Results 1,521-1,540 of 2,180 for speaker:John Cummins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Cost Rental Tenant In Situ Scheme: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2023)

John Cummins: When putting the cost-rental tenant in situon a statutory footing, is it the intention that it goes with the Housing Agency or the local authorities?

Seanad: Vacant and Derelict Buildings: Motion [Private Members] (15 Nov 2023)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan for also being here for the motion. This is an area about which I am very passionate. I have been involved in countless projects in County Waterford with the goal of bringing vacant and derelict properties back into productive use for housing purposes. As Senator Fitzpatrick said, the joint...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Nov 2023)

John Cummins: I acknowledge the lump sum payments that are commencing this week as part of budget 2024. As the Leader knows, that budget was aimed at putting money back in people's pockets. It contained a whole host of universal measures as well as targeted supports for the most vulnerable. This week, there will be a €400 payment to anyone in receipt of the working family payment, which will...

Seanad: Sports Funding: Statements (21 Nov 2023)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I envy him the job he has as I am a former physical education, PE, teacher who has been involved in sport all of my life. His portfolio is certainly a desirable one and is obviously on many occasions a good news Department. I firmly believe that there is a sport or activity for everyone and it is just a case of finding that sport. That is why...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Nov 2023)

John Cummins: As the Leader knows, in recognition of stubbornly high energy costs, the Government last year introduced three universal energy credits of €200. In this year's budget, three further universal energy credits of €150 each, which automatically come off every householder's bill, were announced. This was welcomed across the board in my county of Waterford and across the country....

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (5 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: I support the points Senator Casey made about this. I made the case to the Ministers, Deputies Darragh O'Brien and Donohoe, about the changes we implemented this year relating to the interaction with the local authority affordable purchase scheme. Thankfully, those changes have now been made.To echo Senator Casey's point, the people we are talking about are a different cohort. You can...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (5 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: I move recommendation No. 5: In page 14, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following: “7.The Minister shall, within 3 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the operation of the Help-to-Buy Scheme since its introduction in 2017 and since its expansion in 2020.”. We have touched on the help-to-buy scheme. It...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (5 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: I intend to speak to both recommendations Nos. 6 and 7. We have made progress, as Senator Kyne has said. Only a couple of years ago, €36,800 was the standard cut-off point. We are now at €42,000 in budget 2024, which is to be greatly welcomed. However, the number of people paying that higher tax rate has increased, notwithstanding the fact we have more people in employment....

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (5 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: I wish to speak about both recommendations. Recommendation No. 8 is on the rent freeze.This sounds great in theory but in practice, where it was implemented by the left-wing government in Berlin, it was struck down by the supreme court within 12 months and it resulted in a 50% reduction in rental supply. Does Sinn Féin think that is somehow going to be different in Ireland as opposed...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (5 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: There are some who like to pretend that you could have a properly functioning private rental market without landlords, but as the Minister well knows, that is impossible. The Government always strives to strike a balance in keeping landlords in the market. I do not accept that we should just throw our hands up in the air and say of those landlords who are leaving, “So be it”....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (6 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister of State for taking this Commencement matter this morning. The need to expand cardiac services at University Hospital Waterford is a topic that we are both very passionate about. Along with Oireachtas colleagues past and present, we have both campaigned long and hard for it over many years. On the majority of items which affect Waterford and the wider south-east...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (6 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: It is important to reiterate some of those points. I do not think it is known by many people that 22 additional staff are already in place of the 24. These are additional staff over and above, as have been committed to in the 2,068 whole-time equivalent positions secured in budget 2024. I ask that an early decision be made on that. Notwithstanding the 22 positions being already in place,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: Come on.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: That is fine. Ladies first.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: I support the comments of my colleague Senator Lombard on the issues around the knackeries dispute. It is a big challenge throughout rural Ireland at the moment. It urgently needs to be addressed. I have raised the large-scale sports infrastructure fund on the Order of Business and during a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, a couple of weeks ago in this Chamber. This...

Seanad: Local Government Matters and City and County Councillors: Motion [Private Members] (6 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I commend our colleagues on introducing this motion because it gives us the opportunity to address local government. As someone who was in 2009, at the age of 21, elected to Waterford City Council, now Waterford City and County Council, I agree with Senator Fitzpatrick that it is an absolute honour to be a local authority member and be elected...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: I apologise for being late. I was in the Seanad Chamber with the Minister, Deputy McGrath, and there were some interactions on the Finance Bill in the context of landlords. I missed some of the meeting so I want to go back over some of the comments in the opening statements of both IPAV and the IPOA, such as that this will prompt some landlords to sell in advance of the legislation, that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: I will just put it to Mr. Deverell. He is involved in the auction process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: There can be a reserve price at an auction. Mr. Deverell has a reserve price of €450,000, which is an offer that is on the table. If someone puts down an offer for €450,001, then that is the sale. Would Mr. Deverell accept that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

John Cummins: I will ask about the other comments by Mr. Davitt around the 90 days versus the 180 days. Six months is the minimum notice period for a Part 4 tenancy. There is nothing in this, as I see it and from my questioning of the officials on it, that will stop any landlord from going out to the market in that first 90 days to try to achieve the best price for his or her property.