Results 18,441-18,460 of 20,454 for speaker:Brian Stanley

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: In terms of local government legislation this is a substantial Bill. I thank the Minister and the officials for their work in preparing it. There are many areas on which we disagree. At the same time I note the Minister has given a commitment to bring forward some amendments on Committee Stage in the Seanad. They will be welcome because we should always seek to improve on what we have....

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 59: In page 119, between lines 39 and 40, to insert the following: “(viii) further functions that may be devolved from government departments to a directly elected mayor.”.The plebiscite should be at the discretion of local authorities.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: The amendment proposes further functions that may be devolved from central government or public bodies to the directly elected mayor. What we are talking about here is rolling devolution, which is a term the Minister might remember, in other words, that we would leave the way open to devolve additional powers in the future.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I will not split the difference between two thirds and three quarters. I welcome the Minister's commitment and while I had thought the Minister would table his amendment on Report Stage, he has given a commitment in the Chamber to which I will hold him. The two thirds majority certainly is a positive move in the right direction and it will enable local authorities to function better. I...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 49:In page 98, line 8, to delete “persons who are members” and substitute “3 members”.This amendment pertains to regional authorities and I note that under the Putting People First guidelines, the Minister has set out that two members of each local authority will represent that local authority on the regional authority. At present, there are...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: One might not even get it on Christmas Eve but my point is that at the council annual general meetings, all Members will have seen cases in which the dominant groupings will have circled such opportunities. I believe the former Minister, Liam Kavanagh, introduced the grouping system in the 1980s, which was a step forward in that at least some divvying out was done in respect of the sharing...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: Am I moving amendments Nos. 43 and 44?

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment number 43:In page 78, line 6, after “report” to insert “, in writing if requested,”.It is a simple thing. We are asking that if the chief executive is asked to supply it in writing, he should do so.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment number 44:In page 78, line 8, after “review” to insert “, in writing if requested,”.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: Is it possible for me to say a couple of sentences?

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I am.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment number 45:In page 80, line 36, after “discussion)” to insert “, receiving 75 per cent support of members present,”.I am seeking to protect the process in the case where someone is disrupting a council meeting. Sometimes councillors can disrupt council meetings. However, that is not the norm. There may be some problem areas with this. We want to...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I welcome what the Minister said. I suggest that the Joint Committee on the Environment, Community and the Gaeltacht would be briefed by the AMAI-new entity - we will have to come up with a new name for it - and County Managers' Association at the end of the year on how, from both points of view, the legislation is working.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: On the basis of the Minister's commitment today, I will withdraw the amendment.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I, too, welcome the Minister's commitment on this matter. Sinn Féin was concerned that membership of the CPG could include a person who had not even received one vote while five or six councillors, who between them may have obtained 10,000 or 15,000 votes, could not attend a CPG meeting. Amendment No. 38 seeks the inclusion of the words "political grouping and non-aligned...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I am still not clear on what the Minister's intention is in respect of amendment No. 38. Is he saying that he will introduce a provision to deal with the issue? If left up to the local authorities, this will be addressed under the grouping system, which system-----

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: Okay.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: My amendment No. 30 seeks to insert the following wording in page 47, between lines 9 and 10: “(i) to co-ordinate cross-Border work tackling social exclusion, including long term unemployment and seeking support for cross-Border, cross-community initiatives.”. The Minister will be aware that much good work has been done by the Border corridor groups. Partnerships have been...

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: No. I will take what the Minister has said in good faith. I ask him to bear it in mind at a later stage.

Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Brian Stanley: I move amendment No. 36:In page 61, after line 44, to insert the following:“(9) The role of Chief Executive shall be reviewed within one year of the enactment of the Local Government Reform Act 2013 with a view to maximising recalibration of power to elected members.”.”.The amendment proposes that the role of the chief executive would be reviewed. I welcome the fact that...