Results 3,321-3,340 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Why would Mr. Jordan say there is only some interest? Why is there not a lot of interest? Perhaps that was just the phrase that he used. Is there a lot of interest?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: We will now move on to the second Green Party slot, which I will take. I picked up on something one of the members said, namely that cost rental is not Government policy. Maybe I got it wrong.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: It very much is Government policy, and we did legislate for it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I just wanted to correct the record if I correctly picked up what was said. May I talk about dereliction and vacancy? The committee has done a body of work on this. We had a series of four meetings on dereliction and vacancy and bringing life back into towns and villages rather than having the constant sprawl we have seen over the past 30, 40 or 50 years of planning. The strategy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: On that issue, the Land Development Agency, which has appeared before this committee a few times, has placed cost rental front and centre of its delivery. We know it is being delivered from various angles.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: One of the issues that arose in the discussions we had on dereliction, vacancy and the CPO process was that the regulatory process involved can be quite expensive. The costs involved in the regulatory process can make it prohibitive to bring a second and third floor of a property back into use and provide two or three dwellings. Did the Housing Agency find that was the case in the research...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: What do third-party charges involve?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Regarding the financing of derelict or vacant buildings in town centres, is it financially attractive to invest in that? Does it provide bigger challenges?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Would it be fair to say local authorities have been slow in addressing the issues of dereliction, vacancy and the CPO powers they have? What puts them off doing that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: If Mr. O'Leary were to analyse the data of local authorities or approved housing bodies seeking funding, would he find that nobody is seeking funding to bring derelict or vacant buildings back into use or is it the case that it is very low in their list of priorities?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: In terms of setting targets for local authorities to achieve, and Senator Cummins is a strong advocate of those, or setting targets for the number of vacant or derelict units to be brought back into use, there is a target of 2,500 CPOs up to 2026. Should we seek a higher target than that? Should we get the local authorities to turn their focus to that? It is not only about providing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Having spent some time on that issue, I would like to continue that discussion. I will move to Senator Boyhan.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: On 15 February, the Taoiseach indicated to the House that the planning regulations for solar panels would be ready in two to three weeks. That is nearly six weeks ago now and I have seen no movement on it. I do not need to remind the Taoiseach that we are in an energy crisis, that we have introduced one of the most ambitious energy retrofit schemes seen anywhere in Europe and that we have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: 78. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the need to clean and carry out minor repairs to the old courthouse façade in Wicklow town (details supplied); her views on whether this work can be prioritised in the coming months to coincide with the large investment in the town square; and her views on the proposed return of court...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I want to ask about Wicklow town courthouse, which is currently out of use. It really does need attention and to have remedial work done to it. It is detracting from the town centre, where there has been a lot of investment. Is the Minister of State aware of the work that is needed there and can he update us on what the long-term plans are for the currently unused Wicklow town courthouse?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: That is quite positive news and I am glad to hear it. I do not know if the Minister or the Minister of State are familiar with Wicklow town but there is a beautiful market square which has seen significant investment under the town and village renewal scheme and the rural regeneration scheme. The Ministers, Deputies Humphreys and Darragh O'Brien, were there during last summer. There is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Office of Public Works (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister of State. I will take that up with the OPW. This issue is incredibly important, in particular when we have dereliction and vacant buildings in our towns. To be fair, the Government has produced some really good policy documents in Our Rural Future and Town Centre First, and in many of the aspects of Housing for All. When it is the State that is the owner of the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: 242. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to concerns related to the electric vehicle home charger grant administered by SEAI (details supplied); the basis for same; and if the matter will be reviewed to remove any barriers to access this funding. [16333/22]