Results 701-720 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Constitutional Amendments (5 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Presidential Elections) Bill 2019 was published by the Tánaiste on 16 September 2019 and has been initiated in Dáil Éireann.  My colleague, Minister Murphy, made an order establishing a Referendum Commission on 26 September 2019. When the Bill is passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, section 10 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Commission Administration (5 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The establishment of an Electoral Commission is a key commitment in the Programme for Partnership Government.  An Electoral Commission will bring together several electoral functions in an independent, dedicated public body. The Government approved the establishment of a statutory Electoral Commission on 17 July 2019, and the drafting of the General Scheme of an Electoral...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Reform (5 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Whenever an election or referendum takes place, my Department places advertisements in the national papers advising eligible voters who are not registered to vote to take the opportunity to apply for inclusion in the supplement to the register of electors so that they can take part in that election or referendum. In the case of referendums specifically, the role of any Referendum Commission...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Signage (3 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. The name by which people know their own locality or by which others recognise it is pretty fundamental. As well as being a beautiful place, Enniscrone is a popular destination. It has been for years but, as the Senator pointed out, it has benefited in recent years from the Wild Atlantic Way and golf tourism in particular. The...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Signage (3 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I would like to reassure the Senator that there are no turf wars at this stage. This time last year, just before the session ended, the Local Government Act went through this House and we hoped that would allow for the regulations to be drawn up. It turned out the amendment that was included in that Act only applied to the possibility of holding plebiscites in Gaeltacht areas. That was an...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Funding (3 Dec 2019)

John Paul Phelan: My Department has a wide and diverse business agenda, covering a broad range of functions, including local authority housing, voluntary housing, homeless services, estate regeneration, energy efficiency retrofitting, housing grants, rural water schemes, urban renewal/regeneration, and fire services. In order to achieve its business objectives, my Department allocates significant resources to...

Planning and Development (Amendment) (First-Time Buyers) Bill 2019: Second Stage [Private Members] (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The housing needs in rural Ireland are different than those in urban Ireland, it is fair to say, but it is equally wrong to say anything other than that the population of rural Ireland continues to increase. In regard to local authorities, Members should look at what is being done in Cork City Council and what has been done for several years in Louth County Council. This goes back to...

Planning and Development (Amendment) (First-Time Buyers) Bill 2019: Second Stage [Private Members] (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: To own the hearth and stool and all! The heaped up sods upon the fire-----

Planning and Development (Amendment) (First-Time Buyers) Bill 2019: Second Stage [Private Members] (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: My master in primary school, Frank Madigan, would be very proud of the fact that I still remember "An Old Woman of the Roads". I welcome the chance for discussion and will address some of the specific issues that have been raised towards the end of my remarks. Like everyone in the House, I share the objective of increasing the supply of housing for first-time buyers and indeed for all...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, could not be present but I thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for raising the issue. I saw the coverage of the reports. The Deputy is right to raise those points and they need to be addressed. The developmental issues in children that have been highlighted need to be addressed and are not acceptable. Supporting individuals and families experiencing...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing Provision (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Deputy is right in the sense of the need for a review of the income thresholds, which is now happening. I do not accept that the full 26% reduction in the social housing waiting lists is as a result of people's incomes going over the existing thresholds but that review is starting to get in train. It did not happen for a decade because there was a decade when incomes were fairly flat...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: My Department is supporting Sligo County Council to meet the ambitious objectives for Sligo as envisaged in the National Planning Framework. To this end, I visited Sligo earlier this year with a multi-disciplinary team from my Department to meet with a similar delegation from Sligo. The Council has ambitious plans itself and my Department is working with the Council to support their...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Since 2015, all local authorities have been compensated for commercial rates foregone as a result of the decision to make Irish Water non-rateable in 2014. In consultation with the local authority sector, commercial rates are being re-introduced for Irish Water and from next year, Irish Water will pay commercial rates like other utilities and there will no longer be any general need for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Role and Remuneration of Local Authority Members: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I will be brief and try to answer all the questions. I might be repetitious but I will reply anyway. I thank the members for their ongoing interest in this matter. It has dragged on a little longer than anticipated over the past two years. I would have expected to have the full report at this stage. Senator Boyhan asked when it will be delivered. I am told that it is being finalised and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Role and Remuneration of Local Authority Members: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I am almost finished. From the date of the last election and when the new regime kicks in there should be a knock-on pension of a type that will link to the public sector grade to which Senators will be linked. My final point relates to maternity and paternity leave. The issue at the moment comes down to the fact that expenses cannot be claimed when they are not earned because people are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Role and Remuneration of Local Authority Members: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Yes. I could not agree more. I echo what Deputy O'Dowd said. I do not know what will be said in the report on the matter but I think councillors should have access to outside advices, and not just have to rely on the legal advice of the council.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Role and Remuneration of Local Authority Members: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Yes but some councils operate in a very unclear manner.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Role and Remuneration of Local Authority Members: Discussion (27 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The approach must be uniform.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Property Tax Review (26 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: In May 2018, a Local Government Funding (Baseline) Review Group was established to consider the methodology to determine local authority funding baselines, to inform the distribution of any additional funding that could become available for general, operational purposes. Recommendations were received from the Review Group in August 2018 and these fall to be considered in the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Nov 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I am speaking on behalf of my colleagues in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and of the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring. There are two schemes, the local improvement scheme and the community involvement scheme, which are funded, one from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and one from the Department of Rural and Community Development. Both...