Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 13 October 2020

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

Committee Work Programme: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Steven MatthewsSteven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

We are in public session. We will continue discussing the work programme. We finished last week with Senator Cummins and were moving on to Senator Boyhan's suggestions. Members were circulated with an updated proposed draft topic in which I tried to look at all the different categories and issues that members wanted addressed. There had been quite a lot of repetition, as would be expected because members have similar concerns. In going through the list of submissions from all the Deputies and Senators, I tried to categorise them. A couple of people mentioned the Moorhead report so that has gone in as one category. Many people mentioned affordable housing schemes so that issue has also gone in as one category.

I am going to read through Senator Boyhan's submissions in order and I will let him come in on them then. He lists the current status of Rebuilding Ireland and the Government's plan. I propose to take that under category 1 on the updated list, engagement with the Minister and relevant officials within the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to take place every three months. I propose that we include this issue when the Minister comes in for an update on Rebuilding Ireland. The Senator's second matter is Irish Water, the Water Advisory Body, WAB, water infrastructure and EU standards. A number of submissions came in on that and I have put it as category 12, water quality, wastewater and drinking water. I suggest that this category would include Irish Water, Ervia, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and the relevant Department officials. Is that agreed?