Results 641-660 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

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

John Paul Phelan: It would be asking them to pay twice.

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

John Paul Phelan: Friday's decision is in relation to-----

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

John Paul Phelan: Yes, rates only. In his question, Deputy Howlin referred to discussions with finance officers. There is another round of analysis going on with the CCMA and the Department officials on not just establishing the €108 million figure that the Deputy mentioned but the best guesstimate as to how much of a shortfall in that there might be as a result of the Covid crisis. I am not really...

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

John Paul Phelan: That is an area where local authorities could usefully change. I want to get the point across about council meetings.

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

John Paul Phelan: Councils set their own standing orders. Many councils were very quick to write to the Department or to me about how they were to hold meetings. It is a matter for themselves. Most have now amended their standing orders to allow for meetings in lecture theatres and so on. All 31 councils now have facilities for their AGMs which fall next month. There is a place for virtual meetings in...

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)

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)

John Paul Phelan: Yes.

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)

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)

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

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)

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)

John Paul Phelan: One hundred percent is greater than 92%.

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

John Paul Phelan: What we are guaranteeing is what the CCMA, the representative group of the managers of each of the 31 local authorities, sought from us. As I said in response to Deputy Darragh O'Brien, the monthly shortfall in terms of commercial rates is about €85 million or €86 million. We should also bear in mind some of the other fees that councils are not gathering now because of...

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

John Paul Phelan: I will have to forward the Deputy's questions on housing to the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. We had housing questions in the House recently but today's session is not specifically about housing. However, I will get the Minister to directly answer the questions Deputy O'Brien has raised. The restart grant is being funded through the local authorities and local enterprise offices and...

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

John Paul Phelan: I thank the members of the Business Committee for agreeing to have this discussion today. As I have not had a chance to speak yet in this Dáil, I want to place on the record of the House my own sympathies for those who have been bereaved in the current crisis, as well as my appreciation for those on the front line both in the health service and right across society, not least in the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (27 May 2020)

John Paul Phelan: The question of liability of particular properties for rates is a matter for the Commissioner of Valuation, who is independent in the exercise of his functions under the Valuation Act 2001, as amended. The making of valuations for rating purposes is the sole responsibility of the Commissioner and I, as Minister, have no function in decisions in this regard. The Valuation Acts 2001 to 2019...