Results 741-760 of 2,180 for speaker:John Cummins

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Septic Tanks (11 Jul 2023)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister of State. My concern is with the timeline for the review, which has been going on for quite some time. It was my understanding that the review was completed. In his response, the Minister of State cited that 98% of all systems are now registered with local authorities, but the question is what percentage were registered before 1 February 2013. I would argue that it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Fees for Certain Applications) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. XX) Regulations 2023: Discussion (11 Jul 2023)

John Cummins: Regarding the first regulations, the extension is from 31 December 2024 to 31 December 2028. The rationale set out is to allow the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth greater flexibility in agreeing leases with potential accommodation providers. The issue I have is when it goes on to say the structures to be included are not changed. We are moving towards a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Fees for Certain Applications) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. XX) Regulations 2023: Discussion (11 Jul 2023)

John Cummins: We are talking about a four-year extension; we are not talking about a two-year extension. It is a significant period of time. It is said to be intended to provide greater flexibility in agreeing leases for potential accommodation providers, many of whom have been seeking longer leases in order to justify undertaking necessary upgrading and refurbishment works on the premises in order to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Fees for Certain Applications) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. XX) Regulations 2023: Discussion (11 Jul 2023)

John Cummins: I do not want to labour the point as I know the Minister of State is only the conduit here who has been thrown into the den, albeit not as significant a lion's den as next door's committee where all the media are.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Fees for Certain Applications) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. XX) Regulations 2023: Discussion (11 Jul 2023)

John Cummins: However, the point still remains. If we are extending out by that period of time in order to have longer leases to justify undertaking significant works, that makes sense but it does not make sense that this applies to the whole host of approximately 20 or 30 structures which are included in the regulations. What I would like is that the structures included under SI 605 are narrowed to be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Fees for Certain Applications) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. XX) Regulations 2023: Discussion (11 Jul 2023)

John Cummins: I have one last question on the second set of regulations, and the fees. It says that these would be more suitable obviously for renewable energy projects and highlights these where the full details of a proposed project, for example turbine tip height, blade width, grid connection route, are not definitively known. The question raised by that explanation is why would they not be known. If...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Fees for Certain Applications) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. XX) Regulations 2023: Discussion (11 Jul 2023)

John Cummins: My concern, which I have to put on record and flag, is that if somebody is looking for permission for a wind turbine of 80 m with blades of a given size, we may suddenly be looking at a taller wind turbine with bigger blades.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Fees for Certain Applications) Regulations 2023: Discussion
Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. XX) Regulations 2023: Discussion (11 Jul 2023)

John Cummins: I am just putting a point to the Minister of State. He is here to address this issue so I am just putting a point to him.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2023)

John Cummins: Following on from my colleague Senator Burke, something I raised on the Order of Business last week and on which I had hoped a Commencement matter would be taken either yesterday or today is the issue of people who did not register their septic tanks before 1 February 2013 and are excluded from the grant scheme referred to by Senator Burke. These may be people who did not own the property in...

Seanad: Proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of meeting of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands on Arranmore Island: Motion (5 Jul 2023)

John Cummins: Question put and agreed to.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (5 Jul 2023)

John Cummins: I have a couple of points on these amendments. Regarding amendment No. 2 from Senators Ruane, Black and Flynn on the inclusion of additional institutions, as a graduate of the University of Limerick, UL, I want to see the expansion of the university panels. I also support the element in this regard concerning such universities as established or that may be established under the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Jun 2023)

John Cummins: I want to raise just two points on the Order of Business. Let me follow on from the comments on the septic tank grant scheme. I have a Commencement matter submitted on this issue for next Tuesday that I hope the Cathaoirleach will look upon favourably because there is an anomaly. One had to register a septic tank by 1 February 2013 and there was a legal obligation to do so. It is a...

Seanad: Local Government Matters: Statements (28 Jun 2023)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Whenever we have a debate about local government it is hugely welcome because all of us in this House fully understand the value of local government. I had the pleasure of serving on Waterford City and County Council for 11 years before being elected to this House. I was elected in 2009 and served two terms as mayor so I like to think I have a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jun 2023)

John Cummins: I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement matter and the Minister of State for taking it on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, who is unavoidably at an event in Wexford. This is a topic on which we need to make further progress. I strongly believe that self-employed persons need to have a safety net if they become seriously ill. In recent years, we have made great...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jun 2023)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate the actuarial review that was done, which needs to be considered. If there is to be an increase in benefits, while I would not necessarily agree with the 12% increase in the rate outlined, people would be willing to support a modest increase in PRSI to adjust towards paying for that.While the S class is a problem, not being able to look at...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jun 2023)

John Cummins: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I start by welcoming the decision of the President to apologise to Professor Louise Richardson during the week. Professor Richardson was awarded the freedom of Waterford city in 2019 for her work. She hails from Waterford and has an extensive and distinguished career. The comments which were made were unfortunate but, at the same time, I welcome the apology that...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (21 Jun 2023)

John Cummins: I acknowledge the presence of the Ministers of State, Deputies O'Donnell and O'Donovan, Deputy O'Dowd and former Senator and Deputy Michael Finucane. I had the pleasure of knowing Mary from my time at the University of Limerick, where I studied to be a PE teacher. She was always a great friend to the Young Fine Gael branch in the university, being always present and willing to give of her...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jun 2023)

John Cummins: I too join with Members in expressing my deep sympathy to the family and friends of the late, great Paul Coghlan. It was an absolute pleasure to have known what I would describe as the most generous and kind man. He gave of his time to so many in terms of nurturing and advising people, including me, over the years. I will always be thankful for that. I too would like to raise the issue of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Infrastructure Provision and Residential Developments: Discussion (13 Jun 2023)

John Cummins: I thank the three bodies for being here this afternoon. It is much appreciated. As all my colleagues have said, our primary goal here is to speed up the delivery of homes. This session was pencilled in a number of months ago. If I may start with the ESB, one of the topics at that point in time, in February, was media reports of demands for payments in respect of connections for developers....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Infrastructure Provision and Residential Developments: Discussion (13 Jun 2023)

John Cummins: Does the CIF want to comment in that respect? I appreciate that this is an issue for the ESB, but connections and their speedy resolution is an issue the CIF's members raise on an ongoing basis with committee members. We all want to see connections delivered quickly, be it from Irish Water or from the ESB. Perhaps the witnesses do not want to go into the specifics but, in general, just in...