Results 3,921-3,940 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: That is okay. These are important points to clarify for the public looking at this debate to know there is confidence in the materials, the processes for quarrying these materials and the manufacturing materials that go into the constriction of houses. Does Mr. O'Connell wish to come in on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: It was done in 2006 and the next one will be 20 years on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I call Deputy Gould or Deputy Ó Broin to speak, please.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank Deputy Gould. Does Deputy Ó Broin wish to come in for the third round.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: We are on the final round of questions now. I will take this last slot unless members return from the Seanad. I mentioned the Changing Places proposals earlier. We had lobby groups and others working for years to try to encourage our local authorities to develop and put a Changing Places facility in here or there. It is quite clear to me that these things must become standard. They have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank Ms O'Reilly. Does Mr. Dolan wish to respond?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: Absolutely. I was looking at the figures compared to the UK and Northern Ireland------

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: -----and I was absolutely shocked. Somebody I know personally originally brought the issue of Changing Places to me back in October 2020. He told they sometimes decide not to go out as a family because there are no Changing Places facilities. That was absolutely shocking to me. He was in Bray with me and I asked him where the nearest facility was. He said there is not one. It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: Is Mr. Condon indicating to come back in or did his camera just turn back on?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Condon for the clarification. I will move on to a couple of more direct questions. The adaptability of buildings is always something at which we should be looking. We are all growing older. We will all have different needs as we go through life. It makes perfect sense that when someone is designing a building, he or she designs it with that adaptability in mind. That has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I will find the statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: It did say-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I get what people are saying. It should not be just the bottom line because we have a quality of life aspect. People have rights in that regard as well. We cannot just put a figure on that. I thought I read that in one of the statements. I am sorry; was it in Ms Murphy's statement?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: Okay, I get what Ms Murphy is saying. It does not matter in terms of those smaller measures such as someone putting in a light switch or a socket.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: Sure. I think everybody in the room is 100% supportive of what the witnesses are asking for. We see how sensible it is. We see clearly that the building regulations need to be changed. If we were sitting with a different bunch of witnesses, say, from the construction industry or with construction economists, and were I to put the question to them that if they were to build a terrace of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: Am I correct to say that if you apply the standard right from the design and construction stage then no extra cost is involved?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: I am trying to understand. I know that we would hear something different from other witnesses and politicians often hear varying views about the same matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: The design will last for 80 years and have inter-generational use.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: That is a good point. I am out of time but I will ask a second round of questions later.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Universal Design In Building: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Steven Matthews: That is clear. Standardisation is what works in all organisations when trying to apply something like that.