Results 301-320 of 2,180 for speaker:John Cummins
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Second Stage (9 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for bringing this Bill before us, which seeks to formally establish the LDA. The latter has the potential to be a very useful tool in the delivery of large-scale residential projects across the State, particularly in the main urban centres. Any individual or party that is serious about tackling the supply issues in housing should warmly welcome...
- Seanad: Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (12 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: Much of the debate has focused on sections 14 and 15 of the Bill and it has turned into a housing discussion so I felt it necessary to comment on the Bill. I echo much of what Senator Mullen said. We are in a housing crisis and, in such a crisis, one must use every tool at one's disposal to tackle the problem. My party and the Government is all about delivery over ideology. We believe we...
- Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (12 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: I thank the Minister. I acknowledge Senator Warfield, who tabled the initial amendment. In acknowledging that there was broad acceptance from the entire House, it is important to note that we particularly wanted to include the sector in question in the legislation. It is appropriate that the Minister has added the additional mechanisms on "minimum requirements in relation to governance,...
- Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (12 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: The Minister rightly points out that, though technical, it is a very significant amendment to allow the cost rental sector to be accessed by local authorities. I have spoken to him before about an idea I put to him on the use of the repair and lease scheme and how it could be combined with the cost rental scheme. On the double, it would remove dereliction from our cities, towns and villages...
- Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (12 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: I might touch briefly on the regulations that will be published in the coming weeks. I have received many queries about the cost-rental units that the Minister launched last week in Fingal and the €53,000 figure, which I understand is the net figure as opposed to gross. It is important that this be clarified and he might do so. In the context of ramping up the cost-rental equity...
- Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (12 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: This is a welcome move. It was well flagged in the Minister's Second Stage speech here that it was going to be brought forward as an amendment in the Dáil. I have a slight concern that it may increase the price of houses in the remaining 80% of the development, but I accept that it is one of the quickest mechanisms for the delivery of affordable housing by attaching a 10% affordable...
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: I had not intended coming in but I have to. We had people saying in the earlier debate that we cannot have leasing. Now we are told we cannot have public private partnerships. We do not want to vote for an LDA which will be tasked with providing public housing on public land. I have said time and again we have to use every mechanism at our disposal, be it the councils, the approved...
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (12 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: That is absolutely nothing to do with delivery of-----
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: I thank the Cathaoirleach very much. I use my time on the Order of Business this morning to welcome the pathway which has been created to reopen indoor hospitality. I do so with reservations. As a 34-year-old who is receiving his Johnson & Johnson vaccine today, I have reservations about younger people, in particular, and those who are unvaccinated not having the same ability to...
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: I welcome the Minister the House. It is true that this measure was not in the original Bill. I sat on Waterford City and County Council for 11 years and always took that role exceptionally seriously, as does every councillor in the country. It is also true that I have reservations about this section 183 change. However, it is also true, as Senator Fitzpatrick referenced, that much has...
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: I did not interrupt anyone on that side of the House so I would appreciate being allowed to speak without interruption. I appreciate where the Minister is coming from with this measure. It is important we do not present it in a way that is a wholesale stripping of the powers of local councillors. The factual position is that in certain local authorities housing is not being built on lands...
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: Chairman-----
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: That is not what I said.
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: On a point of order, I have been misrepresented by the Senator. I ask her to withdraw her statement that I said such a thing. You will not see that in the transcript of what I said.
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: I ask her to withdraw the comment. It is very unfair.
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: Excuse me. I ask that the remark be withdrawn. I did not state-----
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: -----what the Senator said.
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: Sorry, a Leas-Chathaoirligh-----
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: I am asking the Senator to withdraw the comment because I did not make the statement she said I made on the floor of this House.
- Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2021)
John Cummins: I am being misrepresented by the Senator.