Results 1,721-1,740 of 2,180 for speaker:John Cummins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: It does and that is why I have focused on it since I had the honour of being put on this committee. I have highlighted the success of Waterford in that respect. It is great if 25 units are delivered this year but look at Waterford where there were 300 units delivered under that scheme. That happened despite the very same impediments in terms of city centre and so on. The dialogue between...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: But it provides predominantly one-bedroom city centre properties. In Waterford, there is no use of hotel or bed and breakfast accommodation to accommodate homeless persons. The reason for that, I would argue, is the success of the repair and lease scheme.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: And on Dublin?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: Of course you would. In that context, it goes back to the Department. Not repair and lease, but the decision was taken to end the leasing provision. There was limited increase, in terms of the provision of one-bedroom leasing properties, of additional 1,000 units to the end of 2024. This time last year, when this committee was discussing the same thing, I asked for a relaxation of that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: I will address my first questions to ALONE. Deputy Flaherty touched on whether it had seen good examples. I am interested in hearing what is best in class, in the organisation's opinion, for where we need to get to in the provision of older persons' accommodation. What does that look like, be it in terms of rightsizing or social provision?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: People have heard me talk about Waterford so much, they will laugh at this stage. However, it has done very innovative things in housing. Is Mr. Moynihan familiar with the scheme on Manor Hill that has been done under the repair and lease scheme?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: I will elaborate on the scheme. It involves a former Little Sisters of the Poor nursing home building that was vacant for more than a decade. The roof was starting to come in but it is now occupied. It has 72 residential units, including one- and two-bedroom properties, for those aged over 55 that are now fully occupied. It was done through the repair and lease scheme. It was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: That is right. Six or eight in the south east.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: I suggest what might be helpful, and this is why I framed the question, is to look at what those blocks are and what the ultimate best-in-class model looks like. It would be helpful to the committee to have that, perhaps in writing, subsequently.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I welcome Senator O'Hara to the Chamber. I have not had the pleasure of speaking with him yet. There are probably a few disappointed Members of the House because I think he will challenge them for the title of best dressed Senator going forward. This is my third time calling for a debate on national aviation policy. An engagement with the Minister has still not been ordered. We need a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I, too, join with colleagues in paying tribute to the late Dick Dowling.I was at the funeral home in south Kilkenny for his removal. As my colleagues have pointed out, it is south Kilkenny. There has been no boundary extension into that area of Ferrybank. The funeral home had to be opened at 2.15 p.m. I arrived at 8 p.m. that evening and there was an hour of a queue after me. That goes...

Seanad: Agriculture: Statements (16 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I echo many of the comments of my colleagues, such as Senator Kyne, in welcoming many of the measures which have been taken heretofore. It has been unprecedented to have had seven months of rain. Farmers are worn out, and there is no question about that. There are still cows in all day and all night in many parts of the country when we all know they...

Seanad: Cost of Doing Business: Statements (17 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for facilitating me. I welcome the Minister to the Seanad Chamber. I am absolutely delighted for him.I wish him all the best in his new role. The increased costs to business is a topic that is raised with us daily by people in the sectors involved. Obviously, we as a Government are doing a lot and I know the Minister is committed to doing more. The...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I join others in welcoming and acknowledging the families of the 48 victims of the Stardust nightclub fire in 1981, before I was born. To think it has taken this long to get to where we arrived last week in respect of the verdict and this week with regard to the State apology is unimaginable, as is the trauma those families have had to endure over such a protracted period. Our thoughts and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I thank all of our guests who are here this morning to help us with our pre-legislative scrutiny. I wish to take up Ms Wall on the last point she made about eligibility for HAP. To go back to the point made by Senator Fitzpatrick, we are trying to determine the emergency response versus the long-term response. There are discrepancies across the country in how some local authorities view...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: That is something we can take up with the Department later on. Last week, I attended the briefing with the Department and we had a good exchange across a number of areas. One of the key things the Department would say is that the lack of legislation in this area is potentially problematic for the State in that we are relying on circular and not legislation and that may create legal problems...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: Regarding the residency requirement in general and to go back to the point made by Senator Fitzpatrick, if people who do not intend to reside in the State for the long term are up against, for want of a better phrase, other people who are on the list and absolutely intend to remain in the State for their lifetime, surely it can be seen that this is what is trying to be captured in this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: The members of the household aspect is definitely something I will take up with the officials. I thank Ms Wall.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: If I could make one point, and perhaps it can be commented on after because I will have to excuse myself from the meeting, the problem with appeals, as we all know, is that a system is created that gets bogged down. There is one system and then the appeals system, and the appeals system then gets bogged down as well. We have people who are not being protected in this context, and then the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: That can be countered, of course. One can ensure that there is circular provision in place to ensure that those people are eligible for emergency accommodation. Does Ms Wall acknowledge that could be done equally at the same time as we are doing this?