Results 4,821-4,840 of 5,171 for speaker:Victor Boyhan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (22 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: We will be refreshed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (22 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: Yes, but Deputy O'Dowd will be even more refreshed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (22 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I suggest that we do not have another meeting on Thursday. We cannot have people here. We were sitting here on Thursday. Thursday afternoon is a no-no. I respect that Deputies and Ministers have to be in for both, but we cannot be left sitting in here like we were today. We were waiting around at 2 p.m. and looking at "Vótáil" on the screen. We are here and we are busy. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (22 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: The Senator did not ask any questions.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I wish to raise three issues: the judicial council; Rebuilding Ireland, the Government's policy to tackle the housing crisis and homelessness; and agriculture and food. I will not rehearse what today's edition of The Irish Timesreports the Chief Justice, Mrs. Justice Susan Denham, as having said. We need to heed what she said in touching on the separation of powers. That is important to...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I rise to address one issue here today. First, I congratulate all the Ministers of State who were appointed yesterday. In particular, I congratulate Deputy John Paul Phelan who has been appointed Minister of State with responsibility for local government. He has been specifically delegated to deal with local government. That is important and I acknowledge-----

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: Local government and reform. If I am allowed finish I will get to the reform, which Senator Coghlan will be particularly interested in. That is important. I am delighted that Senator Coghlan should remind me of the reform element of the Minister of State's brief. What am I going to say?

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: Senator Coghlan will certainly remind people. I would appreciate if the Leader could organise for the Minister of State, Deputy John Paul Phelan, to come to the House to discuss local government, and in particular greater devolved powers and subsidiarity to local government, to empower it as it represents local communities and local citizens to make decisions in local communities. Last year...

Seanad: Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I formally second the Bill. I thank Senator Freeman and acknowledge input of the co-sponsors of the Bill, Senators Craughwell and Marie-Louise O'Donnell. I warmly welcome the new Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, and wish him well in his challenging post. This issue has to be about the rights of children and putting children at the centre in terms of care. Ideally, no child should be in...

Seanad: Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Michael D'Arcy, and congratulate him on his appointment. I will not go into great detail because Senator Conway-Walsh has eloquently set out the purpose of the Bill and I fully support it. It is important to say that the Bill was unanimously agreed in Dáil Éireann. I acknowledge the work Deputy Pearse Doherty put into the Bill. There is a...

Seanad: Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I am very happy to sit among them. They have an exceptional record in local government where I worked with them for many years and across the country, as I would with any other group. The bottom line is that we should talk about policy more than personalities. It is not about playing politics. Everyone in here has a mandate. We are elected by the people. Members of Sinn Féin are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing and Rental Market: Discussion (21 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the witnesses for coming here and sharing their knowledge. Both of the papers before us are very interesting. I will make a few comments, if I may, before getting into the detail of the questions. I read all the submissions before us today and there is a certain trend running through them. There is basically a need for some regulatory control for the very short-term lets. In...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing and Rental Market: Discussion (21 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: The Department mentioned planning circulars and directions but is it being proactive enough? Mr. Ó Cléirigh said he was preparing another circular but what will happen? He mentioned suggestions and recommendations and said he had issued circulars but it is all very grand to send a circular out. Some may be circulated to members and other may not while some Departments get them...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing and Rental Market: Discussion (21 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the witnesses. I have read the three submissions. I had to go to the Seanad to raise an item on the Order of Business but I am back. I took the time to read all the submissions. They are excellent and concise. As Deputy Coppinger said, this is a simple enough issue. It needs to be seen in the context of social housing policy and the delivery of affordable and social housing. We...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Child Care Services Provision (20 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: In the absence of time and because we have spent 45 minutes on three items, I will be brief and to the point. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and congratulate him on his reappointment. I am delighted for him. He does an amazing job. Despite all our challenges and talk on Commencement Matters, it is clearly a very difficult time and resources are a key factor in many of the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Child Care Services Provision (20 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: The reality, which the Minister of State accepted, is that there are over 5,000 children involved. The reply to a parliamentary question tabled in the Dáil indicated that more than 5,000 children who have been brought to the attention of child welfare and protection services have not been allocated social workers. That is totally unacceptable. These are children who are at some level...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I would like to raise three matters: the appointment to the Court of Appeal vacancy; Rebuilding Ireland and the shift or change in Government policy in that regard; and the new Government. I will be brief. I understand, from the media and my engagement with people, that at least three High Court judges had written to the Attorney General, Máire Whelan, indicating that they wanted to be...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Refugee Resettlement Programme (13 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister. I will get straight to the point. The Government made a commitment in respect of the matter I am raising. Commitments are about honour and delivering something. The commitment to which I refer has been restated by the Minister and her colleagues in government. I attended a conference last week at which I heard the stories of many people who have experienced issues...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Refugee Resettlement Programme (13 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister. It is to be welcomed that there is no question of reneging on the commitment to take in 4,000 people. That may happen through other mechanisms, systems and channels, and we can accept that as fair enough. I thank the Minister for the comprehensive reply. I draw the attention of the Minister to the third paragraph of her reply, as it states "Deputies" should be aware...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jun 2017)

Victor Boyhan: I join with other Senators in wishing Enda Kenny and his family well as he steps down as Taoiseach today. I sat in the Gallery of the Dáil to listen to him and I was struck by the modesty and simplicity of his speech, which should be acknowledged. He clearly demonstrated that he is a man with enormous energy who has mastered the craft of politics and how it is done, which is to be...