Results 2,481-2,500 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Wind Energy Generation (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: 93. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he will take to ensure citizen engagement with offshore wind energy projects in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61411/21]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: 101. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action his Department is taking to help businesses decarbonise and prepare for a greener future in particular for smaller and medium enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61143/21]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: 814. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the position regarding developing and expanding of enterprise hubs remote working hub infrastructure in rural Ireland, particularly in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61142/21]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (15 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: 211. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to shortfalls of the booster vaccine supply in pharmacies in parts of north County Wicklow (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62337/21]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (16 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: 30. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the way a study on the merits of previously closed railway stations can be facilitated; if such a study can be commissioned into the Avoca and Glenealy stations in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61737/21]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (16 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: 78. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans regarding supports and incentives for persons living in apartments and other multi-unit dwellings to install chargers for electric vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61602/21]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (16 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: 140. To ask the Minister for Finance the position regarding the zoned land tax; the provisions being put in place to facilitate its introduction; if a timeline will be provided for its roll-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62213/21]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (16 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: 202. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to significant disruption to a route (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62512/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: Today we are dealing with matters pertaining to Irish heritage and engaging with the Heritage Council. I welcome Dr. Martina Moloney, chair designate of the Heritage Council; and Ms Virginia Teehan, chief executive officer of the council. Members have been provided with the opening statement furnished by the Heritage Council. Standing Order 96 provides that the committee has the power to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Dr. Moloney. I invite questions from members, beginning with Senator Fitzpatrick.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: I totally agree. My previous experience was that the council's heritage office staff did an outstanding amount of work and output from the limited resources available to them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: It would be helpful for us if the issues raised by Ms Teehan were to be sent to the committee. I picked up on some of the comments, including the reference to cutting through the red tape. I wonder how we as Oireachtas Members can assist in that context. The required funding and support exist in this context, so we wish to make it as easy as possible for people to engage with the Heritage...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: Ms Teehan makes some good points. On the naming of estates and locations, when I was in Wicklow, the municipal district councillors had an input into that, so it might be something for that stage. That has often fed back and perhaps suggested a different name with a historical link. It is a good point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: I have some questions for the witnesses. Senator Boyhan spoke about the amount of work our heritage officers and the Heritage Council do and the number of different aspects of heritage in which they are involved. I thought I knew about the work of the Heritage Council from my work as a councillor over the years. In advance of this meeting I visited the council's website and I came across a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: The heritage area has been transferred to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, that is, back to the Custom House. It is now directly related to local government, which is a positive move because there is so much interaction at local government level through planning or the heritage officers. Heritage ranges from the natural heritage to the cultural heritage to the built...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: Town Centre First involves climate action also. It involves ensuring livability and walkability by seeking to regenerate parts of town centres to make it easier to live in the second and third storeys of buildings. It is not by lowering standards but by making the process easier to engage in. That is critical to it. I was at the Irish Planning Institute conference last week. There was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: Having the old craft skills will be really important in respect of heritage buildings. Many of the trades — I am from a trades background — became very modularised and mechanised, so it is important to maintain the old skills. While we are waiting for Senator Fitzpatrick to join the meeting, I will ask a question on the old post office buildings. In Kilkenny, there is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: Senator Fitzpatrick is next.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Senator Fitzpatrick. Deputy Duffy probably wants to come back in on that as well but I want to get in ahead of the Deputy. The "Know Your 5K" involves walking routes around towns and villages that display buildings of architectural importance or buildings, the previous occupants of which may have been historical figures or in which events may have taken place in them. I attended...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Heritage Council: Chairperson Designate (23 Nov 2021)

Steven Matthews: That would be helpful. It is something I would be supportive of. It is not only for a tourist or a visitor to a town. People who live in a town can sometimes become blind to the heritage in it because they are so used to it. You become used to a certain piece of scenery because you see it, and if you have been away for a while and you come back, you kind of get that "Wow" feeling again....