Results 8,881-8,900 of 10,878 for speaker:Matt Carthy

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (19 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: 78. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the website of the Road Safety Authority is giving appointment confirmation dates in the near future for driver theory tests despite the service currently being suspended; if he will ensure the speedy resumption of these tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26773/21]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Consultations (19 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: 183. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reports or services that have been commissioned by his Department from consultants since 2016 to date; the awardee of the contract; the cost of the contract; the publication date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26774/21]

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (18 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. It is bad enough that the Government appears to be blind to the solutions but we now know that it is an active contributor to the dysfunction in our housing system. Since 2016, house prices have risen by 30% and rents have increased by 44%. The cost of a home in the first quarter of this year was 7.6% higher than in the same...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (18 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: 94. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to address the issues regarding the pension and gratuity status of community employment supervisors; and her further plans to implement the Labour Court recommendation issued in 2008. [26137/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Commission (18 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: 148. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when she expects to receive a report from the Pensions Commission. [26138/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Plastics Recycling: Discussion (18 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: My apologies, I had to attend another meeting. I had hoped to be here earlier. I thank our guests for being here and I look forward to reading the transcript of the meeting. I would make a general point that may be surprising to outsiders. I have been struck by the number of people I have spoken to in the past year who said that they paid the levy for silage covers and wrap at the point...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: I thank our guests for being here. My own experience with the planning process is from being a local authority member for quite some time. It happened from time to time, albeit rarely, that the county councillors, through whatever mechanisms, would vote to overturn recommendations from planners. That was considered to be an incredibly serious matter. The process for that involved...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: I understand that they can meet in teams of three to make decisions, and sometimes two representatives can meet for this purpose.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: It is important to state that these small-scale applications could affect people's personal futures in terms of where they live. Therefore, these applications can be most important at a local level. So, the board will meet and members will have the application documents and also will be furnished with the inspector's report. Is that the way such a meeting would operate?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: Can the clock be stopped, please?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: I will go back to the question I asked. The process is that two or three members of the board will sit. They will have the application documents and the inspector's report that will include the recommendation. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: They are authorised, if they so decide, to take a different course of action than the inspector's recommendation. Therefore, an inspector can recommend an approval with condition or a refusal but the board can effectively decide the opposite. Is that correct?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: In that instance, are the members of the board who are present noted and minuted publicly?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: It is clearly recorded which members took which position.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: Okay. That is the point I was coming to. If three members happen to be in attendance to decide to grant where the recommendation was to refuse, or to refuse where the recommendation was to grant, it is not clearly outlined which two voted one way or another.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: How extensive would that rationale and explanation need to be, considering the board could be dealing with a very extensive inspector's report, in order to outline the reason for its recommendation? In comparison, how detailed would the minutes be outlining the rationale for taking a different course?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: The board can, if it so wishes, contravene county development plans.

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: I will finish on this. Does Mr. Walsh consider the notion of not outlining which members take which position in these matters to be a difficulty in terms of accountability and transparency, when we consider the level of judicial reviews that have been taken and where the board's decision has been overturned? Would it not be prudent for the public to know who is making the decisions that are...

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: Is it a requirement or is it the practice of members of the board to visit the sites specified in the applications they are considering?

Public Accounts Committee: 2019 Financial Statements of An Bord Pleanála (13 May 2021)

Matt Carthy: I was referring only to the members of the board. To come back to my earlier points, I will deal with the example of a refusal by the local authority, but it could as easily be an approval. A type of development might be precluded by the county development plan, a plan whose development would have involved an enormous level of public consultation and a great amount of deliberation at local...