Results 1,861-1,880 of 2,180 for speaker:John Cummins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Current Progress and Future Projections of Uisce Éireann Objectives: Uisce Éireann (18 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: One of the difficulties with having full employment is there are opportunities and it is a difficult recruitment market. It is a challenge for every organisation. While 1,000 people have expressed an interest, Uisce Éireann will never get all 1,000, considering the conversion rate. I would imagine Uisce Éireann would prefer to be starting from a higher base to get to 1,000 in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Current Progress and Future Projections of Uisce Éireann Objectives: Uisce Éireann (18 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: A matter I raised previously - Mr. Gleeson might remember it – was about brownfield sites, bringing vacant premises back into use and so on. I kind of touched on it earlier with the connection piece. I refer to the connection charges. It was mentioned previously that Uisce Éireann is bound by the Commission for Energy Regulation in respect of the charges that were levied, but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Current Progress and Future Projections of Uisce Éireann Objectives: Uisce Éireann (18 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: I raised this with the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, last week as well. We all want to see those properties in villages, towns and cities being renovated and brought back into use, but the charges can be an impediment to that happening. Nobody wants that. Universally, there is nobody in any organisation who wants to see a vacant property on a main street. However, it can be an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Current Progress and Future Projections of Uisce Éireann Objectives: Uisce Éireann (18 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: Sure. I thank Mr. Gleeson.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sustainable Energy Communities (20 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: I join the Cathaoirleach in wishing the Minister well. I wish him the very best when he retires. He is not quite there yet. There is plenty of work that needs to be done between now and the general election. I offer my genuine thanks to the Minister being here this morning. This is a very important matter. I have been seeking information on it for some months to no avail, to be...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sustainable Energy Communities (20 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister for the response but there is some disconnect between what he has said in relation to the 2024 scheme and the reality on the ground. The response states that four applications that were made in June and mid-May were awaiting approval but the project tracker on the SEAI website refers to a whole bundle of applications that were made on 24 January that are awaiting a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Current Progress and Future Projections of Uisce Éireann Objectives: Uisce Éireann (18 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: We said 2,500 previously as part of the SLA. How many of the roughly 1,500 have come across from the local authority?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Current Progress and Future Projections of Uisce Éireann Objectives: Uisce Éireann (18 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: It is the case that if somebody is at a certain grade within the local authority, they transfer over at that grade. However, if somebody is coming across, they are potentially looking at promotion. It is predominantly younger people so far who have moved across. Is there something relating to it not being as attractive when one moves up the chain? Is there something in that space? It is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: I turn to funding for roads, which is a topic we are all familiar with. I seek a debate with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, on this issue across the suite of areas from national projects to local projects. I have become aware of an issue with TII where funding was allocated by the Government and the Minister for specific programmes of works in the 2024 allocation. However, when a local...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: They are saying you will get it in writing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: A few things have been said about people having to emigrate because of the housing crisis. If we are to believe what Deputy Ó Broin said, he is essentially saying that people are going to Australia because of housing and the issues around it. I will read headlines from the past three months in Australian news. These include: "'Recipe for disaster': Australia faces housing crisis amid...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: Mid-summer would be welcome news because I was just about to ask if the target was the end of the summer. I thank the Minister of State for that. I would like to address my next point to the Minister. Reference was made to the development contributions and Irish Water. What is the rationale for the differing time periods between the development contribution waiver and the Irish Water...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: It a signal to the market, essentially.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: I know this is a straightforward question. I believe and I assume the Minister believes that we would not have had the same level of commencements if it was not for that measure being introduced by Government last year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: As have I. I agree 100%. There is no question but that some developments that might have started with 20 or 30 units would have then, in subsequent years, gone to another 20 or 30 units and a subsequent 20 or 30 have brought forward 100 of them together, which has driven the data and ultimately homes for people, because commencements become completions. The Minister might recall that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: Given that we are coming to the middle of the year, I assume that we should have the 2023 figures. I ask that they be circulated as early as possible. I assume we just have not got around to publishing it, as opposed to it not being available at this point in the year because it was published in February of last year for 2022.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister and the Minister of State.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister's comments on long-term leasing because I have always argued for that, not as a replacement for permanent delivery but as an addition. A version of the long-term leasing is the repair and lease scheme, which has been hugely successful. He has seen the biggest development under that, which was built in Waterford. It has 71 units for older persons in Manor Hill. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Discussion (13 Jun 2024)

John Cummins: I will. My argument is that if that pub reopened and the bed and breakfast accommodation was operating fully tomorrow morning, they would not have to pay anything for water or wastewater. The owners have no issue with the water charge because it is being separated into eight individual units but it is the same wastewater connection. It is going out the same pipe, an outfall. It is an...