Results 1-20 of 5,835 for speaker:Thomas Gould

Legislative and Structural Reforms to Accelerate Housing Delivery: Motion [Private Members] (25 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: This Government says if the Opposition only brought forward solutions, it would listen and would implement them. What a load of hogwash. Here we have a solution and though the Minister of State might not agree with every part of it, it is a solution that is being brought forward in the same way that two weeks ago I brought a motion to the House to clear all the boarded-up vacant council...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: General Practitioner Services (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: I thank the Minister of State. I accept that she has been given this information and, in all honesty, she has come here and presented it to the Dáil tonight. However, I have to say that information has gone into the Dáil record tonight that is not true. I ask the Minister of State sincerely to go back to the Department and the HSE and ask them why they gave her false information....

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: General Practitioner Services (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: Thank you. An important question the Minister of State might ask is how it can go from 2,200 down to 22, and they are the Minister of State's figures. I respect that the Minister of State is doing her best tonight.

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: General Practitioner Services (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: Freedom of information documents I received in May show that on 18 March, the head of primary care services in the HSE South-West asked who approved the amalgamation of services that led to the closure of SouthDoc in Blackpool, but she got no response. I have asked the same question multiple times and I have got no response. A decision was made to close SouthDoc Blackpool and no one knows...

Presidential Voting Rights: Motion [Private Members] (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: Tomás Mac Curtain once wrote, “Unity can triumph over fear." These are the famous words of the Irish republican and former ard-mhéara of Cork City Council, who was assassinated by the RIC and the Black and Tans to quieten him so that his voice would not be heard. However, his words have never been more important. True patriots know that only united will we defeat those who...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Key Challenges to Tackling Homelessness: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: Mr. Mulhern is saying there is a reduction, yet I have the Minister for housing and the Taoiseach telling me on the floor of the Dáil that funding is being allocated. We have local authorities telling us one thing and the Taoiseach and the Minister for housing telling us there is no problem here, but Mr. Mulhern is telling us now there is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Key Challenges to Tackling Homelessness: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: Yes, I have the figures, but Mr. Mulhern said €37 million of that was related to last year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Key Challenges to Tackling Homelessness: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: No, this is nationally. Well, I think it is nationally, from when I was speaking to the Simon Community.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Key Challenges to Tackling Homelessness: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: To follow on from that, is there enough money there for local authorities and AHBs to deliver the housing first plans that they want to deliver?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Key Challenges to Tackling Homelessness: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: Does anyone else have a comment on housing first? I heard Dr. Muldoon speaking earlier about the rise in the number of children. I spoke to a lady there about an hour ago. She has been in recovery for two and a half years. Her two children are with Tusla. They are being looked after now. She wants to get her children back. She is going to court at the moment but she is not allowed on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Key Challenges to Tackling Homelessness: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: Have those children any rights? They are being denied their rights at the moment because their mother cannot get access to housing, so they are separated. It is the decision of the State to keep these children apart from their mother. What recourse have those kids or their families to try to get them the rights they should have? I completely support what Dr. Muldoon is saying about the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Key Challenges to Tackling Homelessness: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: I thank the witnesses very much.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Key Challenges to Tackling Homelessness: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: I thank Mr. Gleeson.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Key Challenges to Tackling Homelessness: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: Go raibh maith agaibh and thanks for coming in here today. I appreciate it. The first issue I want to raise is that of the tenant in situ scheme. This was the best way to prevent families and children in particular from entering emergency accommodation and becoming homeless. That has been gutted this year. Last year, 100 children and 88 adults were prevented from becoming homeless through...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Key Challenges to Tackling Homelessness: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: That was great work the witnesses' organisations all did through the tenant in situ scheme to prevent families from becoming homeless. Everyone involved in all the local authorities should be very proud of the work done there. However, it was then gutted by the new Minister when he came in. I have a question I want to come to. The Simon Community told me recently that it had received no...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Key Challenges to Tackling Homelessness: Discussion (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: I thank Dr. Muldoon very much. I have one small question for Dublin City Council. The Dublin Region Homeless Executive collects data regarding rough sleepers who pass away on the streets. Every organisation should be collecting that data. It is vital data now. I know people who have died on the streets and in other towns and cities and there is no data being collected. If we cannot...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: 117. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport for an update on the Northern Ring road in Cork. [34103/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (24 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: 170. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of ongoing issues with bus reliability and punctuality in Cork city and when these will be resolved and the resulting delays on the rollout of BusConnects. [34104/25]

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (18 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: I support the amendment. There has been a call for a rent freeze for renters. People need it. There is a choice. I was on a show on RTÉ earlier. The Minister has a choice. He can support renters or he can support big business, but he cannot do both. The Government must make a decision. The Minister's argument relates to how we are going to get private money in to develop more...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (18 Jun 2025)

Thomas Gould: The Minister is determined to make this as confusing as possible. He is forcing out jargon and spin instead of solutions. He talks about RPZs, STRs and every acronym under the sun. Renters do not want that. They are looking for security, support and affordability. It is not rocket science. Unfortunately, the Government, specifically the Minister as the person with responsibility in this...