Results 4,081-4,100 of 5,875 for speaker:Thomas Gould

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I wish Mr. O'Rourke all the best and I look forward to working with him. The first point I will make is on the St. Kevin's Hospital site in my constituency. I have been advocating for development on this site for ten years or more and I welcome its development. It is about time because it has been lying idle for decades. I also welcome that housing on the site will be 100% social and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: Mr. O'Rourke is confirming there will be only 10% social housing on the St. Kevin's Hospital site.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I am concerned by those comments, to be honest. We are a couple of years into this announcement. Mr. O'Rourke said his job was to deliver affordable units, whether houses or apartments. Do not get me wrong. We need affordable and cost-rental housing but we also need social housing. We need the appropriate mix. We have a major housing crisis in Cork in all these areas. It troubles me...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: Will there be a fixed percentage? If the agency is to build 2,000 units annually, what percentage of those will be universal design? Will it have a disability officer working with the agency?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: We have statistics for how many people are disabled and are on the social housing list. All these things need to be factored in. The agency is at the early stages with these developments and these decisions need to be taken now. I have one final question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: There has been talk of the LDA looking at the old Cork Prison. The Minister has said the building is mothballed but for people living in the Glen in Cork North Central, the site has been left idle. Are there plans for it, perhaps working with Cork City Partnership or Cork City Council, to have mixed tenure housing and a visitor centre or community centre? I know the LDA is looking at it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I want to come back to Mr. O'Rourke and Mr. Coleman on a few questions, the first of which goes back to the need for a disability officer. If we are looking at building 2,000 homes per year, that will amount to 40,000 over 20 years. We would need to put a figure on how many universal design homes we are going to deliver for people with disabilities. The LDA would have to employ a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: I appreciate that Mr. O'Rourke and Mr. Coleman hear what I am saying. I look forward to them coming back to me on what they will do regarding universal design for people with disabilities, those living with mobility issues and older people. Mr. O'Rourke spoke earlier about sustainability and this is a key part in that sustainability whereby people are going to live in these homes for the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: Okay. With regard to cost rentals, one of the arguments other members of the board and I have been putting up is that affordability should be based on a person's income and not a reduced rate on the market value. Mr. O'Rourke might give us his thoughts on that. We believe that for a property to be truly affordable, it would be based on a person's ability to pay. If market value is used to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency: Chairman Designate (20 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: My final point is that I am concerned about some of the comments today regarding the ten-year mix between affordable, cost-rental and social housing. If I was to be a sceptic or if I was to doubt the Minister or Government, it almost seems to me that the LDA is being structured in such a way as to deliver affordable and cost-rental housing and to leave the provision of social housing up to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (19 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 123. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the procedure in circumstances in which it appears that households are burning smoky coal. [63475/21]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (19 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 150. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the funding that is available to local authorities seeking to improve air quality. [1943/22]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Environmental Policy (19 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 151. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there is a ban on all smoky fuels. [1944/22]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Air Quality (19 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 149. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to serious issues with air quality in the Glanmire area of Cork. [1942/22]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Schemes (19 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 306. To ask the Minister for Finance the grants available to a person with a disability in need of an adapted vehicle. [63415/21]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Energy Conservation (19 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 478. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when an application was submitted for retrofitting on Noonan's Road; the details of the application received; and the additional information now required. [63245/21]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (19 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 530. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if local authorities are required to employ a disability officer. [1579/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (19 Jan 2022)

Thomas Gould: 578. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the local authorities that have a disability or equality officer in tabular form. [2027/22]