Results 3,341-3,360 of 4,718 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Absolutely. I thank Deputy O'Callaghan for this important amendment. They are all important but this one is significant. It is important to note there is a commitment. We had this at pre-legislative scrutiny stage as well. I have met with the Irish Second-Level Students' Union, the National Youth Council of Ireland and others on this. We look at the success in other jurisdictions. I...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 38: "In page 41, to delete lines 22 and 23 and substitute the following: “(a) the total number of members of Dáil Éireann, subject to Article 16.2.2 of the Constitution, shall be not less than 169 and not more than 179;”." Article 16.2.2° of the Constitution provides that the number of Members of Dáil Éireann shall from time...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: We designed in the amendment a degree of flexibility that is based on what we anticipate the figures might be. We cannot anticipate the exact figures that will come out from the census. I think the preliminary figures will be due shortly. That range between 169 and 179 gives us a fair degree of flexibility with how we might anticipate what the population growth will be.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I accept the valid points made by Deputy O'Callaghan but I do not agree the legislation copper-fastens the status quo. This committee has an important role to play with the research function the commission will carry out. We do not anticipate a scheduled general election until 2025, so there is an opportunity to engage on this. I accept the points made by the Deputy nonetheless.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputy is correct and it is prescriptive around having three, four or five Members. The point I am making about the role of this committee and the commission is that there is an ability to carry out research on future recommendations around extending that further. That is what we can commit to.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The lines in the legislation are prescriptive. As I stated, once the commission is established, it will have an ability to carry out the research described by the Deputy.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 14: In page 17, line 37, to delete “entitled under” and substitute “is entitled under”.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Before I go to my speaking notes, I will reflect on some of the contributions from members. I thank Deputies O'Callaghan and Nash for bringing forward these amendments. Deputy Flaherty made points about local elections with which I agree wholeheartedly. A considerable amount of work is required in that regard. He is correct to say the commission is going to be burdened with a considerable...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Bill is prescriptive.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: That is an interesting point. I have come across that research and I think it bears out the fact that, perhaps, there is no significant advantage to being named higher up on the ballot paper. It raises other issues relating to counting votes under our proportional representation system and it could make that challenging. There may also be accessibility issues with the templates used for...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The term "where practicable" is important. Significantly, what we have done over the past number of the years, through great work here with the returning officers, is to ensure that we are reducing the level of inaccessibility. I gave the statistics. That is something. We have worked well with the disability organisations to ensure that accessibility issue is addressed. Significant...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Generally, all count centres would be. The issues would be brought back to us by the disability organisations following electoral events. In general, the feedback is quite good.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Absolutely.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank the Deputies for the quality of the amendments in general today. They are very good and have sparked continuing debate about the commission and the legislation. There is the point around unintentionally spoiled votes and voters voting all the way down a ballot paper. It is not just a commitment from me or the Minister; it will be the commitment of the commission, which will have...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I move amendment No. 53: In page 49, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “Amendment of Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 77.Schedule 13 to the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 is amended by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph 206: “207. The Electoral Commission.”.”. This amendment adds the electoral commission to the list of...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I agree with trying to reduce barriers. Many homeless people I meet are very politically engaged, not only by virtue of their circumstances, and very well-educated and well-read people who are very engaged in our political system and the future of our country. We all want to ensure they can participate fully in that. Perhaps my speaking notes might have something of a stifling effect, as...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I agree with everything that has been said. It is not the intention to be discriminatory. What we are trying to do, and we are making genuine strides here, is to ensure our electoral register is robust and that our electoral system is open to and inclusive of all. That is why we introduced this innovate and novel aspect in the Bill. It is not intended to be discriminatory. It is a new...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: As I stated, it is important that the commission is established and we then build its function up and give consideration to issues such as this in time. From our perspective, the critical part now is to get the commission established and then look at these other elements in time. I have just given a commitment in that regard.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Deputies McAuliffe and Flaherty for not pressing this amendment. Section 14 empowers the commission to establish committees to advise and assist it in the performance of its functions. Such committees may include persons who are not members of the commission or its staff. This provides an avenue for bringing in external skills where required. Being mindful of the commission's...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 May 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: First, and importantly, we have already outlined that the commission will be tasked with reviewing electoral events and what is working and what has not worked well in electoral events. That is significant. Second, there is the fact that this committee will continue to have a role in the research and advocacy function of the commission in respect of recommendations and the reports that will...