Results 1-20 of 470 for at speaker:John Cummins

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

John Cummins: I thank the Minister of State for being here and taking this legislation through the Dáil and into the Seanad. I appreciate that he has been here for a very long time this afternoon, so I will not use all my time. The programme for Government committed to establishing a gambling regulator. That is the main thrust of what we are trying to achieve in the legislation. We need to cover...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (14 May 2024)

John Cummins: ..., senior adviser. From the Housing Agency, we are joined by Mr. Bob Jordan, chief executive officer, and Mr. Peadar Espey, programme manager. Joining us from the County and City Management Association, CCMA, are Mr. Kevin Kelly, chief executive, Mayo County Council, and Mr. Michael McGarvey, director of services, Donegal County Council. From the National Standards Authority of Ireland,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (14 May 2024)

John Cummins: They have met the damage threshold. So we have 225 at the moment under the new scheme in respect of which it has not been determined whether they have met the threshold. Is that what the witnesses are saying? Mr. Rafferty said there were 436 as of 1 May, but 16 had not met the threshold as determined and 195 were approved. That leaves 225 that are at various stages of the process. When...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (14 May 2024)

John Cummins: Is that target of ten a week being met at the moment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (14 May 2024)

John Cummins: I have a question about indemnification for Ms Stapleton. Is there a view within the Department on that issue? We are looking at a long horizon for this scheme and for when people will ultimately start and complete a project, and the outcome of a project. Typically in a scheme house that is developed at the moment, there is a home bond certificate in place for ten or more years. What is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (14 May 2024)

John Cummins: ...questions. Will the witnesses talk me through the process from when the Housing Agency approves a figure for a certain fix in terms of threshold damage and so on to when the house is completed? At what point does the drawdown occur?

Seanad: Smartphone and Social Media Use: Motion [Private Members] (24 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I welcome the Minister to the House. This is a really important debate. When I was doing some research on this subject and liaising with Senator Seery Kearney on the drafting of the motion, I spoke to Mr. Brian Barron, the principal of Portlaw National School in Waterford. That school and other schools in Waterford have adopted the Gen Free Charter, which essentially says that there will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: I thank all of our guests who are here this morning to help us with our pre-legislative scrutiny. I wish to take up Ms Wall on the last point she made about eligibility for HAP. To go back to the point made by Senator Fitzpatrick, we are trying to determine the emergency response versus the long-term response. There are discrepancies across the country in how some local authorities view...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: Regarding the residency requirement in general and to go back to the point made by Senator Fitzpatrick, if people who do not intend to reside in the State for the long term are up against, for want of a better phrase, other people who are on the list and absolutely intend to remain in the State for their lifetime, surely it can be seen that this is what is trying to be captured in this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

John Cummins: That can be countered, of course. One can ensure that there is circular provision in place to ensure that those people are eligible for emergency accommodation. Does Ms Wall acknowledge that could be done equally at the same time as we are doing this?

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: 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: 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...

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: People have heard me talk about Waterford so much, they will laugh at this stage. However, it has done very innovative things in housing. Is Mr. Moynihan familiar with the scheme on Manor Hill that has been done under the repair and lease scheme?