Results 9,341-9,360 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service Strategic Review: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: I agree with Mr. Ó Donnchú. Any effort requires reward. Just because you have restored land and have the corncrake back does not mean you can turn your back on them. Why would you? It is not for the good of your health. This is my last question, Mr. Ó Donnchú will be happy to hear. Many years ago, when I was studying environmental matters, the key issues on nature...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service Strategic Review: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: I saved it for you.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Parks and Wildlife Service Strategic Review: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: On that note, I urge the NPWS to keep up the work it is doing. Anybody who spends a day in nature reaps the reward for a long time. You can spend a day in the city or spend a night out. There is a reward when you spend a day out in countryside or out in nature with your family or children, and it is often free. When you damage it and it is gone, you do not realise it until it is gone. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I welcome everybody to this meeting with the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB. From the board, I welcome Mr. Owen Keegan, interim director, Ms Louise Loughlin, deputy director, and Ms Lucia Crimin, deputy director. The relevant papers have been circulated to members. Before we proceed to the discussion with the Residential Tenancies Board, we have a little committee business to deal...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank Senator Boyhan. That is an important point. We can now inform the Minister and the Department that we have agreed to waive pre-legislative scrutiny. I will read a quick note on privilege before we begin. I remind members of the constitutional requirement that they must be physically present within the confines of the place where Parliament has chosen to sit, namely Leinster...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I move on now to Deputy Ó Broin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank Senator Cummins. I will bring him back in on that matter. I will take this slot. First, the work that is being done between the RTB and the CSO is very welcome. That commitment was given at the meeting in question. It is good to see progress being made. The witnesses indicated that they expect the data to be published by the end of this month. That is very helpful. I wish...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I am sorry to interrupt. If, after carrying out that assessment or after looking at the case, the RTB determines that a case is not going to be resolved through mediation and decides to go to the next step, is it within the gift of the RTB to not give that full eight-week period-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: Thank you for that. Mr. Keegan, you said the numbers increased, I think, by 10%.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: What would be the reason for that increase? Are people becoming more aware of their rights and the role of the RTB, or are we talking about more tenancies ending?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I have a question about the IT system. If a tenancy ends and the property is no longer being rented out - let us say the reason is that the landlord is selling up or moving in a relative or whatever it might be - does the RTB have any way of tracking that address? Is it flagged up for the RTB if it comes back as a registered tenancy within the two years? Is that the time limit on it? Yes....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: To thrash that out a little, where a tenancy was registered with the eircode and the reason for the termination of the tenancy, and where the RTB then sees that come back on the system within two years, can the RTB proactively address that, or does that have to come from an enforcement complaint?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: It is fairly challenging, I would say, but it is very important.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: It might be in order for the committee to write to the Minister and ask him to furnish the report to us as soon as possible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: We will note that and, possibly, request the report from the Minister. I think that would be helpful.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank Deputy O'Callaghan. I want to ask Ms Crimin to clarify a figure I think she mentioned.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: It relates to a question Deputy O'Callaghan asked about excessive rent increases in RPZs. Ms Crimin gave a figure of 67 out of 109 in respect of investigations.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Residential Tenancies Board: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: Is there a figure for the number of complaints the RTB received about excessive rent increases in RPZs?