Results 3,021-3,040 of 5,816 for speaker:Thomas Gould

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Tailte Éireann Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I want to give an example of the point Deputy Eoin Ó Broin is trying to make. Constituents in Cork North-Central went to buy their home from the local authority under tenant purchase but because there were problems with the land register and because the house was built on three different plots going back over 100 years, that family waited over 20 years before they could buy the home....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Tailte Éireann Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: If the Minister wanted, he could always start in Cork city. I will just put that out there.

Derelict Sites (Amendment) Bill 2022: First Stage (12 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Derelict Sites (Amendment) Bill 2022: First Stage (12 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend and extend the Derelict Sites Act 1990 and to provide for related matters. I have spent a lot of time over the past 13 years as a public representative, particularly the past two years as a Deputy, raising the issue of dereliction. I have walked around the dereliction in Cork, met with local authorities, raised...

Community and Voluntary Sector Workers: Motion [Private Members] (12 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I congratulate the Ireland women's soccer team on its fabulous victory last night and on qualifying for the World Cup. I particularly congratulate Denise O'Sullivan from Knocknaheeny in my community. The whole country is very proud of all of them. This is a vital motion and I thank the Labour Party for bringing it forward. What I do not want is for the Government to support it and then...

Disability Services: Motion [Private Members] (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: In County Cork, 2,000 children are waiting for a first appointment with a CDNT. Children and adults with disabilities deserve better. Parents are being offered online courses and videos. These are not therapies nor are they a substitute for therapy. They can be important for parents when the therapies are given as a support, but not instead of them. CDNTs have a huge amount of staff...

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Second Stage (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: The Taoiseach says that no one will face disconnections this winter. He says that people will not be left sitting in cold, dark houses. What he has not said is how this is going to be accomplished or how the 400,000 people with prepaid meters will be looked after. These are vulnerable people who are now terrified because of the lack of information and direction from the Government. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: 130. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if each child who requires a place in an ASD unit will obtain same in September 2023. [49677/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: 136. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to a school (details supplied) that will be forced to fundraise for an adequate school hall in its new school building. [49676/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: 315. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will request local authorities not to remove a person who has entered addiction rehabilitation from the social housing waiting list. [49642/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: 316. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there is a restriction on recording full council meetings in either a statutory instrument or legislation. [49657/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I thank the witnesses for being here today. I have just a few quick-fire questions because there are a few issues I want to address. The first question is whether both local authorities believe they will meet their social, affordable and affordable cost rental targets for this year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: Is it 5%, 10% or 20%? What is it roughly speaking?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: We are looking at probably a 60% delivery, roughly speaking, of what was estimated. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: That ties into my next question. With a lot of the projects in both witnesses' local authorities there are now much more, larger, more complicated projects where there is a mixture of tenure types. It just seems, however, that delivery is very slow. Earlier in the year a report was carried out about having maybe one single point of contact in the Department when trying to get these...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: Is there a way to streamline things? Are there actions the Department could take to help? I understand that these are really complex, major developments, but we need housing delivered. My disagreement with the Minister all the time is that, while we can talk about planned housing and commencements, delivery is the key. What can the Minister or the Department do to get these developments...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: Is Mr. Keegan saying there is nothing that can be done by the Department or the Minister to help speed things up?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I am asking a straight question. I do not mean to badger. This is the housing committee. We have input into the Minister and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. What can be done to help speed things up? Does Mr. Curran wish to respond?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementing Housing for All: Discussion (11 Oct 2022)

Thomas Gould: I have a couple of brief questions remaining. Vacant homes officers are like sites officers. Was it Mr. Keegan who made the point earlier about having additional staff? As for vacancy and dereliction, in my constituency of Cork North-Central and Cork city and county we have 7,000 vacant properties. In the areas I represent there are 20, 30 or 40 buildings, former homes, lying idle. Even...