Results 7,981-8,000 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: For anyone listening in now, we will take the second half of the meeting with the voluntary sector groups after we suspend for five minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: Everyone is welcome back. I do not know if the witnesses had a chance to listen to the session we have just held with the Dublin Homeless Regional Executive, the Department and Cork City Council. We are now joined by Seán Moynihan, Gráinne Loughran and Frank Dillon from ALONE; Louise Bayliss, Carly Bailey and Marcella Stakem from the National One Parent Family Alliance; Dermot...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Moynihan and invite Ms Bayliss to make her statement on behalf of the National One Parent Family Alliance.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I now invite Dr. Kavanagh to make his opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I invite Mr. Guiney to make his opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Homelessness: Discussion (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: The witnesses' opening statements will be put up on our website after the meeting, so anything they did not get to is there for viewing. Members can ask further on them. As we are short on time, I ask members to ask direct questions of particular people. That would probably help.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Business of Select Committee (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan and his officials. Before we proceed I need to go into private session to deal with some housekeeping matters. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: We resume on amendment No. 131 and the associated grouping. We have spoken to the majority of the amendments in this grouping. I need to speak to my amendments so I will ask Deputy McAuliffe to take the Chair.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I will start off where I had to finish last Thursday evening. Amendments Nos. 710 and 712 are related to amendment No. 661, which we have already discussed. The amendments deal with reasons for material contravention of a development plan. Amendment No. 661 sought to include a reason for a material contravention of a development plan in a decision by a local authority for the furtherance...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: These are amendments Nos. 710 and 712. They are related to amendment No. 661 as well in that these are reasons for a material contravention for furtherance of the national climate objectives.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I would like to get a response on those first because the next bunch of amendments are quite similar.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: Amendments Nos. 710 and 712. They have to be read with amendment No. 661 as well.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: Amendment No. 661 refers to page 216, and that relates to applications for permission for development in material contravention of a development plan or a national marine planning framework, which is section 96.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: That is a somewhat positive response, so I look forward to considering this very seriously. There has been so much discussion about delays in the planning system, and I do not particularly agree with some of the commentary about delays in the planning system. We have a very good, participative and democratic planning system, and I do not lightly suggest amendments that would contravene a...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I think other members have indicated to speak on these amendments.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: In response to Deputy Boyd Barrett, all planning decisions should be made in the interests of proper planning, sustainable development and the common good, so my amendment is not that any planning application would be granted just because it is in the furtherance of climate objectives, but it would have to meet the high bar that we are going to set in this Bill for sustainability, common good...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: We could consider many different scenarios and cases. I have full trust in the planning officials in a local authority and in the commission to make the right decision. This just gives them a greater option where objectives in the development plan may have been changed midstream, which we have seen. It is to allow that greater flexibility in the decision-making process. However, all...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: He was looking for answers from me.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I have done so.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: The rest of my amendments in this grouping are on environment and climate and the checks and balances that need to be applied. Amendment No. 724 relates to consultation prior to a request under section 135, which relates to extensions and alterations to planning permission. Section 134(5)(c) states: (c) advise the person who made the application under subsection (1) regarding the...