No respect for the Chair.
TDs / John Cummins
John Cummins
Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
5
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
74,724
words spoken in the chamber
74,684 as a minister, 40 as a TD
361
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
3
topics asked about
Across 2 departments
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
What they ask about
The subject headings the Oireachtas filed their questions under.
Who they ask
The departments their questions were addressed to.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Questions asked 5 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 264 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 5 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 0 | 4 |
| March 2025 | 0 | 6 |
| April 2025 | 0 | 5 |
| May 2025 | 0 | 18 |
| June 2025 | 0 | 25 |
| July 2025 | 0 | 13 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 0 | 2 |
| October 2025 | 0 | 34 |
| November 2025 | 0 | 19 |
| December 2025 | 0 | 1 |
| January 2026 | 0 | 18 |
| February 2026 | 0 | 19 |
| March 2026 | 0 | 21 |
| April 2026 | 0 | 11 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 31 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 8 |
| July 2026 | 0 | 19 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 0 | 6 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 4 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 162 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
Not enough questions on record to compare.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Waterford 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage 29 January 2025 to now
I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue concerning the housing needs of foster families and the manner in which those needs are considered by housing authorities. At the outset, I acknowledge the invaluable contribution made by foster carers throughout the country. Foster families provide safe, stable and caring homes for children and young people who require support. Their commitment plays a vital role i…
I appreciate what the Deputy is saying. In fairness, he is highlighting a case and is saying that he suspects it is not an isolated case. I agree. I too suspect it is not an isolated case. However, as I said in my opening contribution, there is sufficient discretion for local authorities within the scheme for them to be able to take into account circumstances such as those the Deputy has outlined and other circumstan…
Yesterday's budget demonstrates this Government's continuing commitment to delivering increased housing supply and ensuring that the benefits of our economic progress are felt in every part of the country. As Minister of State with responsibility for local government and planning, I particularly welcome the significant investments in these areas secured in budget 2027. These investments will strengthen local governme…
I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter in relation to Newport and wider infrastructure and wastewater in County Mayo. At the outset, I advise that Uisce Éireann has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local level. Neither the Minister, Deputy Browne, nor I have operational function in local issues in Mayo to which the Depu…
It is unacceptable that any wastewater treatment plant in the country is having a negative impact on the environment. That is why we are investing significant sums of money, as I outlined, in County Mayo and right across the country in order to try to address those matters. The Deputy said he has engaged on these items. I can tell him what I have done as Minister of State. I have had a number of engagements with MARA…
It is the intention of Uisce Éireann to ensure it has the MAC application in by the end of quarter 4. It is also important to note that it is simultaneously working on progressing the design in relation to the treatment plant. That is what we want to see as a Government. We want to ensure we have projects that are progressing, not only so that when one stage ends another starts. We want to have simultaneous work ongo…
----because you have to do more than one thing at a time. That is what is happening here with Uisce Éireann and its ability to be able to progress the design in relation to this project while awaiting and submitting the documentation in relation to the MAC application.
I thank Deputy Ward for raising this matter and for speaking to me about this item earlier. I know he has also engaged with the Minister, Deputy Browne, on this matter and the concerns it raises for residents and the owner management company of The Crofton apartments, Dún Laoghaire.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Government decision of 18 January 2023 approved the development of supports for the remediation of fir…
As Deputy Ward will appreciate, I cannot give a blanket commitment on the floor of the Dáil this evening, but I can give a commitment to engaging with officials in the broader context of the policy issues that have arisen as a result of the Deputy's raising this item with both the Minister, Deputy Browne, and me and in putting this Topical Issue before the Dáil this evening. I thank him for doing that.
It is importa…
I move:
That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft:
Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2026,
Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 2) Regulations 2026,
Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 3) Regulations 2026,
Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 4) Regulations 2026,
…
I move:
That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft:
Planning and Development (Licensing of Outdoor Events) Regulations 2026,
a copy of which was laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 2nd July, 2026.
I move:
(i) That, notwithstanding anything in the Standing Orders, the Order of the Dáil of 7th July is hereby discharged.
(ii) That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approves the following Orders in draft:
(I) Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2026,
Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 2) Regulations 2026,
Planning and Development (Exempted Deve…
I acknowledge the survivors and their families who are with us today in both Galleries and those who may be watching from home. This day belongs to you. Your courage in coming forward, your determination to pursue the truth and your perseverance in seeking justice deserve our deepest respect and admiration. For many years you fought for what should never have been so difficult to obtain. You fought to be heard, you f…
At the outset, I will address the timing piece. I am not saying this to be provocative, but I have to put it on the record that I stood here last Thursday and concluded my contribution to an empty Chamber. We finished 30 minutes ahead of schedule. I have to say that because we made sufficient provision for debate on Second Stage. I am happy to debate the substance of any of the amendments. I am aware also that a coup…
I thank the Deputies. As a general point, my priority is to ensure the Planning and Development Act 2024 is enabled and that we have all provisions in force before the end of this year. To do that, I have to pass legislation that will enable the transitionary pieces to occur. That is the purpose of the Bill before us. If I cannot progress this to conclusion, it means a further delay in the implementation of the subst…
It is the statutory element of it, as the Deputy will appreciate.
Of course we will be monitoring this provision, as we do every measure we implement in the Department. We are acutely conscious this is a viability measure. We will get into the substantive debate on it when debating the section. It is in our interest to ensure it is being utilised. If this activates one apartment development, it will be a good measure. That is what I will base this on. I am in the business of ensuri…
I thank the Deputy for acknowledging my youth.
I propose to discuss these sections together as the amendments are linked. Sections 61 and 62 are connected and operate together. It is important that both stand as part of the Bill. Section 61 is a technical clarifying amendment to the definition of material alteration in section 138 of the Act of 2024 to add a cross-reference to the new section 138A as inserted by section 62 of this Bill. Section 62 inserts a new s…
Excuse me?
What the Deputies are talking about here are smaller and darker apartments. I am simply making the comparison to our minimum standards. They are comparable to where the Deputies opposite have lauded the introduction of housing in other jurisdictions.
It is true to say that by virtue of the comments that have been made by Deputy Sheehan here where he has said that cost savings have been eroded as a result of inflatio…
It stands.
During the debate Deputy Sheehan was talking about the size.
I would like to respond to some of the comments. This is a sensible proposal to allow the alteration of existing planning permissions for a time-bound period of two years. The alternative being suggested by Deputies is that developers who have schemes that they cannot build for a viable cost should go back through the entire planning process. As the Minister of State, I want to activate apartment development in this …