Results 4,061-4,080 of 5,875 for speaker:Thomas Gould

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I appreciate that, and I mean no disrespect to the staff who are doing multiple jobs, but this goes to the crux of the problem. There is no one in the Department working on an estimated 92,000 or 90,000 vacant properties. We do not have a team. We should have a team in the Department driving this. Mr. O'Sullivan made a point about having only three full-time vacant home officers in all 31...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: Sorry, I do not mean to interrupt Ms Graham, I am just managing my time. This legislation came in in 1990. That is 32 years ago. Was there no one in the Department looking at this in 32 years? I have raised this for 12 years in Cork City Council where I was stonewalled. Different Sinn Féin representatives have raised the issue of vacancy and dereliction. An official told me once...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I want to stop Ms Graham on that because my time is nearly up. Before Housing for All, was no policy being implemented to tackle dereliction and vacant property for the past 32 years?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I appreciate Ms Graham's answers. My points were not a criticism of her Department.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: Going back to the Department officials, there is a €50,000 grant given to each local authority to employ a vacant homes officer. There are only three full-time vacant homes officers in the 31 local authorities. Another Department has sent out a circular that every local authority should have a full-time vacant homes officer but I do not believe one person can do that job. In Cork...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: In 2019, 12 local authorities did not collect any derelict sites levies. In 2020, 13 local authorities did not collect such levies. What is being done to rectify that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I appreciate that but let us clarify this. A total of 18 local authorities have been collecting it and 13 have not. Thirteen are completely disregarding the legislation. Is there not an onus on the Department to ensure local authorities do their job? There is €12.5 million in derelict site levies outstanding. Last year, only 6.9% of derelict site levies that were imposed were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: In a nutshell, are the local authorities not doing their job?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I thank Ms Graham. Mr. Reynolds referred to thousands of properties that could be developed. I believe he said they are between the canals or quays. I am sorry if I am misquoting him. I am a Corkman but, being a Deputy, I am around Dublin. I see derelict and vacant sites all over the place. Mr. Reynolds has considered this. What is hindering Dublin's local authorities and others from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I completely agree. Ms Vallone mentioned studies that involved walking around to see the issues in areas. We can sometimes overcomplicate things and have so much red tape. Things can be done when there are good officials, architects and councillors on the ground.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disability Services (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: It should not be up to a parent to provide a service either. The Minister of State might look into that as well, please.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disability Services (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I have no doubt that the Minister of State's comments were made sincerely. The issue in Cork now, however, is that there are 11 children's disability network teams but only one of them is fully staffed. More than 800 children are on the occupational therapy waiting list in Cork north Lee, but there is only one occupational therapist, OT, for all of them. Is it any wonder that we are having...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disability Services (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I thank the Minister of State for taking this debate. This is an issue I have been trying to raise for some time. Children's disability services in my constituency of Cork North-Central are in crisis. Unfortunately, my constituency is topping the chart in respect of many of the waiting lists. In November, we had the second longest waiting list for an assessment of needs in the State. In...

Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022: Second Stage (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: Like my party colleague, I cautiously welcome this Bill. It is about time we started regulating the construction industry properly but there is still a great deal of work to be done to make the Bill fit for purpose so that it delivers what we all want to see delivered. In my city of Cork, we have a housing development on Kilmore Road in Knocknaheeny where construction stopped in early...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Management Companies (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 262. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the legislative responsibility of management companies within the Multi-Unit Development Act 2011 or other relevant legislation. [2825/22]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Management Companies (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 263. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there is legislation or regulation allowing owner-occupiers to call an annual general meeting of a management group in circumstances in which one has not been called for a period of time. [2826/22]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Management Companies (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 264. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the timeframe in which a management group of a multi-unit development should convene an annual general meeting. [2827/22]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Management Companies (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 265. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if tenants can join the management group of a multi-unit development. [2828/22]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Property Management Companies (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 266. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the recourse available to owner-occupiers if they feel their management fees are being poorly utilised in a multi-unit development. [2829/22]