Results 821-840 of 2,156 for speaker:John Cummins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Value Sharing and Urban Development Zones Bill 2022: Discussion (4 May 2023)

John Cummins: I have a further question about the UDZ and how we avoid a stagnation effect. If I own a parcel of land within a UDZ that is being designated as part of this and an overall master plan is being devised that will allow X height and state that there should a mix of X, Y and Z and I was ready to go with a development of 300 apartments, do I stop and say that it is going to take 12 months, 18...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Value Sharing and Urban Development Zones Bill 2022: Discussion (4 May 2023)

John Cummins: In practice, could we see something happen whereby a local authority is developing a UDZ and the framework for same and when an application comes in, it is the determination of the planner that this may be inconsistent with something that is under consideration?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Value Sharing and Urban Development Zones Bill 2022: Discussion (4 May 2023)

John Cummins: Because if that is a possibility, and I think it is, it can or will create a vacuum of development on sites.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Value Sharing and Urban Development Zones Bill 2022: Discussion (4 May 2023)

John Cummins: I am flagging a concern because I can see an issue. If I took the north quays in Waterford as an example, it is fantastic because all of it was qualified with some elements acquired under CPO. It is all under one ownership. However, if I split the north quays into eight different parcels with eight different owners, which is the case with many brownfield sites, and I was looking to master...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Value Sharing and Urban Development Zones Bill 2022: Discussion (4 May 2023)

John Cummins: We could keep going on this for a long time. I want to ask one more question before I conclude. For social and affordable housing, the LVS tax does not apply. The Department does not see a potential issue in encouraging solely social developments or affordable developments in areas where a mix may be appropriate. A mix is the most appropriate of all, particularly where we have a mix of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Value Sharing and Urban Development Zones Bill 2022: Discussion (4 May 2023)

John Cummins: If there is a mix of 50% private, 30% affordable and 20% social, 50% would be exempt from the tax and the other 50% would be levied. However, if we are saying that is the optimum or a version of that is the optimum, if anyone is looking to avoid the tax, if 100% social housing is provided then they not have to pay the tax. Does that not become an issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Land Value Sharing and Urban Development Zones Bill 2022: Discussion (4 May 2023)

John Cummins: Again, I would caution that there is a potential pitfall and issue whereby we will not actually realise what the optimum is, which is mixed tenure, as a result of what we are doing here.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: One such incentive is the announcement yesterday in relation to the vacant property refurbishment grant, which will now give people who own a derelict property up to €70,000 in grant support to bring that into productive use for themselves or another family. It is another important incentive introduced by Government to proactively engage with the owners of those properties to try to...

Seanad: Public Water Connection Charges: Motion (26 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: I will share my time with Senator Burke if I may.

Seanad: Public Water Connection Charges: Motion (26 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: I compliment my Green Party colleagues on bringing forward the motion. It is an important and timely discussion on water services. We have had yesterday's announcement on the waiving of connection charges for domestic wastewater and water connection charges to try to unlock and speed up the development of housing. The same logic applies here in the development of public water bottle refill...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Grant Payments (25 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister of State for taking my Commencement matter, which is on a topic of utmost importance. Community groups across the length and breadth of this country have worked collaboratively with An Garda Síochána to establish community text alert schemes, which I know he is very supportive of. Data published last week indicate that there has been a 45% reduction in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Grant Payments (25 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister of State for his reply but unfortunately, the issue with the rebate scheme, as I see it, is that it operates the following year. There is no baseline support in place for these community text alert groups that provide an invaluable service for their communities. It is April and there has been no rebate scheme for 2022. If we take 2023, for example, texts have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: The Minister said it was demand-led. With all due respect, Deputy Ó Broin is not listening to the answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: It is demand-led.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister and Ministers of State for their attendance. This meeting gives us a good opportunity to discuss some of the items that have been announced today and some of the other items that have been worked through over the past couple of years. I will begin by discussing the changes announced today in the grant for vacant and derelict properties. It is positive news that a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: Correct.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister, the Minister of State and the officials for taking that retrospective piece on board. I raised the issue at our meetings of this committee because it is important that the system is not clogged up with people who have already been approved for a grant trying to reapply for a higher grant. I welcome the clarification. On cost rentals, for some time I have told...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

John Cummins: On the repair and lease scheme, I am a strong advocate for changing the dial in terms of the delivery of units in my own county of Waterford. On 14 April, the new Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, and, earlier, the Minister visited the old nursing home at St. Joseph's House, Manor Hill, Waterford city. The building belonged to the Little Sisters of the Poor but it is now being converted...