Results 5,321-5,340 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Was there something in this regard in the Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-Scale Residential Development) Act 2021? Deputy Ó Broin might know.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: I remember the Deputy raising that point at the time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Planning decisions are given in the interests of sustainable development and proper planning. That generally covers it. If someone was to put in a submission that it was in the interests of sustainable development and proper planning, does that give him or her scope? There is some language in this Bill that I find a little fluffy, including words such as seeking to "promote", for example,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Section 249 provides for the ability to be able to correct "any error of law". We have had previous discussion on this. In my view, it is much too wide. There is a provision in the Act, under section 146A, to correct a small clerical-type error. Must the Bill also include scope to correct something that is not hugely significant and would not actually change the decision but would make...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: You walk into another-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: I do not know when section 146A was inserted in the Act. It sounds like an amendment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Does anybody know? I presume that was introduced because at some point there was a clerical error and that was seen as a failing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: With the level of complexity and everything that has to be considered in a planning application by a local authority or the board, it is reasonable that omissions or mistakes could be made. It is such a complex process and sometimes it is not black and white. It can be subjective. Should there be scope for something whereby the board could say something should have been done but was not?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: It was suggested at a previous session that there is already a process of some kind to quash a decision and remitting it to the board. The concern is that even with a perfectly functioning board that has enough board members, quashing and remitting decisions might mean another 16 weeks - maybe less - of consideration. At present, there are massive delays and backlogs with stuff going back...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: This was published without much clarity in that section and section 250 as well. It has raised many questions for us. Deputy O'Callaghan had to attend the Chamber, so I will bring him back him to finish that up when he comes back. I call Senator Seery Kearney.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Thank you. I call Deputy Ó Broin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: That is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: It is incredibly difficult to discuss this context without knowing what is being proposed. It has created many questions and concerns for us. This is something that needs to be produced in tandem with this Bill, before we go any further with it. I have a few of my own questions as well. I will then bring back in Deputy Ó Broin. Regarding section 83 of this proposed legislation,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Yes, okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: Yes. That is grand. A submission, which I think is from the Law Society, refers, in relation to costs, to "The Aarhus Convention and implementing EU Directives require that costs in certain environmental cases must not be prohibitively expensive". Is this term, "prohibitively expensive", defined? What might be really prohibitively expensive to somebody earning €50,000 per year may...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: It is not related to a person's means.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: With the cost protection that exists at the moment, if a group such as Friends of the Irish Environment took a case, it would be covered by this costs protection under section 50B as it is. If a big oil company comes in, is it entitled to the same cost protection as well?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: If a company was taking a public interest environmental case, it may be to its benefit at the end of it. Those companies are covered by it as well, however.