Results 2,721-2,740 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: I am sorry to interrupt Mr. Dinnigan but I must move the debate on. The next people to speak, as part of the third round and in the following order, are: Senators Cummins and Moynihan, Deputy McAuliffe, myself and Deputy Higgins. Senator Cummins has four minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: I am taking speakers in order so Senator Moynihan has four minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: Is Senator Moynihan okay with that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: Does Deputy McAuliffe wish to comment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: The members have been very quick and there may be time left over. It is my turn to ask questions and I will start with Professor Murphy. Is it her experience that to bring a derelict or commercial building back into residential use, the regulations are cumbersome, awkward and difficult for somebody who wishes to carry out that work?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: I mean somebody who wants to convert or refurbish a commercial building or residential derelict building in a town centre. It is an awkward process and one must jump through a number of hoops such as comply with the fire and building regulations. Is there something that we can do to keep the standards as high as they should be but make the process a little bit easier?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: I will give each group of witnesses the opportunity to sum up. This is one of a series of three meetings. The Living City initiative is part of the second meeting at the start of January.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: Do the councils have those figures to hand?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: We are almost out of time on this but we could get a written response from Waterford City & County Council if necessary. As I said at the outset, this is a series of three meetings the committee agreed to because we want to look at all the issues around vacancy, dereliction, urban regeneration and all the different schemes and objectives there are. I would like to give each of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (14 Dec 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Shakespeare, Mr. Clegg, Mr. Dinnigan and Mr. O’Hara and the members for their contributions. I am sorry if I had to cut members off but they can see the level of interest; members still have their hands up so we could go on for another few hours. We have another two meetings in this series and we will produce a report. If anything occurs to the witnesses in the meantime...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I welcome everybody to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Today is the second in a series of meetings the committee has been holding to look at urban regeneration and how to bring some life, vitality and living back into our urban towns and villages across the country. In the first meeting, we looked at dereliction, decay and vacancy. We also looked a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: Dr. Rock's screen froze. Can she continue from "additional ingredients"?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I call Mr. Conn Donovan, chair of Cork Cycling Campaign, to make his opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Donovan. I now call on Dr. Cathal FitzGerald from NESC.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I will move to the opportunity for members to put questions to the witnesses. If members keep each slot to seven minutes, we will be able to bring everybody in and we may have time for a second round. To be clear, the seven minutes includes the time to ask and answer the questions. If we could be straight to the point with our questions, it would give more time for witnesses to answer....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: Mr. Donovan, we will return to that question as I am out of time in that slot. However, the conflict between road users with limited space in our towns is an important question. The next slot is for Sinn Féin. I call Deputy Ó Broin, who has seven minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: The questions were directed to Dr. Rock.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I will bring in Dr. FitzGerald first, and then Ms Harvey.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank Dr. FitzGerald. Unfortunately, we are out of time in this slot. We will return to the point on collaboration because it is extremely important. I will invite Ms Harvey to comment when we do so. Since no one is indicating they wish to contribute in the Fine Gael slot, we will proceed to the Independent slot.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Urban Regeneration: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: Senator Boyhan, you have been speaking for over six minutes now and have asked six or seven questions.