Results 1-20 of 1,500 for at speaker:Victor Boyhan

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 May 2024)

Victor Boyhan: It is good to see Senator Ahearn in the Leader’s chair today. I also join colleagues in sending my condolences to our colleague and friend Senator Moynihan on the unexpected passing of her dear mother at such a young age. We send our sympathies to Rebecca and her extended family. Today I want to talk about the shared island civic society fund. Last week the Tánaiste...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 May 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I, too, want to raise a housing issue. I am very much a strong advocate that housing need amendments should reflect the rural circumstances for communities. I have continually raised the issue of rural housing and the need for rural housing. I am sure that the Acting Leader will understand that as she represents County Kildare because many parts of that county are very rural and urban....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (14 May 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the witnesses. I would not like to be in County Donegal or County Clare and listening to these proceedings. The witnesses are a group of experts invited in here today, knowing what they were coming in to do and to say, knowing that we are policymakers here and were inevitably going to ask them questions. It is very despondent. If this were another forum or classroom, I would ask...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (14 May 2024)

Victor Boyhan: Yes, we will start with Ms Stapleton, who might confirm she will take these concerns back to the Department. She is assistant secretary at the Department. Is she happy to share with us more explanatory detail on the interagency defective concrete blocks technical matters steering group?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 May 2024)

Victor Boyhan: Today, I wish to advocate for the former residents of the Westbank orphanage in Greystones, County Wicklow. Deputies and councillors in Wicklow will have been bombarded over the last weekend with literature that was given door to door and to every person on the street of Greystones last week. Many of us will know how the Westbank orphanage was excluded from the redress scheme. Former...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2024)

Victor Boyhan: ...is to be made on Thursday. However, there are serious questions about local government. A very successful Seanad committee is still working on the issue. The Leader is involved with that committee. People are asking what happened to the key recommendations from the citizens' assembly on Dublin. We know that Ireland has the among the weakest local government in Europe, perhaps the...

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I will take up the option of covering off the three sections here and now. I welcome the Minister of State and thank her for her time and her commitment to this area, which I know is a major priority for her. I thank Senator Clonan for introducing the Bill and also the co-sponsors of the Bill, which includes the Independents, Civil Engagement Group, Labour Party, Sinn Féin and Green...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 May 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I wish to advocate on behalf of our health workers. It was interesting that the previous Senator spoke about Limerick. I know from people who are canvassing to be elected mayor of Limerick that one of the biggest issues after housing is health and the hospital. I think the local elections, particularly in Limerick for the mayor, will effectively be a plebiscite on the Government and our...

Seanad: Loneliness: Motion (1 May 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Colm Burke. It is the first time I have had an opportunity to congratulate him on his appointment. I say "Well done" to him. He is no stranger to this House. I really appreciate his being here. I thank the Green Party for proposing this important motion on loneliness. I acknowledge the enormous amount of work that former Senator Keith Swanick...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Apr 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I raise the issue of ash dieback and the €79.5 million package for farmers that has been announced by the Government. I cautiously welcome the package, and I will explain why in a moment. The package represents a significant change of heart on the part of the Government, which originally did not want offer a package in respect of ash dieback, a matter that has been raised many times...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Apr 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I particularly welcome it. Canvassing and reconnecting with the people on the doorsteps are working. This is democracy at work.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Apr 2024)

Victor Boyhan: Senator Kyne is keen on green issues this afternoon. It is about time. This is democracy at work. People in rural constituencies are giving it to politicians in the neck, so well done. The devastation caused by this fungus has a major impact on the incomes of pension funds, investors, farmers and foresters. That is why I cautiously welcome the package. Quite frankly, it is not enough....

Seanad: Flooding on Lough Funshinagh: Statements (30 Apr 2024)

Victor Boyhan: First, I welcome the Minister of State here, thank him and tell him that I visited Lough Funshinagh in the beautiful County Roscommon and that unique and most beautiful and stunning SAC. I met many people in Coolnageer, Curraghboy, Knockcroghery, Ballagh and Rahara. My first thought was I found people who were welcoming, engaging, resilient and positive. I spent much time with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2024: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (30 Apr 2024)

Victor Boyhan: It is good to see the Minister here. I thank him for coming. At the very outset, I note that we are all conscious and aware of the living streets initiatives, as is the Minister. I think they are excellent. We need to enliven our streets. One of the good things about the Covid pandemic was that we utilised our open public realm well. Much of that came down to unintended consequences. I...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Apr 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I raise the issue of the Irish Farmers Association, IFA. I commend Mr. Francie Gorman, the IFA president, on the good body of work that is his manifesto, which has been published, for the European and local elections. It is a substantial body of work. I thank and commend the IFA and Mr. Gorman, as president, on the manifesto, his leadership and guidance and the succinct and clear asks set...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (Resumed) (24 Apr 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome Ms Meaney, Mr. Blake and Mr. Cahill. This is a complex proposal and I thank them for setting it out and going through it for us. It was circulated to us. Many of us printed it off and read it and I have taken some notes. I want to tease out some issues for greater clarity. I do not propose to go through all of the various articles in it but have picked out a few for mention. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (Resumed) (24 Apr 2024)

Victor Boyhan: Would it be possible for the Department to share a summary of those concerns with the committee at some point? It would be helpful to us. We are a long way out from this and we have a lot of time, but it would be helpful for us to understand the concerns of the stakeholders, with whom we engage as a committee anyway. That would be helpful. Finally, just to finish, there is the issue of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education (23 Apr 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Browne. I know he is taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. I thank the Minister, who I know is involved in Government business today. He communicated with me yesterday that he could not be here. I thank the Minister of State for agreeing to take this Commencement matter, which relates to early childhood care and education....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome all our guests to this pre-legislative session, which is extremely important. Before I go into this in detail, I thank the witnesses because we owe a great debt of gratitude and thanks to them as advocates in this sector with extensive knowledge. I heard what Ms Heavey said earlier about one of CLM's successful cases, where it did not get support, but that when correspondence was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I may not be here to listen to Mr. Kelly's full response, but I will be back. I appeal to him to look at the recordings of our earlier sessions because we had a lot of really meaningful engagement from advocates who are at the coalface of this area. I would ask him to look at that. Ms Rose Wall from Community Law and Mediation really summed it up for me in the...