Results 6,381-6,400 of 10,577 for speaker:Barry Cowen
- Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: -----is becoming homeless every five hours of every day?
- Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: There are 500 acres lying idle.
- Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: There are 500 acres on the Tánaiste's doorstep.
- Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: The Tánaiste does not know.
- Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: She does not know the answer.
- Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: Does she not know the answer?
- Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: Five hundred acres.
- Leaders' Questions (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: She obviously does not know the answer.
- Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: I will show the example required. The Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2015 was to put in place a regulatory framework for the operation of approved housing bodies, of which there are close to 600. Not everybody is over the moon about the work that is being done or the effort being made to address this. I hope the Tánaiste can enlighten us as to the progress of...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: 1. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the action plan target for removing the use of commercial hotels for short-term emergency homeless accommodation; and the alternatives that will be put in place. [9429/17]
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: My question relates to the commitment given in the Rebuilding Ireland document to removing people from a situation in which they have to reside in hotels and emergency accommodation. Will the Minister elaborate on progress in that regard? I am conscious that some of the units into which people are being moved before they get permanent housing are being managed by housing agencies or...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: The Minister mentioned the family transition homes. I am concerned that people on waiting lists do not have the same opportunities available to them if the transition homes have leases of up to two years' duration. It was a bold commitment that was made in the document. I acknowledge that and wish the Minister every success with it. I hope the target of ending that as a source of...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: Will the Minister forward the figures relating to what has happened since and the projected figures between now and 1 July?
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Emergency Accommodation Provision (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: Will the Minister quantify what has happened to date since the publication?
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Issues (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: 3. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the potential that refurbished or converted spaces above commercial properties in town and city centres have for increasing residential supply; and if he is considering making changes to the building control regulations to facilitate the use of these spaces. [9430/17]
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Issues (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: I welcome today's announcement on the expansion of the scheme that was piloted in Carlow and Waterford. It will, in the main, apply to existing commercial properties and will allow them to be converted for residential use. I accept that construction costs that would be involved in those works are excessive enough in their own right. However, the certification and compliance costs,...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Issues (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I do detect an effort to get to the nub of the matter by virtue of the working group he has in place that is investigating the matter. He says he hopes recommendations will emanate from the working group by the end of the second quarter. I ask him to ensure this happens and that, based on those recommendations, the working group sees fit to...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Housing Issues (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: The commitment was made by the Minister of State further to recommendations over recent months to allow the Housing Agency to conduct an assessment of construction costs. This will identify various aspects associated with what we believe to be excessive costs, one of which will be, I have no doubt, the area of certification. It may well be that on publication of the report, we could enter...
- Other Questions: Approved Housing Bodies (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: 10. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether approved housing bodies have sufficient staffing or administrative capacity to undertake a larger role in the provision of social housing; and if he will consider giving staffing grants to these bodies to increase their capacity. [9017/17]
- Other Questions: Approved Housing Bodies (23 Feb 2017)
Barry Cowen: This question relates to approved housing bodies, AHBs. I asked the Tánaiste earlier about the progress on the regulatory framework and at what stage the Bill associated with approved housing bodies is. For the Minister to be happy, perhaps he could clarify his position on the capacity of approved housing bodies to deal with their responsibilities in contributing towards the provision...