Results 241-260 of 2,180 for speaker:John Cummins

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: Senator Boyhan touched on what the outcome of accepting the amendments in this group would be. They would result in the State having one hand tied behind its back. In a housing crisis, one cannot go into the sweet shop and say one will only take this bit and that bit. We need to look at absolutely every mechanism possible to deliver homes for the people of this country. Earlier this week,...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: I wish to make a final point. In his speech on Second Stage, the Minister stated that we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good. We must use all of the tools at our disposal to resolve the housing crisis that we face. Ideology is not going to fix the housing crisis. If we were to take Senator Warfield's suggestion in respect of Fingal, we would go back three or four years. All of...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: I echo what Senator Fitzpatrick has said about supporting this in principle. I certainly hope Senator Warfield will take the premise of this when we discuss later amendments. What I have said heretofore is that we have to use any mechanism possible to deliver housing. I have no problem in principle with the premise of what Senator Warfield is suggesting. We must use every delivery...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: The net effect of this amendment would be to remove the ability of the LDA to provide affordable homes for people. Senator Boyhan referred to Shanganagh Castle. The LDA is going to break ground on that site this year to provide 597 mixed tenure homes. We will not be able to provide affordable purchase units on that site if this amendment is passed. In the same spirit of co-operation the...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: To be very clear, this amendment will prevent the LDA from providing affordable homes on State-owned land for affordable housing purchase and cost rental. If this amendment is passed, the 597 homes at Shanganagh Castle cannot proceed.That is what we would be voting for if we passed this amendment. It would be totally irresponsible of us to remove the ability of the Land Development Agency...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: As with much of this debate, it comes back to ideology. I will provide Senator Warfield with an example of a public private partnership housing scheme in my area which has been delivered as part of one of the national bundles. It is called Presentation Gardens. People will be getting the keys to those 63 homes in the next few weeks. How can Senator Warfield tell any of those who are...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: Can I clarify something? Amendment No. 12 is not in the group, but it was addressed. Can we take it that it was included in the group? Senator Higgins referred to it. The group includes amendments Nos. 10, 11 and 17. Can we take it that amendment No. 12 was included, for the sake of brevity and trying to shorten the process?

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: Can we take it that it was addressed?

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: I appreciate what is being attempted with the amendment but, like my colleagues, I believe it does not quite grasp what we are trying to achieve here. The reason I mentioned amendment No. 12 before we broke for lunch is that it should have been in this group. I will not be supporting amendments Nos. 10 and 11 because I support amendment No. 12 as it captures what we are trying to achieve....

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: I support the thrust of my colleague's amendment. We all want targets in respect of the delivery of affordable housing. If it is not this exact wording, could the Minister of State take on board the thrust of the amendment? What I would like to see is not only local authorities having targets for affordable housing built in but also the targets for the LDA, AHBs and the co-ops that we...

Seanad: Search and Rescue System: Motion (28 May 2021)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State. I thank her for her comprehensive response to the motion. I pay tribute to the men and women who serve this country with great diligence, professionalism and bravery day in and day out, 365 days a year, be they with the Air Corps or CHC, which won the contract nearly ten years ago to operate the SAR service for the country.I acknowledge the service personnel...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 May 2021)

John Cummins: I understand the point Senator Higgins just made, but the reverse also applies in the case of inflation in the market. If a council agrees and fixes a price in 2021, that price is fixed, regardless of whether the unit is delivered in 2022 or 2023. From what has just been suggested, it would seem the Senator wants to have the flexibility to break a contract when a price has been agreed. I...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jun 2021)

John Cummins: I thank the Cathaoirleach and I echo his comments at the outset in relation to Denmark. I had the pleasure of meeting the Danish Ambassador in Waterford. Denmark has close links to my own city of Waterford. It was only last week that we had the announcement of increased shipping capacities between Waterford Port and Amsterdam, which was hugely welcome. In light of the appalling cyber...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2021)

John Cummins: Will the Senator clarify the question he is asking, for my information?

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2021)

John Cummins: I asked the Senator to clarify his question for the information of the House. I am not clear on what the Senator is asking.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2021)

John Cummins: To which amendment does the Senator's question refer?

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2021)

John Cummins: He is referring to the entire section.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2021)

John Cummins: When the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, was in the House on Monday he responded to a separate but connected amendment and he gave some very good examples of how the 30%, 35% or 40% would not be the case in reality. That is on the record for anybody to read so I will not repeat his points. Reference has been made to the Government saying that houses costing €350,000 and...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2021)

John Cummins: As a member of the committee in question, I know the Minister has never been afraid of engaging with the committee. We have had discussions on this particular issue. I know the Minister has also engaged with the County and City Management Association, CCMA, along with his officials.The Minister of State spoke in his last contribution on the 30% flexibility for local authorities, which will...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2021)

John Cummins: I totally appreciate where Senator Moynihan is coming from with this amendment. It is very important that we look not only at couples who have children but also to individuals and single people. However, I think that is achieved by the house types the local authority will commit to building. If the local authority commits to building a one-bedroom apartment, as referred to by Senator...