Results 121-140 of 836,702 for "section:" . (isset($hansardmajors[$1]["title"]) ? $hansardmajors[$z[1]]["title"] : "$z[1]") OR "section:" . (isset($hansardmajors[$1]["title"]) ? $hansardmajors[$z[1]]["title"] : "$z[1]") (speaker:Mick Barry OR speaker:James Browne)

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Several people asked that question and I did not get to answer it. The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, has committed to the extension of the rent freeze and the eviction ban as part of a general check on where we are regarding the crisis. Once that time period elapses at the end of June, he has not given a commitment, but he has said it will be firmly looked at depending on where we are in...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

Francis Noel Duffy: I have two sets of questions. I thank the Minister of State for his statement. Remote working will likely have a significant impact on the future of employment for most Irish businesses. We have an opportunity to encourage people to stay at home while working. This will help us to achieve the 2030 target of a 7% reduction in carbon emissions. The Civil Service and public service have...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: The Deputy is right in his assessment that remote working and working from home are very much here to stay. One of the key proposals by the outgoing Government in that regard was the national broadband plan. In the current crisis, we have seen bottlenecks in people's connectivity in many rural areas in particular, but also in some urban areas. The importance of the delivery of that plan...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: I confirm to the House that, hopefully, following the Cabinet decision this Friday, it is the intention to reimburse local authorities, large and small, as soon as possible thereafter, certainly early in the month of June. There would have been extensive consultation between the Departments, both at official and political level, with local authorities across the country in regard to their...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: I am afraid the Deputy will have to wait a little longer. I am recording the questions and I will relay the ones that fall into the housing category to the Minister. Local government does not have a direct responsibility for the mica and pyrite issue. However, the Deputy is right. My wife is from north Leitrim so I know south Donegal. I have seen at first hand, as well as some of the...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Minister of State is responsible for local government. The local authorities in Donegal and Mayo have hundreds of homes that will possibly have to be rebuilt. Will he ensure the Government directly supports those local authorities?

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: Yes.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

Frank Feighan: It is great to see the Minister of State here today. He spoke about his Leitrim connections. I believe the last time I met him was for breakfast in his adopted family home in Dromahair in north Leitrim. He is very aware of the issues in that county and, indeed, in all the counties throughout the country. I wish to discuss three issues. The first has been raised by other Deputies. Will...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: I agree with virtually everything the Deputy said. The collection of these moneys is a matter for each local authority and it has not been brought to my attention that councils need any extra powers in this regard. At the time the vacant site levy was introduced, and in respect of the amending legislation which was brought in afterwards in relation to farm lands, the powers were put in...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I will speak for three minutes and allow the Minister of State a minute to respond. He will know that there are many thousands of homeowner families across the State who have been devastated by a range of serious latent defects in their homes, from the pyrite crisis in Dublin and north Leinster to the scandal of Priory Hall and the mica and pyrite problems in Donegal and Mayo, as well as the...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

Eoin Ó Broin: As I have said, the Minister of State does not understand the difficulty the local authorities are in or the position of the County and City Management Association, CCMA. The CCMA was of the understanding that there was a pot of approximately €500 million which would get them over the first three months - that is the €260 million - but also that they could plan for the future...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: I will bring this specific issue to the attention of the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, again. Many Members of the House are keen to reactivate the planning process with regard to exiting Covid-19 measures. The points the Deputy made are valid and I will certainly bring them to the Minister's attention. With regard to co-living, any private operator or State agency may want to apply...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

Eoin Ó Broin: I want the Minister to withdraw the mandatory ministerial planning guidelines that allow for co-living. That is something he can do.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: He can but individual applications that are before the planning authorities at present-----

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

Eoin Ó Broin: That is a separate matter.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: -----will still be judged by each of the planning authorities and by An Bord Pleanála. An Bord Pleanála was mentioned earlier. It is the ultimate planning authority in the land. It will deal with any current applications or applications made in the near future with regard to co-living.

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

Mairead Farrell: Roinnfidh mé m'am idir mé féin agus an tAire Stáit. Beidh thart ar trí nóiméad agam féin agus nóiméad amháin aige. I will share my time with the Minister of State. I will use approximately three minutes myself and give a minute to the Minister of State to respond. Last week a report was published that revealed that only four...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

Eoin Ó Broin: When the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, was last in front of this House, he talked about a package worth about €0.5 billion to assist in dealing with the rates funding crisis. We have since learned that half of that money is not guaranteed to offset the rates cost because the local authority start-up grant will not be required to be used to offset rates, either through a waiver or a...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: I will try to answer as many of the questions as I can. On the non-rates shortfall, one of the issues that is unique to the refund of the rates loss for every local authority is that there is no local authority in the country that collects rates at a level of 100%. The refund will be 100%. That is with the intention of offsetting some of the other costs. These will vary from local...

Covid-19 (Local Government): Statements (27 May 2020)

Brendan Howlin: The Government's money will not fill that gap.