Results 861-880 of 5,027 for speaker:Victor Boyhan

Seanad: Restoration of Oireachtas Library and Reading Room: Motion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I commend my colleague and friend, Senator Michael McDowell, on driving this initiative. Let us be careful in what we are doing. I know we will have the full support of this House, if this motion is approved. The motion calls on the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to abandon its proposals to convert the space into additional committee rooms and event spaces. That is to be commended....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: We have read both the submissions and I appreciate them very much. I just have a few questions. I will go to the Department first and just touch on these issues in a block and then the witnesses can respond accordingly. We have had the Electoral Act and this committee has been hugely involved in the Bill. There was a lot of engagement and public consultation on a wide variety of issues,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I have two questions and they overlap in both the witnesses' areas of responsibility. I will address my first question to Mr. O'Leary. It relates to the Electoral Commission's research consultation. We know from the Department's submission that the programme for Government contains commitments in the context of examining a number of issues. We know this anyway, but the Department has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Seanad Éireann has an election that is run internally. It is a most unusual election because the bulk of the Members of the Seanad are elected by politicians. It is, quite frankly, a very difficult place to get elected to because, for starters, you have to canvass politicians. There is oversight of that process. Ballot papers are sent out in brown paper envelopes that are subject to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Good.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: At best. It could be earlier.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I have one follow-up question before moving to the officials from the Department. Where the Minister writes to the commission, as provided for in the legislation, to request it carry out research, does it publish those letters? How does the public know what the Minister is requesting of the commission?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Yes, but this is about openness and transparency, which is critical in light of all the other considerations the commission has owing to the nature of its work. How does the public looking in know the Minister has written to the commission to request research? Is that via circular? How does the public know?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: No, but the public would be interested.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Yes, it is about the commission adopting an open and transparent policy. All this documentation, to and from anyone, as part of this consultation should be available for inspection on the commission's website. It is a good idea, within the constraints the commission may have to operate within.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I thank Mr. O'Leary. I put the same points to the officials from the Department.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Does the Department have any role in the Seanad election?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I understand that, but clearly the Department is the parent Department when it comes to elections. If there was a by-election, the Seanad would pass a resolution instructing the Clerk to inform the Minister there is a vacancy. Otherwise, it cannot happen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: The Department is aware of all that. Has it been involved? Has there been any proactive work or suggestions relating to the conduct of the Seanad elections that Mr. Ryan is aware of.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Cathaoirleach.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I mean the process, not the conduct.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: It is doing significant work.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: Many here will know Conrad Bryan. He is the director of the Association of Mixed Race Irish. This morning, an amazing exhibition, "Shame - European Stories" was launched. For anyone interested in running in the elections for the European Parliament, this exhibition is not just about Ireland but about Irish people and other people across the European Union. It has been produced to a high...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2023: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (22 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I will be brief. I thank the Minister for his presentation. It is a good news story for Horse Racing Ireland. It is €76 million. The Minister has set out the reasons and logic for increasing the top-up funding, because that is what it is. It is effectively a requirement for the Minister to bring this proposal to both Houses of the Oireachtas to get approval for the top-up ceiling....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2023: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (22 Nov 2023)

Victor Boyhan: I have one final question, which I know was put to the Minister last year. If he looks at the debates going back over a number of years in both Houses, he will see that this issue has been raised again and again. It is the decoupling of funding for greyhounds as opposed to horse racing. The focus of most of the critics tends to be on the dogs. That is not what I think. That is what the...