Results 3,821-3,840 of 10,577 for speaker:Barry Cowen

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (22 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: As a member of the committee, I wish the Minister well and congratulate him on his appointment. It is in all our interests that Rebuilding Ireland would be a success, notwithstanding the gaps that we know that are in it in terms of supply initiatives. We hope to use our influence in so far as we can to try to ensure that the Minister takes on board some of our initiatives and policy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (22 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: The Minister has answered questions on hotels and I want to clarify a point. The numbers are increasing, unfortunately, in respect of those who are presenting as homeless. The Government is not meeting the target that was set. The Minister has said that hotels will be used in exceptional circumstances. Does the Minister consider we are in exceptional circumstances if the figures continue...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (22 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: Rents are still increasing, so more people will present. Of those people who find themselves homeless, their last residence was more than likely rental accommodation. Families go from rental accommodation to families, to displacement and then to homelessness. We are still in exceptional circumstances. It is still an option and it must remain an option. It is unfortunate, but it remains...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (22 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: That is the point. The Minister referred to budget 2017, but it did not provide for spikes or exceptional circumstances which have arisen and are quite obvious to us now. Does the Minister have enough funds within his existing envelope or will he need supplementary funds to meet the demands that are being placed on him in this area?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (22 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: Are local authorities adequately resourced and funded to carry out the inspection responsibilities and duties that are incumbent on them in relation to the issue I mentioned in respect of Airbnb, and in relation to fire services?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (22 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: I can give a concrete example of a local authority that is way behind in its inspection of properties that are being funded by HAP and RAS.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (22 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: An inspection rate of 70% is not good enough. We need to know exactly what it would cost to have it foolproof. The Minister has a job to do in respect of Government finances to ensure that local authorities are adequately resourced and financed to carry out those inspections, which we would expect them to do anyhow, but which they cannot do at present.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Fire Safety (22 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: 234. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if cladding (details supplied) can be used in low rise or high rise buildings here under current building regulations; if his Department tracks through the building control management system the use of such cladding materials; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact if it has been used in buildings here....

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: I cannot believe Deputy Durkan did not ask a question.

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: That is not confidential. There is no harm if the Minister does not tell us, but she should just tell us. It is her prerogative not to tell us.

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: Does he think it makes sense?

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: So she did not apply at all. The Government just appointed her.

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: Current or past Taoiseach?

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: The Minister did not answer one of the questions. Did she apply?

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: I thank the Minister for that answer.

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: No, the Tánaiste would not.

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: When Deputy O'Callaghan spoke on our behalf there were nine questions in his speech. He reiterated two of them and the Minister failed to answer the first and she inadequately answered the second. I will ask the third. Did the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board tell the Minister it wanted a High Court judge for the position that was available?

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: Yes. It will be the first question the Minister answers, incidentally.

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: It did not.

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Barry Cowen: I thank the Minister. That is all I wanted to know.