Results 5,241-5,260 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: I want to go to the other end of the spectrum of the planning system and deal with local government plans. Mr. Cussen referred to the role of the Planning Regulator as a referee in the planning system. It is my experience that the regulator catches many of the non-compliant objectives that councillors can, from time to time, put into their local area and county plans. Sometimes the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: We spoke earlier about education in the context of the public and the planning system. It is for the public to make the link back when they come to us, as Deputies or councillors, and ask why there are no footpaths, lights, bus services or school places, and why certain things are happening. We have to go back and say that it is because their local councillors zoned this land for this type...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: I want to move to the board and ask a question on architectural heritage. My sense is that there is a move towards taking the emphasis off important architectural heritage. I refer to section 257(4), which is on page 497. My sense is that there is a move towards taking the emphasis off protecting architectural heritage because section 257(4), in the context of proposals, contains the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: I put it on the record that architecture and the conservation of buildings have been thoroughly neglected over the years for many reasons and I sense that this is a move towards further possible degradation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: I want to raise it now because although we want to bring protected structures, some of which are not in any use at all, back into proper use as residential properties we need to protect the architectural fabric that makes them so special. I am out of time and there are two more speakers. I call Deputy O'Callaghan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: You may rattle through them because we are almost out of time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: There are five minutes left.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Gould only has a couple of minutes. I ask him to be as brief as possible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: The witnesses may briefly respond to the Deputy's questions now or subsequently in writing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: That concludes the meeting. I thank Mr. Cussen and his team from the Office of the Planning Regulator and Ms Buckley and her team from An Bord Pleanála for having taken a half day out of their incredibly busy schedules and workloads. I know the workload just builds up as they are here and they have to get back to it. The committee acknowledges the incredible work both organisations do...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: 722. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the position regarding a review of the CLÁR funding programme to expand the qualifying criteria to allow more rural groups to apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10220/23]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: 723. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 746 of 21 February 2023, if the CLÁR programme will be expanded to allow groups, including an organisation (details supplied) qualify for funding, due to its membership living in a variety of locations in County Wicklow. [10221/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: Good afternoon and welcome to this meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, at which we will continue our pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft planning and development Bill 2022. We are joined today from the Irish Environmental Network, IEN, by Ms Attracta Uí Bhroin. Ms Phoebe Duvall and Dr. Elaine McGoff of An Taisce are both appearing with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: I thank Ms Uí Bhroin. I am going to move on to Ms Meghen to make the opening statement on behalf of the RIAI.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: On the paper the RIAI produced on low-rise medium-density housing, I note the committee intends to have one or two meetings, probably in April or May, looking at design, density, delivery and all the different factors that impact that. We will be exploring that further.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: To follow on that, it would be advisable, I would suggest, that Ms Uí Bhroin make that submission to the Department but, certainly, send it to the committee because we will be taking on board all of the written submissions we receive. We have received unsolicited submissions at this stage as well. We take them into account because they are from competent and experienced people and it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: If we had time that would be fine but e-planning has taken up quite a lot of time already. Senator Boyhan raised it previously. We might get a chance to return to it later but I need to stick to the seven minute slots for now. I am going to take the next slot myself. My first question is for Dr. Logue. At the moment, under section 8, which used to be called section 5, it was open to a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: If further information becomes available there could be a different declaration.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: We would be of the view that section 5 should remain as is but maybe we need to tease out one or two of those complications. Section 28 deals with ministerial guidelines and has been well discussed previously. IEN refers to "untrammelled powers of the Minister". Indeed, I think I have heard the network use that phrase once or twice previously. At the moment the Minister can issue a...