Results 261-280 of 498 for speaker:Joe Cooney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: I thank everyone for coming to the meeting. To fix the housing crisis, the Minister said he would need to be radical and take risks and that he is determined to use every opportunity to drive on the delivery of homes. I compliment him on that. The main blockage to the Government delivering homes is probably the lack of wastewater infrastructure. Its delivery is shockingly slow and for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: The Minister is saying today he will support that and he will tell Uisce Éireann, which is getting fantastic funding from the Government, that we need those wastewater treatment systems delivered in rural villages and towns that do not have the infrastructure and are dying on their feet. Shops and post offices are closing and school numbers are dropping. We are being assured today...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: Given the length of time it is taking - years and sometimes decades - to get planning for critical water infrastructure, should there be a dedicated, fast-tracked planning stream to put treatment plants in place?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: I see the Minister's point but we need to put some system in place to try to help and support the rural villages that badly need these treatment systems in place. Will the Minister give an update on planning exemptions for the stand-alone structures and extensions up to 40 sq. m to the rear of houses? When will these works get the go-ahead? It is a great move, which is vitally important...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: The Minister of State referred to it being public display. How long will it be on public display and how will it work after that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Priorities of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (8 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: Is it possible to have this legislation passed before the end of the year?

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: 113. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if, following the recent newspaper editorial (details supplied) that claimed "almost all primary schools, for example, had to employ unqualified individuals without teaching qualifications as substitutes in the past year", her Department will recognise early childhood care and education graduates as being a viable workforce for the junior...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Ambulance Service (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: 272. To ask the Minister for Health for a breakdown of the number of WTEs in the National Ambulance Service (NAS), per grade codes, by HSE region, from 2020 to 2025; and to provide the level of activity year-on-year delivered by the NAS for the same period, by HSE region, in tabular form. [39994/25]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: I thank the Minister of State and his team for coming in. He is simply doing a fantastic job. He is hitting the ground running. He is going like the Kerry footballers. Kerry people had them written off a month ago. Now, they are saying they are going to win the All-Ireland final. Going back to the compensation package for forestry owners, the Minister of State went through all the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: When do they get the payment for clearing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: That payment is tax free.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: The three payments are over how long?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: That is for the new approvals, those who have been approved now to take out the ash dieback timber.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: Very good. Going back to the people from 2013, they are entitled to claim for €5,000 now as well. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: Is that a one-off payment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: Is it tax free?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: That is good. Going back to the private landowners, we are well aware they have a lot of ash trees on their land, especially along roadsides. This ash dieback is not their problem, meaning they are not responsible for it. They are, however, unfortunately left with the problem. Is there any way a special payment can be looked at to be put in place for farmers who have ash dieback to help...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: I know that. I am asking a question and we should not be passing the buck. I am asking about the ash dieback trees only, where farmers are affected. That is what I am saying. I know the Minister of State is saying there is not, but could we look at putting something in place to help those farmers? They need support at this stage.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: Sorry now. Leave it. We would specifically say ash dieback only and not another tree. That needs to be made clear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joe Cooney: The most important thing is the Minister of State is listening. I hope he is taking it in.