Tag Archives: seanad

The Green Party has published legislation, which will be debated and voted on in the Seanad on Wednesday, aimed at tackling vacancy and dereliction in city and town centres. This is an issue that has been discussed on numeroous occasions in County Clare where such problesm exists in a number of towns, large and small. The Derelict and Vacant Sites Bill 2017 aims to increase the levies on vacant sites from 3% per annum to 5%, to bring forward the date from which they apply from 2019 to mid-2017, and to include all sites under the legislation, as currently sites under 500m2 are exempt. Speaking ahead of the debate in the Seanad, Green Party Senator Grace O’Sullivan said,“We are bringing this legislation to tackle what we see as fundamental flaws in the Government’s approach to vacancy and dereliction in our town and city centres. Throughout the country, in our villages, towns and cities, we are seeing countless examples of underutilisation …

ALTHOUGH the name of Pat Hayes will appear on the ballot papers that will issue on Monday for the forthcoming Seanad elections, the Clare county councillor will not be canvassing for election. Speaking to The Clare Champion, Councillor Hayes said that at this point in time and for personal reasons, it does not suit him to go forward. “I was honoured to get the nomination but circumstances this time didn’t allow me to canvass. I am very interested in being a candidate in the future,” he added. Last month, the East Clare councillor sought the nomination to the Seanad’s Agricultural Rural Development panel from the Irish Grain and Feed Association but then had a rethink and decided not to contest the seat. However, as the papers had been lodged, he could not formally withdraw. “I did seek the nomination and I did get a nomination and then I did seek to withdraw it. The system doesn’t allow you to withdraw …

WHILE Michael McNamara claimed last week that the Labour Party leadership went out of its way to stop him running for election to the Seanad, the party has denied anything underhand has happened. Also, Seamus Ryan, who served as director of elections for Labour in Clare, has defended the party, saying it is no longer in a strong enough position to be putting forward multiple candidates. In a post on social media last week, Mr McNamara wrote, “If there was a democratic contest for the party nomination on the Agricultural Panel, I think I’d have won. So did the party leadership, so there was no contest.” Also, in an interview last week, Mr McNamara, referring to senior figures in the party, said, “It’s quite clear that not alone did I not have their backing but they went out of their way to prevent me from running”. He also claimed that he was being paid back for not being what he …

The political career of Michael McNamara may be over, as the Labour Party has opted not to nominate the East Clare man for the Seanad. Over the course of five years in the Dáil, Mr McNamara was an outspoken critic of his own party on several occasions. Memorably, he said it had an “ancient front bench” after the 2014 Local Elections and, in 2015, he was not part of the parliamentary party for a number of months, as he refused to support the Government’s disposal of the State’s share in Aer Lingus. On Wednesday afternoon, Mr McNamara, who lost his seat in the General Election, said it is now “almost certain” that he won’t get a nomination for the Agricultural Panel of the Seanad. Labour Senator Denis Landy is being nominated by the Greyhound Breeders’ Association of Ireland and Mr McNamara said the general secretary of the party has decided that Labour would not make any nomination itself. “I had …

The Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, has announced  she intends to proceed with the enactment of legislation to promote mediation as a viable, effective and efficient adjunct to court proceedings. “Following my Private Members’ motion on mediation in the Seanad today, which was supported by the majority of senators; I am delighted that the Minister for Justice has now committed to the enactment of the Mediation Bill in early course,” commented Senator Martin Conway. He continiued, “Mediation is voluntary process of conflict prevention and resolution that allows the parties an opportunity to address their issues in a confidential, private and safe environment. It improves communication, narrows outstanding issues, defuses emotions and defines area of agreement. Statistics from the Mediators’ Institute of Ireland show a success rate for mediation averaging 80%. “I am confident that dealing with disputes in this way will provide the parties in dispute with the best possible opportunity to resolve their issues in a fast …

IN Ireland, the system of voting in all elections, Dáil, Seanad, Presidential, European and Local, is proportional representation, with a single transferable vote in multi-seat constituencies (three, four and five-seat constituencies at Dáil elections). Hopefully, this guide, compliments of the Citizens Information Bureau, will be a help in tracking what happens on election day and at the count the following day. The ballot paper Proportional representation means, as a voter, you can indicate your first and subsequent choices for the candidates on the ballot paper. The names of the candidates will appear in alphabetical order on the ballot paper, together with their photographs and their party emblem (if they wish). Voting by proportional representation You indicate your first choice by writing 1 opposite your first choice and 2 opposite your second choice, 3 opposite your third choice and so on. You may stop marking your paper after 1, or any subsequent preference, or you may go right down the ballot …

By Owen Ryan THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was the subject of stinging criticism as a foul smell plagued Shannon in 2013 and the organisation has now been berated in the Seanad as “another example of the watchdog falling asleep at the wheel”. Senator John Whelan made the claim as he spoke about the Enva plant in Portlaoise, which, he claimed, is causing serious pollution there. There have been complaints of odours at the Portlaoise plant. Enva also has a plant in Shannon. Speaking in the Seanad under privilege, Senator Whelan said, “I have documentary proof that the harmful and hazardous emissions, some of which are carcinogens, from the Enva Ireland plant in Portlaoise measure up to 32 times and in some instances up to 1,000 times more than the accepted levels as set down by the Environmental Protection Agency and other authorities.” He also claimed, “the EPA is colluding with the company in what is a cover up of …

A CLARE senator has accused his party, and the Government, of lying to the electorate ahead of next Friday’s referendum. Fine Gael Senator Tony Mulcahy said he will not be towing the party line in the referendum and will vote against the abolition of the Seanad. The Shannon man slated his party’s claim that the cost of the Seanad is €20 million per annum. Fine Gael states the figure is made up of Seanad members’ salary costs of €4.2m, members’ expenses of €2.5m, staff costs of €2.1m, indirect costs of €9.3m, including ICT at €1.9m, superintendent at €1.6m, procedural sections of €2.8m and other supports of €3m. There is a further cost of €2m in Seanad pensions. “The savings of €20m are a lie. My party aren’t telling the truth to the public. The savings are actually €8.6m and you have to divide that in half because you have to take out the USC (Universal Social Charge), the PRSI and …