Results 1,781-1,800 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Audit Service (17 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1503 and 1504 together. Government policy on local government reform was set out in the Putting People First, Action Programme for Effective Local Government (the ‘Action Programme’). Many of the reforms set out in the Action Programme were introduced with effect from 1 June 2014. These included the merging of the city and county councils...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (17 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1540 and 1541 together. The final report of the Galway Expert Advisory Group on Local Government Arrangements in Galway is expected to be submitted before the end of April, at which point arrangements for the review of local electoral areas will be put in place without delay. Pending receipt and consideration of this report, it is not possible to indicate...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Register of Electors Administration (17 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Eligible voters, including those who will have reached the age of 18 years by polling day, who are not on the register of electors but who wish to vote at the forthcoming referendum should apply for inclusion in the supplement to the register of electors. Applications should be made to the local City, County or City and County Council, as appropriate, from whom the application form is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee Report (17 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I established two independent Local Electoral Area Boundary Committees on 13 December 2017 to review and make recommendations on all local electoral areas other than those in Cork and Galway.  In broad terms, these reviews are being undertaken in advance of the next local elections which are scheduled for late May/early June 2019 and having regard to the results of Census 2016 as well as...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Reform (17 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: In response to the evolving needs of Irish society and its relationship with the wider Irish diaspora, the Government agreed in March 2017 to accept in principle the main recommendation in the Fifth Report of the Convention on the Constitution that Irish citizens resident outside the State, including citizens resident in Northern Ireland, should have the right to vote at presidential...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (17 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Programme for 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 local government leadership, including directly elected mayors for cities, is advancing in my Department. This report...

Affordable Housing: Statements (Resumed) (29 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I thank the Members who spoke during this debate. As the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Murphy, said at the outset of his remarks, which were primarily directed at affordability, the latest homelessness report repeats what we saw in January and would seem to indicate a very worrying trend since the beginning of the year in relation to the number of families...

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I will start as soon as I get my statement.

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: We will soon see. I appreciate the opportunity to attend the Seanad today to provide Members with an update on the position concerning supports for elected members of local authorities and the associated terms and conditions. We were due to have this discussion when Storm Emma came but the snow got in the way, as it did with many things that week. This issue is one to which I have devoted...

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Is it not that?

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Attack me.

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Three years ago.

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: We do not have the ball at our feet in Kilkenny, we have the ball in our hand.

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Senator is referring to two different things.

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I referred to the other review in my speech, although it does not feature in the speaking note that was circulated.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Register of Electors (27 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: My Department plans to advertise the opportunity for eligible voters to apply for inclusion in the supplement to the register of electors following the making of a Polling Day Order. This advertising will be carried out through the main national newspapers, the Department's website, the website of the Returning Officer and at www.checktheregister.ie. The advertising will...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (21 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: To get them young.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (21 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: It is the beard.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (21 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I will try to address each of the Senators individually. It is indeed a short piece of legislation and I commend the Senators who produced the Bill, namely, Senators Warfield, Ruane and Mac Lochlainn, who is young, despite his protestations earlier as I was trying to interrupt him. The only interruption I made was to say that his beard makes him look young. The Government and I support the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (21 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I have a little disagreement with Senator Murnane O'Connor. On the issue of this being put to a committee, I note that the committee has happened. The committee was the Constitutional Convention.