Results 1-20 of 9,159 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Coroners Service (29 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: 141. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the ongoing review of the coroner’s service following the closure of the public consultation in January 2024; to provide a timeline for the publication of the reports; the parameters of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24184/24]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (29 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: 186. To ask the Minister for Health the timeline for the opening of the register of the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24211/24]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Insurance Coverage (28 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: 171. To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to concerns of sports/recreation clubs regarding the lack of insurance cover available to cover children's summer camps (details supplied); if he plans to engage with this sector on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23976/24]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Sport and Recreational Development (28 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: 275. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 369 of 14 May 2024, the position regarding the licence for a club (details supplied) applied for through his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23726/24]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Data (28 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: 303. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the review of the suite engineering qualifications declared under section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001; the membership of the expert panel established as part of this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24122/24]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (28 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: 418. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the fees paid to optometrists for public eye exams under their existing Departmental contract; if this is under review; if he has met with an organisation (details supplied) to discuss this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23550/24]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (28 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: 475. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 661 of 30 April 2024, if his attention has been drawn to concerns that Ireland is falling behind other EU member states regarding the newborn screening process and the number of diseases assessed at this milestone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23979/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (22 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: 87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to concerns related to the inflexibility of the free solar panel roll-out for schools scheme; if a higher than 6 kw generating yield system can be contracted for the same price; if a school is allowed that flexibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23153/24]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion (21 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: We have convened this afternoon to consider the review of Part B (Fire Safety) of the building regulations. We are joined, from the building standards unit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, by Ms Sarah Neary, principal adviser, Mr. John Wickham, senior adviser, and Mr. Eoin O'Dowd, adviser. From the building control division of Dublin City Council, we are joined...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion (21 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: Thank you very much Mr. Keeley. We will now go to the members who will have seven-minute slots, that is, seven minutes to ask the question and to answer the question as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion (21 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: I will invite Deputy O'Callaghan to go next because he has business in the Chamber as well. I will then go back to Senator Boyhan. I thank Senator Boyhan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion (21 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank Senator Boyhan. I will take the next slot. As I mentioned, the committee have held a series of meetings on dereliction and vacancy in which the refurbishment and reuse of older three- and four-storey buildings came up. We also did a series of meetings on modern methods of construction, which also threw up some difficulties. I note that somebody commented on perceived versus real...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion (21 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: This is another stage in the progression of Part B, with the consultation we have had and the new issuance of Part B. There is still more work to be done on engineered timber. Ms Neary made a point about the percentage of residential dwellings done with timber frame. That tends to be the inner leaf of the building, with the exterior still tending to be done with concrete and blocks. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion (21 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: One of the points made was that while the regulations do not stop people from doing it and there is a way to do it, it is really difficult and very challenging so why go through the hassle rather than go the conventional route and build with blocks and steel. Construction has a carbon impact that has to be balanced out.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion (21 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: A complex building would be an engineered timber building using CLT or glue laminated timber, GLT, to build multiple storeys. The committee has seen evidence of six- and eight-storey buildings in other European nations and an example of a 14-storey building in Helsinki. I accept what Ms Neary said about rain ingress into buildings through the cladding but they are using standardised...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion (21 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: I completely agree. We do not want a rush to try to do something that we will regret over the course of the next ten or 20 years, either because the buildings are not done to a proper standard or we have a fire disaster because we were trying to rush things. I fully accept that we need to have standards and a systematic approach so that Ms Neary's colleagues can expect the same result from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion (21 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: It is not innovative in the country where I am buying it, only here. Is that the case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion (21 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: How long would that process generally take? I have met people who are producing these buildings in Europe. We could produce them here. There is plenty of capability in Ireland to produce these. I am not saying that we have to import them from Europe but there is a ready-made model there. I am just wondering how long the Agrément certification takes?