Results 1-20 of 25 for buttimer speaker:John Paul Phelan

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Second Stage (6 Mar 2019)

John Paul Phelan: ...while interesting and while people will have different views on it was on the practice since independent commissions were introduced that the Oireachtas implements their boundary reports. Senator Buttimer knows more than most about the impact of boundary commission reports on electoral prospects. He correctly pointed out that there has never been a report by a boundary committee on...

Seanad: Directly Elected Mayors: Statements (29 Jan 2019)

John Paul Phelan: ...are protected. The Senator also asked when it would be finalised. It is our intention that this would be finalised within the next two weeks and we would have that public process. Senator Buttimer expressed his disappointment on the low turnout of Senators to debate this matter. He referred to a series of information meetings, with which I agree absolutely. In the first instance it...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

John Paul Phelan: ...issue had been fully agreed but no agreement had been reached in Galway. I outlined to him that many of my party colleagues in Cork were not especially happy. I should say, I did not have Senator Buttimer in mind at the time.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

John Paul Phelan: ..., geographic and economic catchment area of Limerick city. Under the national planning framework, as Senator Ó Domhnaill mentioned, this metropolitan government issue relates to what Senators Nash and Buttimer said last night about city drivers for a wider geographic region. There needs to be involvement from local authorities and the public in those areas that are on the wrong side...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Senator Buttimer has pointed out a couple of things, and I will read out what he has referenced. He has not been here for many years for no reason. Section 21(5) reads:On or before the 7th day of each month during the period from the commencement of this section until 31 December 2020, each chief executive shall—(a) prepare and submit to the oversight committee a report in relation to...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Much has been said over the years about the funding of local government. Senator Buttimer hit the nail on the head when he said we cannot expect the few to pay for the many. We have had a local government system since the late 1970s that has done exactly that. It has been changed a little since and different charges and taxes have been introduced. I am acutely aware of what Senator Ó...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Dec 2018)

John Paul Phelan: ...area plans and local economic and community plans. Section 30(4) allows the city council to make a statutory amendment to an existing county council plan in the interim. In response to Senator Buttimer, section 37 of the Bill will allow the Minister to extend the period within which the city council has to make its new development. The Senator is right.Making a development plan for a...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Second Stage (18 Dec 2018)

John Paul Phelan: ...We are giving powers to elected representatives and there should be accountability not only through political channels but directly to the public. On Cork, I have thought about it a lot in the past year and a half. Senators Buttimer and Colm Burke spoke about the volume of unused industrial and other land in the city. There is sufficient land to replicate almost half the current build...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2018: Second Stage (18 Dec 2018)

John Paul Phelan: Yes, and heritage. It is important that heritage protections are taken into account. Senator Buttimer spoke passionately about Cork matters, as he always does. At operational level, there has been extensive co-operation between the city and county of Cork. When people have come out of their trenches, politically, there has also been co-operation. Nevertheless, there is always a view...

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (Resumed) (24 Apr 2018)

John Paul Phelan: ...about any communications Senators make with councillors. It is not just about the pay but also about the current expenses system. Councillors do not have any supports for secretarial assistance, as Senator Buttimer mentioned, or research. All those issues must be in the pot, so to speak, in addition to a service councillors do not have but that is available to Deputies. The...

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (16 Nov 2017)

John Paul Phelan: I am aware that this a matter close to the Leas-Chathaoirleach's own heart, which is why I made myself available at short notice. I thank Senator Buttimer for the invitation to attend this afternoon so as to update the Members of Seanad Éireann on the important issue of supports for elected members of local authorities across the country. Effective local government structures are an...

Electoral (Amendment) (Hours of Polling) Bill 2013: Second Stage [Private Members] (4 Jul 2014)

John Paul Phelan: .... It is the first step in reforming how we run elections and I congratulate him on it. I am of the view that a 15-hour working day is very long. While I tend to agree with the point Deputy Buttimer made regarding how we, as practising politicians, are used to dealing with presiding officers and clerks at polling stations at general elections, local elections, presidential elections,...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Nov 2010)

John Paul Phelan: I thank Senator Bradford and Senator Buttimer for sharing their time. I want to put on the record some points about this legislation. In the past ten years we have seen a decimation in many rural areas of the service provided by rural post offices because many of them have closed. I know that from personal experience. My cousins ran the local post office, Phelan's post office in...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jun 2010)

John Paul Phelan: Senator Buttimer is lucky to have cruise control.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 May 2010)

John Paul Phelan: ...are being used as a mechanism to close these homes, such as the home in Athlone which failed the standards. Why was money not invested to raise standards in the facility in question? As Senator Buttimer and others noted, the Government has made a policy decision to devolve control of care of the elderly to the private sector. The closure in Athlone is likely to be repeated in Kilkenny...

Seanad: Public Service Agreement 2010-2014: Statements (13 May 2010)

John Paul Phelan: ...for opposing benchmarking, it was promised that benchmarking would sort out such situations but it did not. It now is opportune to try to get some movement on that issue. I also agree with Senator Buttimer and others who mentioned that many public servants may perceive voting "No" to be an opportunity to kick the Government. Such an opportunity will come at the next general election,...

Seanad: Order of Business. (31 Mar 2010)

John Paul Phelan: I echo the sentiments expressed my colleague Senator Donohoe on yesterday's announcements by the Minister for Finance on recapitalising the banks. I join Senator Buttimer who sought a specific debate in this regard. We all remember that two weeks before the guarantee was introduced, the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service had a meeting with the Financial Regulator and the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2009)

John Paul Phelan: I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on the cut to child benefit proposed in the Bill. Senator Buttimer referred to many issues I wanted to cover in my contribution. He is right. Essentially, what we are all about is helping families and others. I object in the strongest possible terms to Government policy. Before the budget, many Government Members and their supporters decried...

Seanad: Mortgage and Debt Support Measures: Motion (4 Nov 2009)

John Paul Phelan: ...this Private Members' debate and welcome the Minister of State, Deputy John Curran. I am in agreement with much of what has been said, particularly by my party colleagues, Senators O'Reilly, Buttimer and McFadden. A number of issues have been raised in the course of the debate. Senator Butler referred to the need for the Government to make tough decisions. We have been listening for a...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Mar 2009)

John Paul Phelan: ...taken by the Tánaiste, the Taoiseach and the relevant Ministers with regard to the union leadership can result in the strike being called off. We need to have a sense of solidarity, but Senator Buttimer is right to say that a wedge has been successfully driven between the public and the private sector by the Government in recent months. We have seen no leadership from the Government,...