Results 1,101-1,120 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I will try my best, although some of them are beyond my competence. In regard to the points made by Deputy Darragh O'Brien on circulating the memorandum, I have no problem in doing that. I will ask my private secretary to circulate it to the committee membership because it is very involved. Given all of us are practising politicians, the minutiae of how elections take place, as well as...

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I move amendment No. 2:In page 3, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following:“Amendment of section 11 of Principal Act 3. Section 11 of the Principal Act is amended—(a) in paragraph (d) of subsection (2), by the deletion of “or the United Kingdom”, (b) in subsection (3), by the deletion of “or the United Kingdom”, (c) by the substitution of...

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: A passport is generally accepted as the definitive document, but for those who have gone through the recent citizenship ceremonies and have the documentation that accompanies them, that documentation is of a similar status. I understand where Deputy Paul Murphy is coming from with his suggestion that this is anti-democratic but I disagree with him completely. We have always adopted the...

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I have written down that last point. I will respond to the points raised by Deputy Paul Murphy first. The amendments are about treating British citizens the same as we treat those of other member state citizens in European Parliament elections. I understand there is a broader point that does not relate directly to these amendments about the status of British citizens having voting rights...

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I refer to the advice of the Attorney General in relation to the European Union and the European Parliament election.

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: That is fair enough. The Deputy will have his chance to speak later. I can only speak about the advice we have received. Many of the British citizens resident in Ireland have dual citizenship and many may be full Irish citizens at this stage. Obviously, in that case, their voting rights remain as is. However, the issue that we are discussing in these two amendments is primarily one of...

European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I move amendment No. 1:In page 3, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following:“Amendment of section 6 of Principal Act 2. Section 6 of the Principal Act is amended by the deletion of “or the United Kingdom” in each place that it occurs.”. These provisions remove the explicit reference to the United Kingdom and British citizens from the European Parliament...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Functions (26 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The levying and collection of rates are, in the first instance, matters for each individual local authority. Under the Valuation Acts, 2001-2015, local authorities are obliged to levy rates on any property, used for commercial purposes, in accordance with the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation. There is legislative provision for the refund of rates...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Register (26 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Under electoral law registration authorities are required to publish the register of electors on 1 February each year with the register coming into force on 15 February. The register currently comprises four categories of electors: Presidential elector, Dáil elector, European elector and Local Government elector. A person's citizenship determines their category on the register and the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates Calculations (21 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 provide for the valuation of all commercial and industrial property for rating purposes. The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Acts and the making of valuations for rating is his sole responsibility. I, as Minister, have no function in relation to decisions in this regard. The Deputy may be aware that,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Campaigns (20 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: At its meeting on 4 December 2018, the Government reviewed the progress on Bills to amend the Constitution and agreed that two referendums would be held on the same date as the local and European elections in late May 2019.  A referendum would be held on the issue of divorce which would be a matter for the Minister for Justice and Equality while the second referendum would concern...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (20 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Cork boundary alteration is the most significant of its kind undertaken in the State. It represents a major reorganisation of local government in Cork with a population of over 85,000 people in the relevant area transferring from Cork County Council to Cork City Council. The Local Government Act 2019 came into effect on 31 January 2019 and provides primarily for the alteration...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Election Management System (20 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: In March 2017 the Government determined that work should commence on modernisation of the voter registration process. In addition to meeting the objective to modernise the registration process generally, the Government was also cognisant of the possible need to register voters resident outside the State in the event that a referendum on extending the franchise in Presidential elections is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Fund (20 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together. The information sought is set out in the following table.. The Local Government Fund is audited by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General each year. The audited accounts of the Local Government Fund 2003-2017 are published on my Department's website at the following link; . Funding Provided 1999 €m 2000 €m...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (20 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: In 2017, the most recent year for which audited accounts are available, sources of revenue (current) funding to local authorities were as follows: Table of Revenue Income 2017 Revenue account 2017 Income €4.515bn Revenue Income sources € 2017 Goods & Services €1.290bn Commercial rates €1.476bn Income from Grants and subsidies €1.251bn...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Early Years Sector (19 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I thank the Senator for his question. The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, has asked me to take this Commencement matter because she is attending the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs this afternoon and is, therefore, unable to be present in the House.I bow to Senator Richmond's greater knowledge of parenting and I hope that young Master Luke is-----

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Early Years Sector (19 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: -----better having been ill recently. Baby boxes for newborns are to be trialled in a pilot under First 5, the recently published whole-of-Government strategy for babies, young children and their families. Piloting baby boxes is just one initiative which is part of a wide-ranging strategy addressing various aspects of the lives of children from birth to age five, including supports for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Early Years Sector (19 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Dormant accounts funding has been secured for the development of the pilots in both baby boxes and book bags between 2019 and 2021. That is the direct answer to the Senator's question. If the pilots are successful, as we hope they will be, and once the consultation on what should be included has taken place, it is envisaged the schemes will be introduced.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members (19 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The relevant Regulations, which came into operation on 1 June 2014, recognise training for elected members provided by the following bodies:- - the Association of Irish Local Government; - the Local Authority Members Association; - national representative bodies for functions for which local authorities have responsibilities; and - programmes of education and training which relate to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (14 Feb 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Local authorities’ cost and income bases vary significantly from one another as a result of their size, population, public service demands, infrastructure and income sources. It is clear that there are significant variances in their abilities to raise revenue locally and they therefore require appropriate levels of financial support. The Needs and Resources Model was developed in...