Results 1,901-1,920 of 2,457 for speaker:John Cummins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Homelessness: Discussion (8 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: We previously made a recommendation on the homeless HAP uplift. In my experience in Waterford, there is a difficulty because the HAP limits are artificially low and we can only have a 20% uplift whereas in Dublin it can go to 50%. That is causing quite a problem. When the Minister visited the integrated hub in Waterford he said he was considering the matter, and he is on record in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Homelessness: Discussion (8 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: Does Ms Timmons have an update on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Homelessness: Discussion (8 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: I emphasise its urgency. I know Ms Timmons is aware of that but it would be greatly appreciated if we could get movement on this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Homelessness: Discussion (8 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: I will just take the first couple of minutes and then hand over Deputy Higgins. I think it was Mr. Dennigan who, in response to Senator Fitzpatrick, seemed reluctant to say that leasing had a benefit. Am I taking that up wrong? What are his thoughts in relation to that? Obviously, anything that increases supply and provides people with secure tenancies is surely of benefit in keeping...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Homelessness: Discussion (8 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: Further to that, before I hand over to Deputy Higgins, there is no constraint on the use of the repair and lease scheme by the approved housing bodies. It has been used to great success in Waterford in providing those exact one- and two-bedroom properties that we are talking about here today. They have a role in removing people from homeless or emergency accommodation and in providing them...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Homelessness: Discussion (8 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: The structure is the responsibility of the owner of the property, under the repair and lease scheme, as I am sure Mr. Dennigan is aware. That is the main constraint or concern in relation to the full structure of the building. Mr. Dennigan has answered that sufficiently and I will hand over to Deputy Higgins.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (3 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: I thank the witnesses for their attendance this afternoon. It is much appreciated. This is important legislation, which I broadly support. It seeks to provide legal protections for newly discovered archaeological sites, to establish a single register of monuments, to provide a clear statutory basis for the Commissioner of Public Works or relevant local authorities to manage monuments and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (3 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: I appreciate that. I am just asking for the views of An Taisce.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (3 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: An Taisce would have a difficulty with that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (3 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: Could that be responded to in writing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (3 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: I thank the Chairman for that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (3 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: Is Senator Seery Kearney or Deputy Higgins here?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (3 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: That is fine. I will not take the full time, but I want to tease out the question I asked in the first round on the opinion on section 57. I think Dr. Clinton previously used the words "conflict of interest" in response to another question. I suggested that a suitably qualified graded conservation architect could sign off on such works under section 57. Is there an inherent suggestion in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (3 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: Yes. I am going wider and I appreciate that. However, it is relevant to the work we are doing as a committee on dereliction and vacancy. Yes, under section 57 of the Planning and Development Act, it provides for that with approval of the local authority, obviously, with the architect. At the moment, as Dr. Johnson well knows, there is under-resourcing in that space, which causes lengthy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (3 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: In the case where it is, are we suggesting that just because a graded conservation architect is being paid for by the owner of the property, he or she could not do an adequate and sufficient job to oversee such works? Does Mr. Lumley not believe that would be appropriate, given the resources constraints that are there? We have to acknowledge that it is all well and good to present the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (3 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: I do not know if I will get an answer to the question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (3 Feb 2022)

John Cummins: I appreciate that I have gone wider. However, it has a bearing and we have An Taisce before us here.