Results 1,641-1,660 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Summer Economic Statement 2018: Statements (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: He is not at a table quiz.

Summer Economic Statement 2018: Statements (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: He is at a budget meeting.

Summer Economic Statement 2018: Statements (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: No it is not.

Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation Provision (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I thank Deputy Brady. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, who is not available as he is before the Seanad to take Committee Stage of the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to clarify the current position regarding the accommodation needs of...

Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation Provision (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: As outlined in the response, the Minister will liaise with the patron of North Wicklow Educate Together when a further update is available. As regards the issue being finalised, I have not been give specific timeframes but the matter is a priority for Government. Nobody wants a scenario to arise where an active school does not have accommodation. There is no prospect of 200 students being...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Accommodation (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I am taking this matter for the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, who regrets his absence but who has official commitments at the same time. Both he and I thank Deputy Sherlock for raising it. It is a good issue for a Topical Issue debate because we all will be aware of villages around the country where there are Garda stations, many of which are still operational and...

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Accommodation (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Are the numbers Deputy Sherlock gave vacant or totals?

Topical Issue Debate: Garda Accommodation (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: There is no response other than I agree with Deputy Sherlock that there is an opportunity to get gardaí living in their communities. In addition, these places, mostly villages, have these landmark buildings that are lying vacant. It would be good for those villages to have people living in those buildings as well. I will certainly speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Moran. What is...

Other Questions: Election Management System (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I point out to Deputy Durkan, my great colleague, that I indicated I had no proposals to examine the introduction of online voting. There will be a public consultation on the need for online registration in the autumn and everybody will have the opportunity to advance a view on how people could improve the standard of the electoral register online in a safe and secure way with a single...

Other Questions: Election Management System (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: There are no proposals to introduce measures to support online voting or to re-introduce e-voting. In February 2000, the then Government decided to introduce a new system of direct vote recording and electronic vote counting at elections. In 2008, a commission reported that e-voting should not continue. I have an open mind on the subject of online voting which is completely different...

Other Questions: Election Management System (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: There is not the potential in terms of the facility that the franchise section has as there are only eight officials working in it. Other Members and other practising politicians consistently raise with me the fact that electoral registers are not as accurate as they could or should be. It has been a political priority for me for the past 12 months to get modernisation of the register...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (20 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 47 together. The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to consider directly elected mayors in cities as part of a broader range of local government reform measures aimed at strengthening local democracy. In response to this commitment, work on a policy report on directly elected mayors for cities is at an advanced stage of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Home Care Packages (19 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I thank Senator Mulherin for raising the matter. The Minister of State, Deputy Daly, was unavailable hence my presence here. It is a serious issue. The overarching policy of the Government is to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their homes and communities for as long as possible. Home care is an increasingly important part of the supports for enabling older...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Home Care Packages (19 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I will certainly ask the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, about it. The Senator is right. Members of the public who come to any politician deserve to know what the situation is when they are on a list like that. Across CHO areas there is a wide variation in responsiveness. It is not acceptable that people would wait for eight weeks. I will bring that in the strongest terms to the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Homeless Persons Data (19 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. It used to be called an Adjournment Debate in my day. Addressing homelessness is an absolute priority for the Government. Rebuilding Ireland, the Government's Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, contains a wide range of measures which are being delivered. Ultimately, to fully address homelessness...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Homeless Persons Data (19 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I understand the Senator's position, and perhaps this is the difference between our points of view. I really do not think any Government agency should know whether somebody is gay or straight or not, but I think we can address the issue. It would serve no purpose as an optional question on the form. It would not be an indication as to the amount of LGBTQI people who are homeless. Is there...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Homeless Persons Data (19 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: There is a way of cracking the nut.

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

John Paul Phelan: The financial supports available to elected members of local authorities to assist them in carrying out their statutory functions are provided for under the Local Government (Expenses of Local Authority Members) Regulations 2014-2017, given effect with the consent of the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform under section 142 of the Local Government...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Boundaries (19 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Issues in relation to the boundary between counties Louth and Meath at Drogheda, and other areas which were subject to recent boundary reviews, are being addressed in the context of proposals on local government pursuant to the Programme for a Partnership Government. I have been engaging in that regard with Government and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local...

Housing: Motion [Private Members] (13 Jun 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I will try to get the details on some of the points that have been raised directly by Deputies. To correct the record, I suffer from severe sciatica and for the benefit of Deputy Catherine Martin, I have to move in my seat constantly and I smile when I get into great pain.