Results 4,081-4,100 of 5,040 for speaker:Victor Boyhan

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: That was an excellent intervention.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Private Rental Sector: Discussion (4 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I wish to personally thank all of the speakers for their presentations; we have had a look at them and the word that is emerging here is "partnership". Ms Carroll talked about the need for partnership, joined-up thinking and synergy. Before we proceed, I contacted a number of councils across the country yesterday, as I would do as standard practice before any joint Oireachtas committee...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Private Rental Sector: Discussion (4 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: The NCT is one of the best systems we have and it makes a lot of sense. It is very simple. In a few simple words, how do we progress NCT-style rental property inspections from here? The Department has said that it is anxious and that it is keen to look at it, but we need stronger commitments than that. These proceedings are televised and many people who are involved in social and...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Environmental Policy (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister to the House. I raise this issue regarding the need for the Minister to update us on Ireland's transposition into law of the Aarhus Convention. The Minister is well aware of the importance of public participation in the planning process and how citizens across this country value that participation. It is an important and a very good convention that is relied on...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Environmental Policy (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister for his comprehensive response and to note that he is bringing forward a Bill.Would the Minister consider initiating the Bill in the Seanad? The Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, was in the House recently talking about expanding the role around scrutiny and legislation, and working more on legislation, perhaps more than statements that we tend to see much of in this House....

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I wish to raise a matter that is due to be discussed later. I will not go into substantive detail. I refer to the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017. The Group of States against Corruption, GRECO, was established in 1999 by the Council of Europe to monitor states' compliance with organisations relating to anti-corruption. GRECO's objective is to improve the capacity of members to...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I understand that it makes some damning remarks. I do not want this GRECO report to come back and haunt us. We know the Government has sight of the GRECO report. How can we proceed with legislation when we know that the Government is withholding the report? I suggest that this is being done under pressure from a Cabinet Minister, which is not the right way to proceed. I hope that today...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: -----until the GRECO report is published by the Government. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, would have stood up in the Lower House to demand accountability and transparency but today I challenge him. He is aware, like all Ministers, of the GRECO report. We need to see it and decide for ourselves what is in it. Let it not come back to haunt us in two weeks or...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister to the House. He was not here earlier when Members had a fairly heated debate about the Group of States Against Corruption, GRECO, report but I will leave him with one line before turning to talk about the amendments. The Minister or members of the Government might reflect on the GRECO report tonight, which I understand to be a very significant report. It has been...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: Fianna Fáil has told me that it is looking for someone.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I urge the Minister for Justice and Equality to call the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport's bluff and let him walk. Does the Minister for Justice and Equality think that the other boys in the same group will walk? I firmly believe that they will not walk the plank with him. I urge the Government to stand up to him and I say that because it needs to be said. All the journalists...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: Let us wait and see.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: Fine Gael has a long tradition in law and order, and of supporting and respecting the Judiciary. If Fine Gael wants to make a stand then it can do so and allow a judge or a member of the legal profession to be considered for appointment to chair the commission.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I wish to tease out some points. I am somewhat taken aback by what the Minister said because he did caution Senator Craughwell and said he would be a bit disappointed. Rightly or wrongly, he gave the impression — he will have an opportunity to clarify this — that he had sight of, or knowledge of, the report. Did someone else have sight of the report and say he or she had...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: The Minister might also confirm the date it was received in his Department?

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

Victor Boyhan: Did his Secretary General receive this report? Did he bring it to the Minister's attention? Communication seems to have been a bit of a problem in the Department of Justice and Equality historically. I hope there is not another issue, challenge or problem that is going to affect the Minister. Can he tell us whether any official in his Department tipped him off, notified him or told him of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (27 Jun 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I am grateful to the Leas-Chathaoirleach for the selection of this Commencement matter. I warmly welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, to the House. He is always very welcome and it is always good to see him. I thank him for taking up my invitation to make a statement on the possible further expansion of the local infrastructure housing activation fund, or LIHAF, scheme....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (27 Jun 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister of State for that comprehensive report. I welcome the fact that the call for the funding will be issued later this week. From what the Minister of State stated, I am not quite sure it will be exclusively to fund State lands or public lands. Let us not get caught up on whose they are. They are public lands. The real controversy is that we have vast tracts of State...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I had intended to speak on one matter, but I will first touch on the issue of housing raised by Senator Ardagh. When the Minister of State, Deputy English, took my Commencement matter on the local infrastructure housing activation fund, LIHAF, this morning, he stated that he would this week announce a second round. That is positive news and should be acknowledged. In conjunction with local...

Seanad: Education (Digital Devices in Schools) Bill 2018: Second Stage (27 Jun 2018)

Victor Boyhan: I support the legislation. I welcome the Minister to the House and acknowledge his work on digital technology. He has been very conscientious and vocal about same. I also acknowledge that he published a circular that requires all schools to consult parents, teachers and students on the use of smartphones and tablet devices in schools, which is important. We need to have a tripartite...