Results 801-820 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Most of the speakers so far have had some basis to what they said. What the Senator has said are utter lies.

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: You better.

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: You cannot just come in here and say the first thing that comes into your head.

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: That is a political charge.

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: That is not what the Senator said.

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I did. I withdraw the word “lie”. It may have been a misquotation. Certainly, the quotation that was read out was correct but what was referenced was slightly different. I have no problem withdrawing the word “lie”.

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Would we be agog at this stage?

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I will withdraw my comment. I got a bit lost in the heat of the moment. A quote was read out by Senator McDowell. I felt that there was a certain motive being attributed which I did not believe was accurate, hence my comment. I should not have said it. I thank those who have contributed. As usual in most debates, whether in this House or the other House, there are plenty of...

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: However, there has not been much discussion on this in the House tonight and it leaves this wide open to abuse. My biggest concern about a register is to make it safe. We will be embarking on this at the end of this year and we have just had a public consultation on changing the registration process and moving towards a system of using PPS numbers because our existing electoral registers...

Seanad: Seanad Reform Implementation Group: Statements (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Yes. I fully support the notion of ensuring that the Seanad would continue to be a place where people who have very different opinions can get elected and can contribute to public life. However, there are genuine concerns about certain aspects of what is in Senator McDowell's report. I will endeavour, as I said, to ensure that the Dáil has this exchange of views as soon as possible....

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 536 and 553 together. Local authorities derive their income from a variety of sources including commercial rates, charges for goods and services and funding from Central Government. Central Government funding of local authorities includes transfers, both current and capital, from a range of Departments and Offices for a variety of purposes. Some streams of...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Representational Payment that the 949 elected members of local authorities receive has a statutory link to the basic salary of a Senator and is adjusted in proportion to any adjustments made to a Senator's salary. With effect from 1 September 2019 the Representational Payment is €17,359 per annum. Based on a simple flat rate calculation of stand alone increases to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: At its meeting on 4 December 2018, the Government reviewed further the progress on the overall programme of Bills to amend the Constitution. Having regard to other referenda that are proposed to be progressed in the short term and having particular regard to the heavy legislative programme scheduled for 2019 arising from the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (24 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The people of Limerick City and County decided in a plebiscite held on 24 May 2019 to support the Government's proposals for a directly elected mayor with executive functions for their Council area. Work is now well underway on the necessary preparatory work to deliver on the will of the people of Limerick. Under Section 44 of the Local Government Act 2019, the Minister is required to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (24 Sep 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 context of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Regeneration Projects (18 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I agree with virtually everything Deputy Ellis has said. I am not in a position to direct local authorities as to what they should do with sites like this or, indeed, with issues like this in their own functional areas. However, it would not be unreasonable to hope that Dublin City Council could begin the consultation process when the demolition works are actually happening, so that what...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Regeneration Projects (18 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Over the lifetime of Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, some €211 million is being made available under the national regeneration programme to support the delivery of more than 1, 000 new social housing homes. Together with providing a significant number of new homes, the projects seek to address the causes of disadvantage in these communities through a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (18 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Local Property Tax (LPT) is a vital source of funding for local authorities. Authorities use the funding in the provision, for example, of parks, libraries, leisure amenities, fire and emergency services and improvements to the public realm, all of which benefit citizens directly and improve the fabric of our communities and quality of life. LPT allocations are based on estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates Impact (18 Sep 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Local businesses play a vital role in supporting local authorities to deliver critical services to their communities. Commercial Rates, at c€1.5bn per annum, make up roughly one third of local government current income. The Local Government Rates and Other Matters Act 2019 was enacted earlier this year, in order to modernise and improve the rates system for ratepayers, local...