Results 1,981-2,000 of 5,904 for speaker:Thomas Gould

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Sites (3 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: 206. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the measures he is taking to increase the collection of the derelict sites levy in urban areas [12068/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (3 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: 210. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he has considered reform of the voids scheme given its failings [12067/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Provision of Community Growing Spaces in Ireland: Community Gardens Ireland (1 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: In fact, I am going to mention an example that is near to County Dublin. I recently saw a report on the expected closure of Greystones Kilcoole community garden, due to its lease not having been renewed. In researching for this meeting, I learned that 80% of community gardens, or 1,920 of them, face a similar fate. Will our guests comment on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Provision of Community Growing Spaces in Ireland: Community Gardens Ireland (1 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Provision of Community Growing Spaces in Ireland: Community Gardens Ireland (1 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: Deputy Ó Broin earlier raised the issue of planning. My father's house, in Knocknaheeny, has a fine big backyard, and many houses that were built 70, 80 or 90 years ago have big front and back gardens. Nowadays, however, especially in the case of city developments, apartments and even some of the regeneration projects in Knocknaheeny, where I come from, there are no front gardens, just...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Provision of Community Growing Spaces in Ireland: Community Gardens Ireland (1 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Feighan, was in Cork last week and visited a community garden. He was asked about funding and support for men's sheds and he said money will always be available for community gardens and similar initiatives under Healthy Ireland. If only 20% of these gardens are permanent, are we funding ones that may soon shut? If we are putting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Provision of Community Growing Spaces in Ireland: Community Gardens Ireland (1 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: To be considered long term or renewable, most leases would have to be for longer than five years. If a lease is longer than five years, the tenant has the option to renew it. If it is for less than five years, the tenant has to leave if the landowner asks. As such, what Mr. McCormack said makes sense. Complimentary comments were made about Cork City Council. I can be critical of local...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Provision of Community Growing Spaces in Ireland: Community Gardens Ireland (1 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: Chair, may I-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Provision of Community Growing Spaces in Ireland: Community Gardens Ireland (1 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: There is another issue. I am the chairman of St. Vincent's Hurling and Football Club. Our treasurer, Mr. Kenneth Collins, who is a Sinn Féin councillor in Cork, is working with Cork City Council to designate a part of our sporting complex as an area of biodiversity. We are always looking to keep everything trim and tidy – the pitches, the land around them and the banks –...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Provision of Community Growing Spaces in Ireland: Community Gardens Ireland (1 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: It was brought to my attention during lockdown that there could be a green space in the area where I live, Gurranabraher, in addition to Farranree, similar to what we would probably see in London. A green space is normally in front of houses that are facing a square but in the case of Gurranabraher and Farranree it is actually at the back of houses. What has happened is that people have put...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: We all know apprenticeships have been a scandal over the last ten years since the financial crash. I welcome some of the points the Minister has made about how we are now looking at options but he gave 2021 figures of over 8,000 apprentices signed up. Does he believe that is enough? What is the figure we need to reach every year? I am talking to builders, plumbers and carpenters in small...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (8 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: We all know apprenticeships have been a scandal over the last ten years since the financial crash. I welcome some of the points the Minister has made about how we are now looking at options but he gave 2021 figures of over 8,000 apprentices signed up. Does he believe that is enough? What is the figure we need to reach every year? I am talking to builders, plumbers and carpenters in small...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: 56. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has considered the expansion of funding to citizen science mapping projects. [12728/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: Will the Minister consider expanding funding to the citizen science mapping project?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: OpenLitterMap is a citizen science project established in Cork city, following a very simple concept. People see litter and they record it. This project has the potential to assist local authorities in targeting areas where there is constant litter and also in helping communities to identify litter black spots. This research gets no funding from the Department, which is very disappointing....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: As I said, in the 1990s the derelict sites register was established and after speaking to the Department, we still do not have data about the derelict sites that are littering every community in the State. That is where a citizen science mapping project would be vital. Citizens could take photographs and upload them to a central database. We would be engaging with the community to tackle a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services (8 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: The Keltoi rehabilitation unit was closed in March 2020. We were promised at the time that it was a temporary closure due to Covid-19. It is still closed today. Why? There are serious issues with addressing dual diagnosis in this State. Addiction is often caused by trauma, but so too are serious mental health difficulties. When they are presented together, people often have nowhere to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Mental Health Services (8 Mar 2022)

Thomas Gould: To be honest, I am shocked and flabbergasted by the comments of the Minister of State. Keltoi worked with people in addiction or with serious and complex mental health issues. He has come in here two years after its closure to tell us it will remain closed. That is not good enough. These are people who have serious issues. Is the Department of Health or the HSE using Covid-19 as a way of...