Results 18,241-18,260 of 20,156 for speaker:Brian Stanley

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 68: In page 50, to delete lines 13 to 22.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 71: In page 53, line 20, after "matters" to insert "and the chairperson of such committee will be a member of the relevant Local Enterprise office".This is a straightforward amendment. It seeks to ensure the chairperson of the committee "will be a member of the relevant Local Enterprise office". We are seeking to provide for more coherent and more focused structures as...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I have heard this explanation previously. As the Minister said, this will be largely an executive function. I disagree with him on the question of whether that should be the case. I think the elected members should be able to make a stronger input. It would be useful if the chairperson of the committee could make an input.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I welcome the change in language. Those who were councillors for a number of years would have known that the term "having regard to" was widely used and sprinkled over everything, a little like confetti at a wedding that one could shake off when going to the reception. One could then get down to the serious business. This is a welcome change. The question of numbers will arise later, but...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: That is okay in the spirit of what we are talking about, that the members of larger parties will feel benevolent towards members of smaller ones, but I have not seen too much of that during my time in local authorities.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I was part of an arrangement, but I did ensure things were divvied out from my point of view, although t did not always work out. Let us wind back to 2009. In the minutes of Portlaoise town council one will see the extent of the generosity of spirit shown when the co-option of a member did not go ahead because no member of the Minister's party would second the motion.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: There has been huge concern about this. Obviously, a major change is taking place. I have been a member of two local development companies, one of the original companies and a later one. With regard to the corporate entity, I am aware of some companies whose members are now finding themselves with responsibilities that they did not realise they had. To clarify, the funding will come to...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: Absolutely none?

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 52: In page 42, line 1, to delete “local and” and substitute “the”.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 53: In page 42, line 11, to delete “local and”.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 54: In page 42, line 17, to delete “all local and”.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 55: In page 43, line 32, after “inclusion” to insert “and address causes of social exclusion”.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 56: In page 43, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following:“(g) the allocation of resources to areas of most social and economic disadvantage, and (h) the specific needs of minority groups and hard to reach groups in relation to social inclusion.”.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 50: In page 41, lines 17 and 18, to delete "local and community development of" and substitute "development of the community in".The spirit of the amendments is to encourage community development and we hope the change in the wording reflects that. Local authorities can play an important role in community development but this must be done in an inclusive way. Amendment...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 40: In page 36, to delete lines 4 to 6 and substitute the following:"(2) The base year adjustment shall be determined in accordance with subsection (3) and (4) by a rating authority, with agreement of the members of the Municipal District Area where the base year adjustment will apply, in respect of each year of the adjustment period for each of the specified areas of the...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I will table an amendment on Report Stage.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I support what has been said. My party has concerns about the matter. During an economic downturn, we need incentives to get business premises back into use, not penalties while they are empty. Loans are outstanding on many of the properties in question and there is a high level of negative equity because people bought at boom time prices. I know some such people, as I am sure every other...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: It is important that we not penalise them further. Deputy Coffey referred to leaving discretion at local level. This needs to be done.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: There are consequences for premises that are brought back into use by businesses, as I saw in the case of one council area. If A goes out of business, the premises lie empty for a while and B takes them over, B must battle with the local authority to quash the arrears, or hangover, from the previous rates. A business needs a clean slate when it starts. The situation is difficult enough and...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Local Government Bill 2013: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: The hangover.