Results 621-640 of 2,180 for speaker:John Cummins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: I assure him, however, that it is a city and the oldest one in Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Does Mr. O'Connor have a view on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: In the context of his comments on turnkey properties, I also assure him that Waterford is a significant urban settlement. There is significant value for money to be had from the delivery of turnkey units in my city, which is an urban area. Nothing should be misconstrued from this. Representatives of the AHB and local authority sectors have been clear in saying to the committee that there...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Okay. I am sorry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Exactly, for a change. To come back to some points made earlier in the context of the presentation from the representatives of the local authority sector, in a response to the Chair regarding targets for the buy and renew scheme, BRS, no mention was made of the repair and leasing scheme, RLS, which has been very successful in my county. If every local authority in the country had delivered...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: I appreciate that, but the evidence I get from councillors on the ground is an unwillingness within executives and local authorities to do what Waterford did, which was to engage with the auctioneers, use the carrot-and-stick approach of CPO in terms of going after the owners of the properties, promote the scheme in the local media and engage with local builders. It has been successful....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: That is welcome but please do place the targets. Unless the local authority has an ambition and target to reach, it is easier to sit back. The off-balance sheet, on-balance sheet argument has been referenced a couple of times. It goes back to what I was asking about regarding a rationalisation of the sector and a view on the optimal number of AHBs. I will not ask the witnesses to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Could the Housing Alliance liaise or is it liaising with a view to achieving that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Perhaps we could take that discussion offline because it is important for the State, the Housing Alliance and all the additional public services that could benefit by getting off balance sheet.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Sure.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Apr 2022)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, to the House. I thank him and his officials for bringing forward this short but important and complex legislation. It is important in the context of regularising and, in the case of unauthorised development, remediating developments such as quarries that may have cropped up over the course of a significant period of time without planning...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 May 2022)

John Cummins: Let me continue on the theme of higher education, as raised by my colleague, Senator Malcolm Byrne. I wish to mark and acknowledge the occasion yesterday in the south east when the Minister visited the campuses of the new South East Technological University, SETU. The sense of positivity and optimism among the staff and students was palpable. There are many people who have worked for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Construction Industry (11 May 2022)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Noonan, for coming to the House to address this very important Commencement matter dealing with the exceptional costs and materials inflation which has occurred within the construction sector and its impact on public works contracts, particularly social and affordable housing projects. It has...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Construction Industry (11 May 2022)

John Cummins: I welcome the students to the House. I thank the Minister of State for his reply. If he could correspond with me in respect of the rationale, I would appreciate that. The inflation co-operation agreement announced yesterday is a significant and very welcome move by the Government to address this issue, which has been raised by the sector for a considerable period. I welcome the fact it is...

Seanad: Media Report on Governance in Local Authorities: Statements (12 May 2022)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House again. I am not sure who requested this debate. It is an important debate but I do not believe the Senator who requested it is in the House, which is a shame. If Senators request debates, they should be in the House when those debates take place in order to contribute. While this discussion on local authorities and the investigation that was...

Seanad: Media Report on Governance in Local Authorities: Statements (12 May 2022)

John Cummins: Next Tuesday at 2.30 p.m.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing Provision for Older People: Discussion (10 May 2022)

John Cummins: This is a very important topic. It is probably an area that does not necessarily get the focus it needs. Deputy Ó Broin is correct. There are some excellent examples of schemes throughout the country, not least in my county. He referenced St. John's College and the significant ad hoc work being done by organisations on the ground in communities, but there is less of an overarching...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing Provision for Older People: Discussion (10 May 2022)

John Cummins: I agree with Ms Timmons. When we think of older persons accommodation we think straightaway of the bungalow but that is not necessarily the most appropriate land use. We have excellent schemes and St. John's College in Waterford is one of those. There is a scheme in Manor Hill, Waterford, that consists of 71 units to be delivered through the repair and lease scheme, which will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing Provision for Older People: Discussion (10 May 2022)

John Cummins: It is slow though.