the tasks...

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Government wants to do all of this at the same time as part of our comprehensive response to the recommendations of the Constitutional Convention. Irrespective of whether I agree or disagree with the convention's recommendations, I will provide it with the comprehensive response one would expect. Senator Fiach Mac Conghail made perfectly valid comments on increasing voter turnout, making...

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: Yes, Fine Gael has also become a little lax. I would not expect Independent Members to be as involved in the voter registration process as the political parties.

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: Independents are not as active in this matter as the political parties. The latter have traditionally played a useful role in providing volunteers to check the registers in all the parishes and polling stations in the country. I regret, however, that they have become a little lazy in this regard. We must ascertain what other arrangements can be made in this regard and I am making changes in...

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: People in rural areas know many more people. Busy bodies in every rural community, much more so than in Dublin, make it their business to know who is moving in and out of various places. Improving the accuracy of the electoral register is a major challenge. Senator Landy referred to using personal public service numbers, PPS, for this purpose. There are approximately 7.4 million PPS...

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: I thank the Senators who contributed to the practical and pragmatic debate on the issues we are dealing with in this Bill. As I said at the outset, the legislation deals with a few urgent issues, such as the setting of electoral boundaries for the European elections. I can inform Senator Landy that I hope to have a report on the matter in early October. We have to allow for a period of...

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: What has that got to do with the Bill?

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: We do well every year.

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: Tipperary might win.

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: No.

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Bill is about reform.

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: Is the Senator sure? It has happened in the past.

Seanad: Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013: Second Stage (19 Jul 2013)

Phil Hogan: The Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013, which I am commending to this House today, is a diverse bill. As the name suggests, it provides for amendments to existing electoral, local government and planning and development law. The Bill puts in place legislative provisions that are needed now, across the electoral, local government and planning areas, in order...