Results 3,321-3,340 of 10,577 for speaker:Barry Cowen

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: The Minister of State is saying that anybody who enters these agreements goes off the housing list, therefore, there is no permanent housing solution for those people.

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: Okay. All of us have examples but I came across a case only yesterday. It involves a recently separated young woman with two children who cares for her mother also. She was offered short-term rental accommodation under RAS in a location that did not suit not just because of the situation with her mother but the difficulty for her children and not wanting to move them at such a distressing...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: I move amendment No. 54: In page 65, after line 7, to insert the following:“Provision of housing units 52. In the provision of housing units, a local authority shall give priority to persons that have been responsible tenants in leased accommodation under the Rental Accommodation Scheme.”.I tabled this amendment as a safeguard in the event of the Minister not accepting the...

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: Would the Minister of State consider alternative wording, such as "due and weighted consideration" based on the systems in place in the local authority?

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: There should be due weight attached to the people who fall into that category in the local systems that exist. Most local authorities have a points system.

Leaders' Questions (10 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: The Taoiseach is the one in government.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointment Status (10 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: 465. To ask the Minister for Health when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect an appointment with the orthopaedic department, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, Dublin. [24164/14]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2014: Discussion (10 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: It is important to add weight to the Acting Chairman's comments on the clawback issue. It is the view of the majority of committee members that it is incumbent on the Department to go to the Minister and seek the insertion of a provision in the Bill to deal with this issue. It is not fair or proper to leave it hanging and something should be laid down in the Bill so that this specific issue...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2014: Discussion (10 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: Will that ensure there is no legal impediment to Dublin City Council's rights? Those will remain despite the name change, the transfer of responsibility and so forth.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2014: Discussion (10 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: Under the strategic development plan put in place by An Bord Pleanála for the area, what representation will the locality have in future initiatives or schemes or will that solely be the responsibility of those elected to Dublin City Council?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2014: Discussion (10 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: Is Mr. Dunne sure that it will not be a watered down version of what existed previously?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2014: Discussion (10 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: There are issues with the recommendations.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2014: Discussion (10 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: Will the forum require unanimity among its members?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2014: Discussion (10 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: I know, but the less prescriptive, the less authority or input its members may have. Perhaps this should be stated in the Bill.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2014: Discussion (10 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: Consultation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of Dublin Docklands Development Authority (Dissolution) Bill 2014: Discussion (10 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: Tabling amendments, if necessary, is something members can adjudicate on when the Bill is published. This proposal should not be a watered down version of what existed previously and people should be given a forum in which to voice their opinions and aspirations. I am particularly conscious of the matter raised by the Acting Chairman, in that those who remain in the area after being housed...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: The amendment allows me to question the Minister of State in regard to the whole area of refurbishment of vacant units throughout the country. I note the Taoiseach spoke about this yesterday, in particular about his own worries and fears, despite being in office for the last three years, about the length of time it was taking for those houses to be made available by local authorities to...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: Would it not be prudent to publish a league table to examine the performance of local authorities and hold them to account if they are languishing in the relegation zone or whatever the case might be?

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: Will the Minister of State consider such a proposal? She can come back to us with details of the means by which she might be able to do this. She must be cognisant of the ideas being put forward on a scheme to deal with vacant houses in need of refurbishment. While I take Deputy Seán Ó'Fearghaíl's point, the diminishing returns from rents and house purchases because of...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2014)

Barry Cowen: In the short term the Minister of State might start from a point where we would have a better means to question the performance of local authorities.