Results 1,581-1,600 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Local Government (Restoration of Town Councils) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: A Commissioner.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members' Remit (25 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: On 21 June 2018 I announced that I was commissioning a review of the role of elected members of local authorities. I appointed Ms. Sara Moorhead SC to conduct this review, which is being informed by input from my Department as well as the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The review is now underway. Ms. Moorhead has held a number of meetings with both Departments as well as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (25 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Local government areas are specified in primary legislation. The Local Government Act 2001 (as amended) currently provides for 3 cities, Cork, Dublin and Galway, and for each of these to have a city council. If an additional city council were to be established, this would have significant implications for the county in which the area concerned is situated, particularly loss of functions...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Constitutional Amendments (25 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Government announced on 26 September 2017 that it had agreed an indicative timetable for the holding of a number of referendums on proposals for amendments to the Constitution arising from the work of the Citizens’ Assembly and the Convention on the Constitution. In this context, my Department will be responsible for bringing forward appropriate Constitution Amendment Bills on...

National Monuments (The Moore Street Battlefield) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I have not been scheduled to deal with the matter.

National Monuments (The Moore Street Battlefield) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Okay.

National Monuments (The Moore Street Battlefield) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I have received a text to say she is on her way.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Planning Framework (20 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I thank Deputy Tóibín for raising the matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Murphy, and for providing me with the opportunity to discuss the population growth projections for County Meath as set out under the national planning framework. The suggestion being put forward that there is a "cap" on housing delivery in County Meath is erroneous and misleading,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Planning Framework (20 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The point is that the targets are real but they are not caps. I believe there is not that much difference between what the Government is proposing and what the Deputy is seeking. From the 1990s the population of County Meath doubled and much of that was in the towns and villages, particularly in the east of the county, but in some measure throughout the county. It was that kind of "zone...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Expenditure (20 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The information requested is not available in my Department. Local authorities are independent in the performance of their functions and the elected members are democratically accountable for all expenditure. Details of compensation amounts and insurance claims paid by local authorities are a matter for each local authority. Accordingly, I have no function in relation to the matters raised...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Commission Establishment (20 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 233 together. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht undertook a public consultation process on the establishment of an electoral commission on the basis of a consultation paper prepared by my Department in 2015. The Committee published a report on the consultation in January 2016. This report contains a series...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Register (20 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: In March 2017 the Government determined that work should commence on modernisation of the voter registration process in the context of the possible need to register voters resident outside the State in the event that the referendum on extending the franchise in Presidential elections is passed. The project, which it is estimated will take some 2-3 years to complete, will also include...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members (20 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Section 18(4)(a) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that a councillor shall be deemed to have resigned from membership of their local authority where he or she is absent from attendance at local authority meetings for a continuous period of 6 consecutive months. However, sections 18(4)(b) and 18(4)(c) state that this provision does not apply in cases where an absence was due to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (19 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The information requested is not available in my Department as day to day operational matters are the responsibility of individual local authorities. Overall travelling expenses incurred by local authorities are recorded in Appendix 1 to the Annual Financial Statement of each authority.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing (18 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I thank Deputies Ó Snodaigh and Bríd Smith for raising this matter which I am taking on behalf of Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. It is unfortunate and regrettable for all concerned that MDY Construction Limited is experiencing financial difficulties and has ceased work on a number of construction sites. It is the main contractor for a number of social housing projects with...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing (18 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I have provided the commitment that the houses will be occupied as soon as possible. I am not familiar with the financial situation of MDY but I will try to find out and ascertain if I can the reasons for its financial difficulties. They have not been brought to my-----

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing (18 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I will get the officials to respond, if they are in a position to do so, on the financial difficulties of MDY. The issue raised by both Deputies on subcontractors is a valid one and the subject of at least one Private Member's Bill. There may be others. There have been other examples nationally in recent times where subcontractors have been left high and dry following the collapse of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social and Affordable Housing (18 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: We do not have one, a Cheann Comhairle.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Action Plan for Rural Development (18 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Local Government (Rates) Bill 2018 was published on 9 August 2018. Included in the provisions is the power for local authorities to introduce rates waiver (alleviation) schemes to support the implementation of policy objectives, including objectives contained in national planning policies, Development Plans, Local Area Plans and Local Economic and Community Plans. Rural regeneration and...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Postal Voting (18 Sep 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 782 and 800 together. Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of a limited number of categories of electors who may be living outside the State - whole-time members of the Defence Forces, members of An Garda Síochána and Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses/civil partners. In addition, there is a wide range of...