Results 1,821-1,840 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Sustainable Seaweed Harvesting: Motion [Private Members] (7 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Deputy can stop her patronising.

Sustainable Seaweed Harvesting: Motion [Private Members] (7 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: It might be opportune for the Business Committee to consider changing the rules for Private Members' debates so that Ministers who provide an opening statement and stay to listen can answer personally the questions put to them. I will endeavour to answer as many of the questions that have been raised as I can. I thank the Deputies who contributed, particularly Deputies Connolly and Pringle...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Mayoral Election (7 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I apologise for being late. Traffic on the Naas Road is unpredictable at the best of times and chaotic at the worst. I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this matter. A Programme for a Partnership Government sets out a number of requirements in terms of local government reform, some of which we have discussed previously. In particular, it envisages the submission of a report to the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Mayoral Election (6 Mar 2018)

John Paul Phelan: At its meeting of 26 September 2017, the Government agreed, as part of an indicative schedule for a number of referendums over the next 18 months, that a plebiscite on directly elected mayors would take place in October 2018.  My Department is prioritising the drafting of the legislation required to give effect to this decision and it is included...

Other Questions: Water and Sewerage Schemes (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 97 together. The multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2016-2018 was developed through a working group of key stakeholders involving local authorities, the water services transition office, Irish Water and the National Federation of Group Water Schemes, as well as the Department. The programme provides for the funding of demonstration group...

Other Questions: Water and Sewerage Schemes (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The review will be completed by the middle of this year. I think there were 83 applications - it was somewhere in the low 80s - from groups for the original scheme but only six were chosen. The scheme was for demonstrative purposes. There are quite a few schemes. Deputy Moynihan previously raised with me a scheme in his area which has encountered difficulties and where funding is...

Other Questions: Water and Sewerage Schemes (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I accept what the Deputy is saying. We do not intend to slow people down. The purpose of the six scheme demonstration model that has existed in recent years was to try to come to terms with the level of difficulty and complexity that exists. Each scheme that has a problem is orphaned, as such. That is the term that is often used when a scheme does not already have the involvement of Irish...

Priority Questions: Housing Issues (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Mr. Freeze.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Boundaries (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: This important issue has often been discussed in this Chamber and elsewhere in recent years. Members will be aware that the issue of the local government arrangements in Cork has been the subject of much consideration over the past four or five years. The committee report in 2015 did not produce agreed recommendations, although all concerned agreed that the retention of the status quoin...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Boundaries (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The end of May or the start of June.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Boundaries (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: We had a discussion about this with officials and Ministers in the Department. The Cork local election boundaries for the wards in the city and the districts in the county will be part of the national publication of the reports of the two committees that are examining local authority electoral areas. It will not be treated differently. At the moment it is being parked because there are 31...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Programme for a Partnership Government (PPG) sets out a number of requirements in relation to local government reform. In particular, the PPG envisages the submission of a report to Government and the Oireachtas on potential measures to boost local government leadership and accountability, and to ensure that local government funding, structures and responsibilities strengthen local...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015.  The Commissioner of Valuation has responsibility for valuation matters, including determination of relevant property under the Acts...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 732 together. It is important that appropriate supports are available to councillors to carry out their functions.  In that regard, I introduced, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, an allowance of €1,000 per annum for members of municipal districts and area...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Representational Payment for local authority elected members recognises the work that councillors volunteer to undertake when they stand for election and subsequently serve their community. The amount of the Representational Payment is linked to the basic salary of a Senator under Regulation 6(3) of the Local Government (Representational Payment for Members) Regulations 2001. With...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (27 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The Representational Payment for local authority elected members recognises the work that councillors volunteer to undertake when they stand for election and subsequently serve their community. The following tables set out the annual amounts of the Representational Payment for elected members of local authorities over the period 2011 to 2018, showing adjustments made in accordance with the...

Project Ireland 2040: Statements (Resumed) (22 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: One of the proofs that the national planning framework, Project Ireland 2040, is on the right track is that it has been criticised by all sides, some extreme, others moderate. Deputy Lahart, who I have great time for, and yesterday, Deputy Eamon Ryan, said it is not doing enough for Dublin but every other Fianna Fáil backbencher and Deputies Harty and Michael Collins said it is doing...

Project Ireland 2040: Statements (Resumed) (22 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: It is a good picture.

Project Ireland 2040: Statements (Resumed) (22 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: I myself cannot remember that one. Deputy Lahart is showing his age.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee Report (15 Feb 2018)

John Paul Phelan: The recommendations of the Cork Implementation Oversight Group as contained in their Report: "Proposal for delineation of extended boundary of Cork City" have been accepted by the Government in their decision of 12 December 2017.  It is my intention that reconfigured Local Electoral Areas for Cork City and County Councils will be ready for the 2019 local elections and I intend to make...