Results 21-40 of 2,180 for speaker:John Cummins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I agree. This issue is a bugbear of mine with the local authorities. The legislation that is currently in place for dealing with derelict sites and dangerous structures is not effective and is not working. What legislative changes do we need to make to make that CPO process more effective, in order that local authorities can step in where necessary in towns, villages and cities right across...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: It would come under the National Oversight and Audit Commission, NOAC, report. Would that come before the committee? I am not certain as a new member.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: Perhaps we can address the matter under that report. Planning is an issue. We have a very large project in the north quays in Waterford which has received funding from the urban regeneration and development fund, URDF. Based on my experience of dealing with this and having engaged with officials on it, they readily admit that while we have a process for cost-benefit analysis for a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: The urban regeneration framework for the-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: There are two final items I wish to discuss. One is the Moorhead report, which is mentioned in the programme for Government.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I ask that Sarah Moorhead, the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, and the Local Authorities Members Association, LAMA, come before the committee to discuss the report's findings, particularly in light of the fact that its implementation is in the programme for Government.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (6 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I would like some clarity on this second item-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: That would be advisable. I believe Deputy Ó Broin mentioned last week a report that is being produced by the Department. It was said that the Department was doing a cost-benefit analysis of the various models. Could that be fed into the specific piece? I had mentioned all the schemes in question in my submission in terms of repair and lease. There is a host of them. Could we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: Before you move on, Chairman, the nursing home support scheme was mentioned. Is there merit to having a specific section on housing options for older people and that the topic would be broadened out? A very good report was brought out by the then Minister of State at the Department of Health, former Deputy Jim Daly, about housing options for older people. It is a big area. It would not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: Could we then broaden No. 19 to include Deputy Higgins's matter, the nursing home support scheme and the former Minister of State's report?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I would suggest a title like "social housing build and regeneration".

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: Or No. 9.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: One of the topics I submitted was not discussed last week. It is probably a controversial issue to raise, and I am not sure exactly where-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I am not sure either. Perhaps the Chairman could have a discussion with the Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts. I would be led by the outcome of that discussion. While the media rightly scrutinise spending on travel and subsistence by local representatives, it is my understanding that the Committee of Public Accounts cannot question the spending of local government executives in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: The issue of financial accountability across local government covers all areas in that case.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I was going to suggest written submissions. I do not think we can afford to take it into the following week because of our time schedule. Is there agreement in principle among members that if we can facilitate a second public session, we will go ahead and do so but that we will agree to take written submissions if the latter is not possible? We have all proposed many topics for discussion....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Committee Work Programme: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: We are living in different times. We have to appreciate that it will not be possible to do everything we want to do.

Seanad: Budget 2021: Statements (14 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: In the brief time I have I wish to focus on the capital investment programme that the Minister rightly pointed out as being the largest in the history of the State at €10.1 billion. It is right and proper that we are investing in capital infrastructure now. It would be remiss of me not to mention a significant capital project in my county of Waterford - I know the Minister has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: I thank Mr. Ó Coigligh and Ms Connolly. I will focus on the second paragraph of head 7 which reads "Two or more abstraction points drawing water from the same body of surface water or groundwater and which join to form a combined abstraction shall be considered to be a single abstraction". In responding to Senator Fitzpatrick, Mr. Ó Coigligh said that this would not affect the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

John Cummins: Mr. Ó Coigligh suspects it will not affect abstractions at the lower level.