Results 761-780 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (16 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: It was intended that the report would be with me before the summer recess. To this effect, we met some of the representative groups, but a number of issues arose that prevented it from being finalised before the summer recess. When I use the word "shortly", I mean that I expect to be receipt of it within the next two weeks. At that stage, there will be consultation between my officials and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Authority Members (16 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I thank the Senator for raising this important matter, which is relevant as it is now being discussed to a much greater extent than it previously was. Councillors, similar to Members of these Houses, members of the Judiciary and others, are officeholders rather than employees. As such, they are not covered by the statutory framework for employees on issues such as maternity leave, sick...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Authority Members (16 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I have not yet seen Ms Moorhead's report, so I am not sure. I do not know if she addresses the issue. However, the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, and myself will make use of her surveying work in examining broader issues of maternity and paternity leave. I am not sure exactly what the report will say on those matters.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Good Friday Agreement (16 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. In spite of the unprecedented times in which we live, it is a remarkably important matter. The citizenship and identity provisions are central to the Good Friday Agreement and it is vital that they are upheld. The Government has consistently engaged with the British Government in support of these provisions and will continue to do so. The...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Good Friday Agreement (16 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Senator has touched on what did not happen in respect of citizenship post the agreement and the referendum held both North and South. The Government will remain engaged at the highest level with British Government about the DeSouza case and these matters in general. We have been doing so for more than a year. As the Senator acknowledged the Government is in close and regular contact...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Minimum Wage (16 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. The national minimum wage is the legally binding, lowest average hourly rate that can be paid by an employer to an employee. This rate is set and governed by the National Minimum Wage Act 2000, which applies to all employees, including full-time, part-time, temporary and casual employees, with some exceptions. The National Minimum Wage (Low Pay...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Minimum Wage (16 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I will endeavour to get the Minister to respond directly on the issue of deferral or otherwise.Senator Nash was part of a Government of which I was a member that reversed the decision of the previous Government to reduce the national minimum wage by €1. The Low Pay Commission was established and has resulted in a 13% increase of the minimum wage in the past four years. The Senator's...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (16 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 268, 269 and 274 together. As Minister with special responsibility for Local Government and having served as a member of Kilkenny County Council I know first-hand the vital role local businesses play in supporting local authorities to deliver critical services to their communities. Commercial Rates, at approximately €1.5bn per annum, make up roughly...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates (16 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Decisions with regard to the selection of rating authority areas for revaluation are a matter for the independent Commissioner for Valuation, who has responsibility under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 to maintain a valuation list for each Local Authority, of all rateable properties in that Local Authority area, which is used to calculate the rates due from individual ratepayers. ...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Fund (16 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Government is providing €156 million to support local authorities through the exchequer contribution to the Local Government Fund (LGF) in 2020. On a like-for-like basis local authorities will be in receipt of €23 million more in funding in 2020 when compared to 2019. The extra €23 million represents an increase of 27% in exchequer support for local authorities to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates Calculations (16 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Local authorities are required by legislation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. The annual rate on valuation (ARV) is decided...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (15 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Local authorities have a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015.  The Commissioner of Valuation has responsibility for valuation matters, including the revaluation of properties, and is independent in...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (15 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Government approved the merger of Galway City Council and Galway County Council on 18 June 2018. While the elements of the Local Government Bill 2018 that provided for this merger were not ultimately passed by the Oireachtas. In this context, I recently met Galway County Council and indicated that the Government is prepared, in principle, to make a special...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Reform (15 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The people of Limerick City and County decided in a plebiscite held on 24 May 2019 to support the Government's proposals for a directly elected mayor with executive functions for their Council area. Work is now well underway on the necessary and extensive preparatory work  to deliver on the will of the people of Limerick. Under Section 44 of...

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 9: General (Resumed) (10 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: In the area of local government the funding announced in the budget on Tuesday amounts to €156 million paid directly by the local government section into the local authority structure throughout the country, in which there are 31 local authorities. The local government fund supports a range of local government initiatives and services across the country, with which Members of this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Commercial Rates Valuation Process (9 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The Valuation Acts 2001-2015 provide for the valuation of all commercial and industrial property for rating purposes. The Commissioner of Valuation is independent in the performance of his functions under the Acts and the making of valuations for rating is his sole responsibility. As Minister, I have no function in decisions in this regard. Under the relevant legislation,, there is a...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authority Rates (9 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: Local authorities have powers to charge for the services they provide, including housing rents, waste charges, parking charges and planning application fees. Income from fees and charges are an important revenue source for local authorities. In most cases charges are set locally, although certain charges are fixed at national level. The setting and management of many charges are...

Financial Resolutions - Budget Statement 2020 (8 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: It is a crow, not a vulture.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Electoral Commission Establishment (8 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The establishment of an Electoral Commission is a key commitment in the Programme for Partnership Government. My Department prepared a Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) in respect of the establishment of an Electoral Commission, which was published on 27 December 2018, and followed by a public consultation process. The RIA set out four options, having regard to a commission's legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Government Fund (8 Oct 2019)

John Paul Phelan: The accounts of the Local Government Fund, including income and expenditure, are audited by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General each year. The audited accounts for 2010 to 2018 are available on my Department's website at the following link; . Information concerning the Local Government Fund for 2019 is contained on page 166 of the Revised Estimates 2019 which is available at the...