Results 6,841-6,860 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Service 2023
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: No other members are indicating, so I will make some closing comments. I have never heard as much discussion of the need for public transport as I have in the past three years. It is not only being discussed in the Oireachtas but is also being discussed in council chambers. I have also heard it from the travelling public. Estimates are often a good time to examine the expanse of work that...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Message to Dáil (28 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: In accordance with Standing Order 101, the following message will be sent to the Dáil: The Select Committee on Transport and Communications has completed its consideration of the following Supplementary Estimate for public services for the year ending 31 December 2023: Vote 31 - Transport.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I welcome the representatives from the various transport providers and the NTA. The last time they appeared before the committee, we had just come out of the Covid pandemic. I convey our thanks to all their front-line staff for the work they did during the pandemic providing essential services. What some of those front-line workers were exposed to last Thursday night in Dublin city was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I have one question for the NTA and I will get to that now. I cannot remember where I was in my rant.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: Politicians need to be brave and need to say we need to reallocate road space for pedestrians, for vulnerable people who walk around our towns and for public transport. It is a climate challenge as well and not just a matter of how we are going to get around. We have to rethink it and politicians need to be brave and stand up and say that they support road space reallocation and public...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: Ms Graham is right. Often, what is seen as a criticism of the planning system is related to the fact that we have an under-resourced system that is overloaded. Very complex decisions have to be made and these involve many interactions and tight timelines. In this context, you end up with mistakes that end up in judicial processes. Resourcing the planning system is the solution to a lot of it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Chair for the opportunity to come back in again. I want to ask about bus stops and bus shelters. I think we amended the planning laws recently so planning permission is not needed to relocate a bus stop. I want to ask about the process for adding a new stop along a route. I can think of examples in my own constituency where there have been a lot of developments and there will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I want to follow up on the point on local authority approval.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: Does Mr. Ryan consider that if we were to remove the planning requirement for shelters, the same as for bus stops, that would speed up or help the process?

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: 95. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the delays in the construction plans for a new building in a school (details supplied); the knock-on implications on the shortfall in secondary school places in the wider Greystones area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51704/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: 125. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the delays in the construction plans for the extension to a school (details supplied); the knock-on implications on the shortfall in secondary school places in the wider Greystones area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51705/23]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: 198. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the direction his Department is giving to the Irish Embassy at the UN in relation to drafting of the pact for the future document for the UN summit of the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52864/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: We are meeting to begin our pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the residential tenancies (right to purchase) Bill 2023. Apologies have been received from Deputy O'Donoghue and Senator Boyhan. To assist us in our deliberations on the heads of the Bill, we are joined by representatives from the Irish Property Owners' Association, namely, Mr. Brendan Allen and Mr. Maurice...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Mr. Davitt is right that the notice given was too short to allow somebody to respond comprehensively. However, we have a period of time in which to consider the general scheme of the Bill. I appreciate Mr. Davitt and the other witnesses being here to assist the committee to get this right. We can certainly give him seven days to submit a more comprehensive written submission. We have a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: I will now go to the members. They will have seven-minute sections in which they can put questions and receive answers. The first slot is for Fianna Fáil and I call Senator Fitzpatrick.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Briefly, because we have to keep to seven-minute time slots.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: I will move on.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: 178. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the Blessington inner relief road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53720/23]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: 320. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider any extension to the existing time parameters of the vacant property refurbishment grant (details supplied) to account for unexpected delays on a project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53647/23]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: 453. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing closure of a service (details supplied); if plans are in place to support clients during this closure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53512/23]