Results 221-240 of 1,441 for speaker:Ann Phelan

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: A number of issues were raised this afternoon. I thank the Deputies on all sides for their contributions to the debate. I would very much like to thank Deputy Ó Cuív as well for his history lesson and for encouraging me to agree to his amendment. We have not agreed it yet but I encourage the Deputy to put down the amendment so that it can be debated. I would like to see how that...

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: -----but I will certainly consider the debate and see what happens at the end of it. I want to respond to some of the issues raised. All of the Deputies supported the measures in the Bill. The Bill deals with three specific issues that will bring about real and meaningful change. The Bill adapts electoral law to changing circumstances. Its purpose is to modernise electoral law to meet...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Referral to Select Sub-Committee (22 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform pursuant to Standing Order 82A(3)(a) and (6)(a) and 126(1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business.

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015: Second Stage (22 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am glad to have the opportunity today to outline the provisions in the ninth Bill in the electoral area brought forward by this Government. This short Bill contains three measures, each separate and distinct. The Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015 provides, as the name suggests, for amendments to existing electoral law. The need...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: I thank the Deputies for their contributions and support for this legislation. The Bill before us is not lengthy but it has very important consequences. I will briefly summarise three of the main issues it addresses regarding the pay and pensions of serving and retired public servants. The first is pay restoration. All serving public servants stand to benefit from these reductions in the...

Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: The required fiscal recovery is not complete and we are not yet at a stage where we can remove the financial emergency measures for all public service pensioners. It is estimated that from 1 January 2018, in the region of 25,000 retired public servants in receipt of pensions substantially higher than the average public servant’s pension will continue to be subject to pension...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Burial Grounds (22 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: I thank the Senator for raising this very sensitive issue. Coming from a rural background, I am aware that there are traditions at burial grounds that can sometimes fall foul of rules and regulations. It is terrible if a family have to endure this at a time of distress. It would be prudent to look at the matter to see where difficulties are being caused. I thank the Senator for raising...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Burial Grounds (22 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: I will have to check if the council has broad discretionary scope and will come back to the Senator on the issue. As a practical step, we might wait and see what happens when the by-laws are introduced to see if the problem will still persist. I give a commitment that I will then relook at the issue, if that is satisfactory to the Senator.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: The proposed amendments seek to include, in some fashion, domestic greenhouse gas mitigation targets in the Bill. Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 seek to include a definition of "low-carbon" which has effectively been borrowed from the Government's national policy position on climate action and low-carbon development, as published in April 2014. It goes without saying that I stand over the vision...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: It is the Senator's prerogative whether he accepts my policy statement. I draw his attention to the fact that the first national mitigation plan, under this Act, will set out the greenhouse gas mitigation policy measures to be implemented over the following five years and, therefore, it would be premature to itemise them at this stage. In terms of what mix of mitigation policy measures will...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: This amendment seeks to substitute the phrase "have regard to" with "be consistent with", as provided for in section 3(2) which deals with matters that must be considered when the Government approves a national mitigation plan or national adaptation framework. I appreciate the sentiments behind the Senator's amendment, but as the list of items to be considered in section 3(2) may sometimes...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: The amendments seek the inclusion of a reference to the principles of climate change justice in section 3(2). I am surprised they have been tabled, given that there is already a reference to climate change justice in section 3(2)(c) following an amendment introduced by the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, on Report Stage in the Dáil. Accordingly, the proposals appear to be redundant. I,...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: This proposed amendment seeks to shorten the timeframe for the production of the first national mitigation plan from 18 months after enactment of the Bill to just six months. Again, I appreciate there are voices both inside and outside this House which are concerned about the timeframe for the production of the first national mitigation plan, having regard to our pressing mitigation targets...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: This is similar to previous amendments. This proposed amendment seeks to replace the phrase "have regard to" with the word "comply" in section 4(7), which deals with matters that must be considered by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Government when performing their functions under section 4. There necessarily are competing considerations when...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: This proposed amendment calls for the inclusion of a reference to the management of soil carbon and the protection and re-wetting of wetlands when the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Government perform their functions under section 4. In the first instance, I fully accept that both the management of soil carbon and the protection and re-wetting of...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: This proposed amendment calls for the national mitigation plan to be adopted by resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas rather than simply laid before Dáil Éireann after its approval by Government. I strongly take issue with this proposal as the Government, rightly, should be the sole, approving authority and be held accountable for its approved national mitigation plan....

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: The proposed amendment seeks to shorten the timeframe for the production of the first statutory national adaptation framework from 24 months after enactment of the Bill to just six months following its enactment. As with the national mitigation plan, I understand the motivation behind this proposed amendment. However, the national adaptation framework will be a very complex document, which...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: It is important to point out and reiterate that the national adaptation framework will be a complex document that will prescribe the sectors for which sectoral adaptation plans must be developed.It is also to draw the Senator's attention to the fact that the draft framework will be subject to statutory public consultation procedures and they in themselves have to be adhered to. I note that...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: This proposed amendment seeks to insert the word "published" before the phrase "scientific or technical advice" as one item that must be considered. When the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Government perform their functions in respect of national adaptation frameworks and sectoral adaptation plans, I appreciate that publication is a necessary element of...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Oct 2015)

Ann Phelan: It is worth pointing out that the climate change advisory council is an independent body. This proposed amendment would make it mandatory rather than optional for the Government to consult with the climate change advisory council when performing its functions with respect to national adaptation frameworks or sectoral adaptation plans. I would say to the Senators that nobody is going to...