Results 101-120 of 4,556 for speaker:Victor Boyhan

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: No. There will be no analysis. I have the floor and I want to speak. The Leas-Chathaoirleach does not even know what I am saying. He is shutting me down before I have even opened my mouth. This is democracy.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: This is the Seanad Chamber. Allow me to make a case.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: In light of that, I will take my seat-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: -----and I will e-mail the Leas-Chathaoirleach's article regarding PRSI to the 900 councillors within ten minutes of leaving this Chamber. The Leas-Chathaoirleach should not nod his head because he might need a reminder. He seems to be forgetting-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: The Leas-Chathaoirleach did not know what the matter related to until I shared it with him. I will take my seat. I will communicate with the 900 councillors-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: I call for a debate about PRSI.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: -----but I will webcast the councillors within five minutes of leaving this Chamber with the clip of his engagement with-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: It was okay for the Leas-Chathaoirleach to e-mail them.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: I will take my seat. I am not a fool, and the Leas-Chathaoirleach is not fooling me.

Seanad: Horticulture Industry: Statements (22 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: I am conscious that the Minister of State has responsibility for food, forestry and horticulture. I am not sure if he is taking questions on forestry today but I have one which I might put to him. He has a wealth of experience in the horticulture and forestry sectors as well as the agriculture sector. As a native of Wicklow he immersed himself in agriculture and in the community. He...

Seanad: Horticulture Industry: Statements (22 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: What of ongoing training and education?

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister and thank him for his engagement to date. I have taken on board what Senator Coffey said, but the Minister is here now. This is his opportunity to perform, to prove himself and to deliver on pre-consultations and engagement with councillors, Senators and Deputies. It is all very well to talk about what we will deliver and then to be told, as we approach the door of...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: I would love to have been there with the Minister.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: I wish to respond to a few brief points the Minister made. Of course we know that it involves much more complex things; we all know that. I wish to make reference to the Oireachtas Library and Research Service's Bills digest, which is fully impartial. It is an interesting document. I spoke to the Minister's officials when they were briefing us last week and they were not even aware of the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: I will return to that point because the more the Minister engages with it, the more it raises other questions. We engage and that is part of the process. I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: The Minister is being transparent and it is all very helpful. We are all very familiar with the critical infrastructure applications and fast-tracking to the board. We all understand it. That is not a problem. The point the Minister seems to be missing is the right of citizens to engage in the process. I have previously put in observations to a strategic infrastructure development board...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: The point is the Minister is not addressing that. He has not addressed the democratic deficit of the elected members in any of his responses. That is the weakness in it and it is the real criticism. The Minister is the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. Local government is part of the Minister's remit. He should be enhancing the competence of local government...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: I would like some clarification from the proposers. I hear what they are saying but I will be the devil's advocate. We have a housing crisis and, if I understand it correctly, this amendment applies to an extant or current planning application for a number of units. If the new legislation is given effect and permission can be fast-tracked, would such a party be permitted to put in a new...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: I am open to correction but what happens if a new application is received that is, if I dare say it, a better application with higher densities, for example? That would facilitate more units on a site. What happens if the new application is good and addresses concerns about the shortage of houses? We would need to stand back from that. I am not a planner but there are a number of...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2016)

Victor Boyhan: I will conclude. We must be careful. In principle I support the amendment but I would not like this to block better applications with higher densities and good-quality units. I urge us to be cautious. I would like to hear from the proposers about their intentions, as well as the Minister and his officials. We should look to throw more light on this. I would not like to jeopardise a...