Results 1-20 of 4,865 for speaker:Thomas Gould

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: Last week, I was contacted by a constituent who had received a letter from Cork City Council stating it had no emergency accommodation. All it was short of saying was that there was no room at the inn and people should go out to the stable. The crisis in emergency accommodation and homelessness in Cork is now so bad there is nowhere to put people. I received an email from a husband and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: I asked about the homeless. These people are homeless today, not in 16 months' time.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: The amendments go to the heart of social and affordable and cost-rental targets. To give the Minister of State an insight, in Cork, 32 cost-rental properties came on the market from Cork City Council. Some 900 people or couples applied for them. That is why targets are so important. Do not get me wrong. It probably changed the lives of those who got the 32 properties, but imagine the...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: That is an outrageous comment.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: If you are elected, you are elected.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: Ceann Comhairle, I made no such comment.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: Every TD in here is equal, whether they are elected on the first count or the tenth count.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Thomas Gould: I will not repeat what other Deputies have said. I will speak to the national planning framework and the decision not to bring it before the Houses of the Oireachtas. Deputy Ó Broin made the point that backbenchers can go back to their local radio stations and newspapers and say the situation is all wrong and it is the fault of the big, bad people in An Bord Pleanála and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Traveller Accommodation (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: Will the Minister update the House on the implementation of the recommendations of the expert group on Traveller accommodation?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Traveller Accommodation (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: I thank the Minister of State. In my constituency there is a major development of the Spring Lane halting site. We have made a number of observations and Cork City Council has taken a lot of them on board. We have done a lot of work with the Traveller community on this site and with the broader community because we want the development to work. We particularly want it to work for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Schemes (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: I raised a matter with the Taoiseach yesterday in respect of equity. I spoke to a gentleman who came to see me and who is looking to buy a house. He has good savings and a full-time job. He has two kids. He is separated and trying to put a roof over his head. He is trying to use the affordable housing scheme and the shared equity scheme. I am seeking clarity. What I have been told is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: The Minister of State mentioned that the tackling of vacancy and dereliction is a priority or something the Department was going to address. Let me mention some of the figures that came out recently. There are 1,913 buildings on the derelict sites register, and there is €20 million outstanding in uncollected levies, almost €5 million of which relates to Cork. Local...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: I have some facts here that will spoil the Minister's earlier rendition. Cork County Council will probably not reach its target figures until 2026. I will give some actual facts. It was five short in 2022 and it was 161 short in 2023. Even though the Government's own targets are so low that they will not help solve the housing crisis, the council cannot even meet its targets. We have a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Housing Provision (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: -----there is a whole issue of they will not let people on the homeless list in emergency accommodation.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Broadcasting Sector (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: I also echo the question of funding for local radio stations. In my constituency, local radio is important not only in bringing people the global and national news but also local news. We have stations in Cork such as Red FM, 96 FM, C103 FM, Cork City Community Radio and CUH FM Community Radio that play a vital role. It has been even more vital this year because of what happened with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Broadcasting Sector (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: These matches need to be shown on free-to-air television, especially the hurling matches.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Television Licence Fee (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: 5. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the TV licence reforms. [24428/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Television Licence Fee (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: Will the Minister provide an update to the House on the TV licence reforms? On 15 February, in response to a question I asked, the Minister said: There is no fear of local and European elections. What I am concerned with is the future of public service media being put on a sure footing. That is my focus, not the politics involved or being fearful of elections.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Television Licence Fee (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: In response to the controversies that arose in RTÉ since June 2023 the Government established two expert advisory committees to lead independent reviews of the governance and culture in RTÉ and of the contractor fees, human resources and other matters in RTÉ. A commitment was given that these reports would be available in March. March ended 60 days ago. Where are the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Television Licence Fee (30 May 2024)

Thomas Gould: The decision.