Results 521-540 of 6,970 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Yes. Extra funding from the Exchequer will be needed to meet the goods and services loss.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Not yet. That will be another Government decision.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: I will have to ask the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to respond to the Deputy directly on privately built local authority housing and local authority purchased housing and the figures for this year. This is another situation that is not uniform across the country. I am acutely aware of what Deputy Feighan said earlier. There are still chunks of...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: To answer as briefly as possible, the figures that were calculated following a line-by-line analysis by the CCMA and presented to the local government section in the Department led us to arrive at the figure of €260 million.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Yes, it is a guesstimate.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: It is difficult for me to say in advance, as I will not be the one sitting at the Cabinet table, but that is absolutely my intention. The 100% of what was sought by the CCMA is included in the €260 million figure. It is very much my intention that if the guesstimate underestimates the amount of money that we expect businesses that have stayed open to contribute in commercial rates...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Yes, that is a commitment. I will let the Deputy ask his next question.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: That is very much the intention at the moment.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: It would be asking them to pay twice.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Friday's decision is in relation to-----

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Yes, rates only. In his question, Deputy Howlin referred to discussions with finance officers. There is another round of analysis going on with the CCMA and the Department officials on not just establishing the €108 million figure that the Deputy mentioned but the best guesstimate as to how much of a shortfall in that there might be as a result of the Covid crisis. I am not really...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: That is an area where local authorities could usefully change. I want to get the point across about council meetings.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Councils set their own standing orders. Many councils were very quick to write to the Department or to me about how they were to hold meetings. It is a matter for themselves. Most have now amended their standing orders to allow for meetings in lecture theatres and so on. All 31 councils now have facilities for their AGMs which fall next month. There is a place for virtual meetings in...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Several people asked that question and I did not get to answer it. The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, has committed to the extension of the rent freeze and the eviction ban as part of a general check on where we are regarding the crisis. Once that time period elapses at the end of June, he has not given a commitment, but he has said it will be firmly looked at depending on where we are in...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: The Deputy is right in his assessment that remote working and working from home are very much here to stay. One of the key proposals by the outgoing Government in that regard was the national broadband plan. In the current crisis, we have seen bottlenecks in people's connectivity in many rural areas in particular, but also in some urban areas. The importance of the delivery of that plan...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: I confirm to the House that, hopefully, following the Cabinet decision this Friday, it is the intention to reimburse local authorities, large and small, as soon as possible thereafter, certainly early in the month of June. There would have been extensive consultation between the Departments, both at official and political level, with local authorities across the country in regard to their...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: I am afraid the Deputy will have to wait a little longer. I am recording the questions and I will relay the ones that fall into the housing category to the Minister. Local government does not have a direct responsibility for the mica and pyrite issue. However, the Deputy is right. My wife is from north Leitrim so I know south Donegal. I have seen at first hand, as well as some of the...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Yes.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: I agree with virtually everything the Deputy said. The collection of these moneys is a matter for each local authority and it has not been brought to my attention that councils need any extra powers in this regard. At the time the vacant site levy was introduced, and in respect of the amending legislation which was brought in afterwards in relation to farm lands, the powers were put in...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: I will bring this specific issue to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, again. Many Members of the House are keen to reactivate the planning process with regard to exiting Covid-19 measures. The points the Deputy made are valid and I will certainly bring them to the Minister's attention. With regard to co-living, any private operator or State agency may want to apply...