Results 1-20 of 1,734 for speaker:John Cummins

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I join others in welcoming and acknowledging the families of the 48 victims of the Stardust nightclub fire in 1981, before I was born. To think it has taken this long to get to where we arrived last week in respect of the verdict and this week with regard to the State apology is unimaginable, as is the trauma those families have had to endure over such a protracted period. Our thoughts and...

Seanad: Cost of Doing Business: Statements (17 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for facilitating me. I welcome the Minister to the Seanad Chamber. I am absolutely delighted for him.I wish him all the best in his new role. The increased costs to business is a topic that is raised with us daily by people in the sectors involved. Obviously, we as a Government are doing a lot and I know the Minister is committed to doing more. The...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I, too, join with colleagues in paying tribute to the late Dick Dowling.I was at the funeral home in south Kilkenny for his removal. As my colleagues have pointed out, it is south Kilkenny. There has been no boundary extension into that area of Ferrybank. The funeral home had to be opened at 2.15 p.m. I arrived at 8 p.m. that evening and there was an hour of a queue after me. That goes...

Seanad: Agriculture: Statements (16 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I echo many of the comments of my colleagues, such as Senator Kyne, in welcoming many of the measures which have been taken heretofore. It has been unprecedented to have had seven months of rain. Farmers are worn out, and there is no question about that. There are still cows in all day and all night in many parts of the country when we all know they...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I welcome Senator O'Hara to the Chamber. I have not had the pleasure of speaking with him yet. There are probably a few disappointed Members of the House because I think he will challenge them for the title of best dressed Senator going forward. This is my third time calling for a debate on national aviation policy. An engagement with the Minister has still not been ordered. We need a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: I appreciate that the Acting Leader is filling in today. A couple of weeks ago, I requested the scheduling of a debate with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Ryan, on national aviation policy. I would appreciate if the Acting Leader could follow up on this. In the context of transport, there are a number of transport matters which we are all - I am sure...

Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (6 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: I have listened intently to the speeches on a very important topic made by my two colleagues on the other side of the House. In case there is any uncertainty, I can assure them that there is absolutely nobody on the Government side that is throwing in the towel on housing. Far from it. That is why we introduced a €5 billion budget for housing this year. That is why we have seen...

Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (6 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: Sinn Féin does not want to hear it.

Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (6 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: Tomorrow at 9.30 a.m.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Development Contributions (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: I thank the Acting Chairman. We look forward to good coverage of today's Seanad Commencement matters in the local newspapers. I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, who is attending the EU housing ministers' summit in Brussels. I am calling for an extension of the waiver that has existed for the past ten months regarding...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Development Contributions (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: Many involved in the sector will be quite surprised by the last paragraph of the Minister of State's reply. I appreciate that today is 5 March and these measures are in place until 24 April. As a Government we want to drive commencements and encourage everyone that has valid planning permission to get on-site before that date. However, while the answer given may be valid today, I hope that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: I wish to ask the Department for the targets for the repair and lease scheme for the four Dublin local authorities and the two Cork local authorities.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: I thought I would ask the Department first to see. I might go to Cork first and then Dublin. The two local authorities in Cork, city and county, have delivered 17 units since the scheme was introduced in 2017.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: I suppose the question is this: why, if it is so effective, has the council only delivered 17 units?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: You are.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: It does and that is why I have focused on it since I had the honour of being put on this committee. I have highlighted the success of Waterford in that respect. It is great if 25 units are delivered this year but look at Waterford where there were 300 units delivered under that scheme. That happened despite the very same impediments in terms of city centre and so on. The dialogue between...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: But it provides predominantly one-bedroom city centre properties. In Waterford, there is no use of hotel or bed and breakfast accommodation to accommodate homeless persons. The reason for that, I would argue, is the success of the repair and lease scheme.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: And on Dublin?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: Of course you would. In that context, it goes back to the Department. Not repair and lease, but the decision was taken to end the leasing provision. There was limited increase, in terms of the provision of one-bedroom leasing properties, of additional 1,000 units to the end of 2024. This time last year, when this committee was discussing the same thing, I asked for a relaxation of that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

John Cummins: I will address my first questions to ALONE. Deputy Flaherty touched on whether it had seen good examples. I am interested in hearing what is best in class, in the organisation's opinion, for where we need to get to in the provision of older persons' accommodation. What does that look like, be it in terms of rightsizing or social provision?