Results 7,081-7,100 of 10,577 for speaker:Barry Cowen

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (15 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: It is a relatively simple exercise, I would have thought. If the Department can provide me with information on what has been spent and how many houses on the ground it has delivered, I can determine the cost of putting that house on the ground, for both local authority housing and for voluntary and co-operative housing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (15 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: I appreciate that, but consider the people watching. We can talk all day about targets, what we will do, what we can do and what we want to achieve. Can we measure what we have done this year, in the midst of a crisis, when we are told that €243 million has been spent on a capital programme to deliver local authority housing? Can the Minister tell me how many houses that spending...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (15 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: Let us average it out then. People need to know, and there are enough staff in the Department. With all due respect, it is a simple question, and I would have thought there was a simple answer. If there is not, I would like the Minister to come back to me when he has figured it out.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (15 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: Ó Cuallan can build a house at €1,000 euro a site and sell them for €140,000 to €200,000. There are sites all over the country which the Department put up on a website 12 or 16 months ago, and in the case of many of them, local authorities' expressions of interest periods are still going on. I need to compare and contrast the success of one scheme and determine how...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (15 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: Exactly, and that is why we need to know how vastly different they are, and how simply it appears to be done by a co-operative in comparison to a local authority and the Department, who are not doing their job, considering what has been asked of them for the last number of years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (15 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: I have three questions, the first of which is about rural and group schemes. When water charges were abolished, the Government committed to reinstating the funding which the schemes previously had. Have we yet moved in that direction and what is the amount involved? During the course of our deliberations it was not possible for the all-party committee to put a value on the subvention for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (15 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: I have a specific question on An Bord Pleanála that does not relate to the figures provided about its work. Suffice to say, a commitment was given in the budget to provide further resources to An Bord Pleanála in order to meet staff increases. I wish to make a general point on the work of An Bord Pleanála. Would the Government consider putting on a statutory basis the length...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (15 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: I do not doubt that. The length of time that An Bord Pleanála takes to make a decision is not as it should be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review of Estimates for Public Services 2017: Vote 34 - Housing, Planning and Local Government (15 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: The independent review has given a synopses of the situation. That is why we have increased the amount of resources allocated to the board and increased the 2018 budget. As things stands, €16.7 million will be allocated to An Bord Pleanála in 2018. There was a question about a regulator. As members will know, the scheme has not been set up so the cost allocated for this year...

Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: What are they?

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (16 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: 146. To ask the Minister for Health the status of a case (details supplied); and when the person may expect an appointment with the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin. [48498/17]

Property Services Regulatory Authority (Amendment) (Bidding Transparency) Bill 2017: First Stage (21 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: I move:That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to enhance and expedite the transparency of the bidding process during the sale of land other than by auction. This short Bill is an amendment to the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2017 and concerns the issue of bidding transparency. At present, during the process of the purchase of a property, agents retain the records...

Property Services Regulatory Authority (Amendment) (Bidding Transparency) Bill 2017: First Stage (21 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Rural Crime: Motion (21 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: I second the motion. As Deputy O'Callaghan said, the motion is a response to the many burglaries and aggravated burglaries throughout the country and, in particular, the heinous crime carried out on Richie McKelvey at his place of residence. I send our best wishes to him and congratulate the extended community in Coolderry, including the IFA, those involved in the community alert programme,...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (22 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: I will share time with Deputies Smyth, Casey and Ó Cuív. The Bill was described by the proposers as a mechanism to ensure that planning permission would be necessary to install anti-homeless devices which are presently exempted development. I would have thought that, historically, the majority of such exempted development structures and edifices were put in place by property...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (22 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: It is disturbing and sad to hear of such instances. It is sad to hear the contention that Inland Waterways somehow allowed the level of a canal to be raised to force those who were living in tents on the side of the canal to move. This should be investigated and the situation clarified. Rather than ruling this Bill out of hand, if actions such as those contended are prevalent, there is an...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (22 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: 162. To ask the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied) [49551/17]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Vacant Housing (Refurbishment) Bill 2017: Discussion (23 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: I thank the Chairman and the committee for agreeing to discuss and scrutinise this legislation at such short notice after Second Stage was agreed in the Dáil. The Vacant Housing (Refurbishment) Bill essentially creates a one-stop shop for approving refurbishment projects in local authorities, which will remove many of the existing administrative hurdles to redeveloping vacant...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Vacant Housing (Refurbishment) Bill 2017: Discussion (23 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: I thank Senator Boyhan for his contribution and welcome his support for the Bill in the round. The whole area of protected structures is at the whim of the conservation architect in a local authority who, during the course of a preparation of a development plan, may make certain recommendations. Councillors democratically decide on the merits of these without necessarily having the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Vacant Housing (Refurbishment) Bill 2017: Discussion (23 Nov 2017)

Barry Cowen: I ask the Vice Chairman to take another question while I prepare my response to Deputy Ó Broin because I acknowledge the significance and importance of his questions.