Results 41-60 of 1,500 for speaker:John Paul Phelan in 'Dáil debates'

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

John Paul Phelan: In advance of seeing the full details, I cannot give that guarantee. However, I fully understand the point the Deputy is making. The person in question is obviously afraid that he will lose the house that he has identified under the scheme. At different points during the measures the Government has announced and different agencies have implemented across the State, there have been...

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

John Paul Phelan: Following on from the court judgment, the drafting of new criteria for eligibility for house construction in rural areas is not yet completed but I understand it is close to completion. In relation to how we go forward with rural development, the point the Deputy makes is correct. There are plenty of people in Ireland who would not like to see any more houses built in rural areas for...

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

John Paul Phelan: Rural areas need new people too and there needs to be a balance brought into that debate.

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

John Paul Phelan: I will again preface my comments by saying that I will ask the Minister with responsibility for housing to respond directly. I repeat that there are vast differences between the delivery of different services depending on local authority areas. Louth County Council is a great example of an authority that is at the cutting edge in the issue of dereliction and bringing buildings that are...

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

John Paul Phelan: I am at the point of repeating myself. I cannot directly answer the questions because I have no direct responsibility for housing. When I was speaking earlier, I was paraphrasing what the Minister said last week regarding the consideration of extending the moratorium on evictions and rents. The points the Deputy makes are valid. I will collate all the questions relating to housing and the...

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

John Paul Phelan: I was at a meeting on this issue at the early stages of the crisis. Extensive consideration was given to the issue of centres in local authorities and if there was sufficient capacity. The population of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown is around 250,000. Some local authorities, like my own, have a population of 100,000 while others have 60,000. There is not a uniform, one-size-fits-all...

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

John Paul Phelan: On the planning law, I cannot directly refer to the issue Deputy Cairns has specifically raised. I would like to respond but suffice to say I wholeheartedly agree with the Deputy's points on the effect of Covid-19 on our towns and villages across the State, and with regard to the fear that exists in many of those places for the businesses on the main street or in the three or four streets...

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

John Paul Phelan: I cannot because that decision has not been made yet by the senior Minister.

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

John Paul Phelan: He has not even considered it yet. For me to comment upon it would be-----

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

John Paul Phelan: -----to prejudge it in a sense. I cannot. It is not an area in which I have a direct or indirect responsibility.

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

John Paul Phelan: This is one of the first cases-----

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

John Paul Phelan: I believe it is nearly the first.

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

John Paul Phelan: The office was established partly as a result of various planning tribunals.

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

John Paul Phelan: I will.

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

John Paul Phelan: I wish to inform the House that the Department of Rural and Community Development, which is the Department of the Minister, Deputy Ring, announced today that applications for the year ahead may be made under the town and village renewal scheme, which applies to many of the towns and villages referred to by the Deputy.

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

John Paul Phelan: Did I say that?

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

John Paul Phelan: I apologise to the Deputy.

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

John Paul Phelan: I must ask the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to respond directly to the Deputy. I have no responsibility on housing. I understand the point being made, and the Deputy mentioned a local authority in another jurisdiction. As I understand it, county and city development plans are another mechanism by which local authorities can set out the criteria under which planning applications should...

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

John Paul Phelan: My answer is largely the same as the previous one. I will have to get the Minister to respond directly. What I have found from talking to a number of both elected members and officials in local authorities is that the emergency response on housing during the Covid crisis has had a positive impact, by and large. I was struck by the question from Deputy Niall Collins earlier and I ask him,...

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

John Paul Phelan: The projected figure for the monthly rates shortfall is about €84 million or €85 million.