Results 981-1,000 of 2,180 for speaker:John Cummins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: Does Waterford City and County Council have the figure for the number that have applied so far?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: Are they for one-offs awaiting the November-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: The point that this is another form of affordable housing is an important one. Not everybody wants to own a brand-new, A-rated home in an estate in the city. Some people want to live within their local communities, like what Deputy O'Donoghue referred to. They want to be able to take an older property and bring it back into productive use; that is what the Government is essentially doing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: My understanding from engagement with the Department is that cases can be made on a case-by-case basis as a result of constraints due to gradients or wayleaves, etc. I assume in the case of Ardmore, which is under 35 per hectare and has those constraints, that Waterford City and County Council will be making those cases.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: I have asked other local authorities about the enhanced leasing scheme. Both Waterford and Limerick City and County Councils have utilised that as a delivery mechanism; they may have a number in their pipeline. I think the last delivery in Waterford under leasing is in 2024. A decision was made to phase that out. Given the expected reduction in the private rental sector market,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: I made the point on the floor of the Seanad a moment ago that nobody can honestly put their hand on their heart and say it is not better for an individual or family to be in a secure, long-term, 25-year property, in a lease, than it is to have them in a hotel, bed and breakfast accommodation or an unsecured HAP property. Value-for-money considerations must be taken into account, but given...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: Cork City Council would be a good point of contact in that respect, given what I would like to see, which is one third of the units being delivered. Waterford City and County Council would get the benefit of that because it is taking those into social housing.

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (16 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister of State for bringing this important legislation before us. It is relatively straightforward in what it is seeking to achieve.It seeks to separate Irish Water from Ervia and to establish it as its own stand-alone utility, Uisce Éireann. Despite it being a relatively straight-forward piece of legislation it is obviously lengthy given the amount of transfers involved...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (16 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: I concur with what the Minister of State has said but I assume that we could keep this under consideration and that if such an issue were to arise in the future, we could look at amending, if necessary, our regulations in this area to put people at ease. The concerns Senator Boyhan has expressed are, I am sure, felt by others. If we could at least indicate that if such issues were to arise...

Seanad: Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (Number 4) Regulations 2022: Motion (23 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Seanad Éireann on 2nd November 2022.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (Number 4) Regulations 2022: Motion (23 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. It is good to see him with us and back in full health. I thank the Minister of State for introducing these regulations, which seek to put temporary change of use in place to accommodate those seeking international protection or seeking temporary protection from the illegal war which is being waged by Russia in Ukraine. We are all acutely...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: I thank the representatives of Meath and Kildare county councils for being with us to help with our body of work around the implementation of Housing for All. I will ask first about social housing targets and delivery. Kildare County Council has a build target of 370 units for this year. Will it meet that target?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: I ask the same question of the representatives of Meath County Council. I note a figure of 290 units on the council's submission to the committee but its housing delivery action plan targets 413 units. I take it the council is not going to meet its housing delivery action plan numbers if it is presenting a target of 290 to the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: The council expects to meet that target of 340.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: The council is on course to achieve the overall target but the mix may be different than intended.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Nov 2022)

John Cummins: That is fine. My next question relates to leasing. Meath County Council delivered 214 units through leasing in the period from 2018 to 2021 and 104 units are intended for 2022 and 2023. Kildare County Council delivered 447 units through leasing in the period from 2018 to 2021 and 348 units are earmarked for 2022 and 2023. I have asked a number of local authorities about the benefits of...