Results 1,721-1,740 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Topical Issue Debate: Election Posters (29 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: My concluding remarks are to thank the staff across the country who ensured that this referendum and elections happen smoothly enough in an Irish context. I take on board the Deputy’s point, however, on making it clear to the presiding officers what the rules are on postering and iconography. The Bible issue was mentioned a lot in social media posts. The presence of a Bible is...

Topical Issue Debate: Election Posters (29 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: It is not supposed to be on display. I do not think the rules themselves need to be changed very much but I think there needs to be a thorough exercise on ensuring that those who are operating them on the day are fully aware of what the rules are. I take that on board completely. We will try to endeavour that before our next electoral outing, which should be later this year, that such...

Topical Issue Debate: Election Posters (29 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I thank Deputy Clare Daly for raising the issue, which is of interest to us all. As well as voting and participating on Friday, watching social media I would have seen some of the reports the Deputy mentions. The primary role of the Department in electoral matters is to provide an appropriate policy and legislative framework for a modern and efficient electoral system. Within that...

Topical Issue Debate: Election Posters (29 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: We will be taking on board some of the Deputy’s suggestions with regard to training staff in the future.

Topical Issue Debate: Cultural Policy (29 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I apologise on behalf of the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Josepha Madigan, who is in the Seanad dealing with legislation. The project raised consists of the design, construction and operation of a new multifunctional event centre in Cork city with a capacity of approximately 6,000 persons. It is envisaged that the event centre will be capable of accommodating a...

Topical Issue Debate: Cultural Policy (29 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: On the issue of the €12 million, I will have to ask the Minister, Deputy Madigan, to provide the Deputy with a response. I am not in the Department and I do not know. On the application for €10 million, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht share the important role of ensuring there is value for money for the...

Topical Issue Debate: Cultural Policy (29 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Deputy is hearing it from me for the first time today. The Government is committed to the delivery of the project. When the process of evaluation is completed, that will be announced. It has not been dropped or put to one side. However, there are a series of checks and balances which are the regular processes that any application for grant aid from the State must go through. This...

Topical Issue Debate: Cultural Policy (29 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: When those processes are complete, it will be announced to the Deputy and the people of Cork. They should rest assured that the commitment to building the project remains as strong as it was in 2014 when Cork City Council awarded the tender to the victorious party.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Housing Maintenance (29 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I apologise for my late attendance. I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this matter which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. I am pleased to say that I have good news in regard to this scheme in Mullaghmatt. The Department approved the fourth and final part of the scheme to go to tender in March. Tenders have now been received by Monaghan County Council and are...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Polling Stations (29 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Under electoral law, the appointment of polling stations is a matter for the appropriate returning officer, who is required to provide a sufficient number of stations, conveniently distributed for the accommodation of the electors entitled to vote there. The electoral acts also provide that a returning officer may, for the purposes of taking a poll use, free of charge, any school or any room...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Register (29 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: As the preparation of the Register of Electors is a matter in law for each local registration authority my Department does not compile information of the kind referred to. It is the duty of each local registration authority to ensure, as far as possible and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Register. The focus of my Department's work in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Election Management System (24 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Under electoral law, local returning officers are responsible at a referendum for sending a polling information card (PIC) to every presidential elector (i.e. Irish citizen) whose name is on the register of electors. Electoral law also provides that the preparation of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local registration authority.  It is their duty to ensure, as far...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Commission Establishment (24 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I refer the Deputy to the reply to Questions Nos. 220 and 224 of 16 May 2018 which sets out the position in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Register (23 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The number of electors included on the supplement to the register of electors in advance of the forthcoming referendum is 118,389. A breakdown is available, by local authority area, on my Department's website at the following link:  .

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Referendum Commission (22 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Referendum Commission does not have a role in the regulation of referendum posters. However, one of the main functions of the commission, which is an independent body established under section 2 of the Referendum Act 1998, is to explain the subject matter of referendum proposals and communicate these explanations to the electorate. Section 140 of the Electoral Act...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Postal Voting (22 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 594 and 595 together. Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of a number of categories of electors - whole-time members of the Defence Forces, members of An Garda Síochána, Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses/civil partners, electors living at home who are unable to vote because of a physical illness or a physical...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Reform (22 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Electoral (Amendment) (No 3) Bill 2014 (a Private Members Bill) contains proposals to cease the practice of early voting on off-shore islands prior to the date of polling on the mainland. This Bill is progressing through the Oireachtas and was supported by the Government at second stage on 6 December 2016. On 14 November 2017, at the invitation of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Funding (22 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 605 and 606 together. The recent report of the Expert Advisory Group on Local Government Arrangements in Galway is under active consideration and an appropriate announcement will be made after this process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: European Parliament Membership (17 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The composition of the current 2014-2019 European Parliament was established by European Council Decision 2013/312/EU of 28 June 2013which, in the case of Ireland, provided for the election of 11 MEPs. The current number of MEPs in the European Parliament is 750 plus the President with each Member State having between 6 and 96 Members. Council Decision 2013/312/EU provided that it would be...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Legislative Programme (16 May 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 224 together. The 2016 report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht on the establishment of an electoral commission is informing the implementation of the commitment in A Programme for a Partnership Government on establishing an electoral commission and the preparation of an Electoral Commission Bill to give effect...