Results 3,841-3,860 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I will move to the second Fine Gael slot and call Senator Cummins.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I will allow Mr. Forde to answer to clarify and then let the Deputy continue. I will give him a further 30 seconds.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: These are important questions and it is important to get clear answers from the experts. Mr. Forde, please go ahead.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I ask the Senator to be brief.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: Sure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: It is an important point because we are looking at a very extensive amount to try to redress the situation. We have heard evidence today that there could be ten or 12 other counties. We do not know the extent or how long before these possibilities become apparent. I want to know what is happening out there. I do not know who can answer. Perhaps it is for the engineers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: Maybe Mr. O'Connell could------

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I wish everyone a good afternoon and welcome them to the committee. We recommence our oversight of the review of the planning system. We are joined again by Ms Maria Graham, assistant secretary, Ms Mary Jones, principal officer, Mr. Colin Ryan, senior planning adviser and Mr. Eugene Waters, assistant principal officer, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The opening...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I call Deputy McAuliffe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: Okay. The Deputy just provided some observations and comments for the moment. Unless there is something the witnesses specifically wish to refer to, we can come back to it afterwards.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I now call Senator Boyhan next because I am aware he must attend the Seanad.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank Senator Boyhan. Does Ms Graham wish to respond?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: We are out of time on that point. Our roster has gone a little askew because people are coming from the Seanad and the Dáil. I want to talk about consenting for the moment, which is mentioned in discussion paper 2. Part of the consent process is the site notice whereby a person must erect a notice at the start of his or her application. I am of the view that we need to tighten up...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: To clarify my point, the consenting process needs to be closely aligned with the development plan, regardless of who is doing it. That would be my view. It does not matter if it is the local authority or the next stage in An Bord Pleanála. We have seen a divergence there and that has created a lot of damage in communities that contributed to development plan processes. Those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: There is more alignment in the consenting process between both bodies.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: Is there scope within this to come back and redesign the site notices so they relay better information to the public passing by, which they were meant to do?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: The programme for Government commits to a planning and environmental law court. There is probably an opportunity for us to look at enforcement issues through that. Is that something that would be considered in it? Am I wrong in my view that the penalties for non-compliance with planning sometimes seem to be way too low?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank the witnesses and I hope they will take those observations into consideration. Deputy Higgins was online, although I did not see her.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Review and Consolidation of Planning Legislation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (14 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Cian O'Callaghan has to be in the Chamber so I will go with him.