Results 1,541-1,560 of 2,156 for speaker:John Cummins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Of course. Last week, at our meeting with the Housing Agency and Housing Finance Agency, we had a discussion on cost-rental accommodation. Ms Loftus may disagree with them but I shared their opinion that the AHB sector does not have the capacity to be the sole provider of cost rental on the scale required. If we are to get to the ambitious numbers to which Ms Loftus referred, beyond the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Of course. The more players involved in this space, the better. It is only with scale that we will see the real benefit in competing with the private market, in terms of reducing rents over the time. The advantage that other European countries have over Ireland is that they developed their stock 40 and 50 years ago, post the Second World War and we are only starting at this point. We will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: That is a very important point to have on the record. To go back to the approved housing bodies, the Housing Alliance, in its submission and in a number of answers to questions, referred to access to low-cost land. This will probably be perceived as a criticism but I have to cite an example. I will not reference the location in the country nor the people involved but it is a general...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Sorry, but that seems to be a "pass the book over there" response. Could such a thing have happened? Does Mr. O’Connor appreciate that it sets a new floor for land prices in the area in question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Yes, exactly. There was a direct correlation and comparison in terms of land prices.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Just on the-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: I could not agree more.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Not to labour the point on turnkey properties, but Deputy Ó Broin last week referred to Waterford as a town.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: I assure him, however, that it is a city and the oldest one in Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Does Mr. O'Connor have a view on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: In the context of his comments on turnkey properties, I also assure him that Waterford is a significant urban settlement. There is significant value for money to be had from the delivery of turnkey units in my city, which is an urban area. Nothing should be misconstrued from this. Representatives of the AHB and local authority sectors have been clear in saying to the committee that there...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Okay. I am sorry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Exactly, for a change. To come back to some points made earlier in the context of the presentation from the representatives of the local authority sector, in a response to the Chair regarding targets for the buy and renew scheme, BRS, no mention was made of the repair and leasing scheme, RLS, which has been very successful in my county. If every local authority in the country had delivered...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: I appreciate that, but the evidence I get from councillors on the ground is an unwillingness within executives and local authorities to do what Waterford did, which was to engage with the auctioneers, use the carrot-and-stick approach of CPO in terms of going after the owners of the properties, promote the scheme in the local media and engage with local builders. It has been successful....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: That is welcome but please do place the targets. Unless the local authority has an ambition and target to reach, it is easier to sit back. The off-balance sheet, on-balance sheet argument has been referenced a couple of times. It goes back to what I was asking about regarding a rationalisation of the sector and a view on the optimal number of AHBs. I will not ask the witnesses to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Could the Housing Alliance liaise or is it liaising with a view to achieving that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Perhaps we could take that discussion offline because it is important for the State, the Housing Alliance and all the additional public services that could benefit by getting off balance sheet.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: Sure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

John Cummins: I thank both agencies for coming before us this afternoon. As other speakers said, the role they play in the provision of social and affordable housing is critical and will become even more so in the years ahead. On the topic of cost rental, one of the debates that happened when the legislation was going through the Houses was in relation to moving beyond. At the moment, Government is...