Results 9,381-9,400 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (4 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: 337. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding the number of schools in County Wicklow currently providing a hot school meals programme; the number of additional schools that will begin to provide this service in the new school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28711/24]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: 514. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of towns and villages in county Wicklow that have been awarded funding under the rural regeneration and development fund in the lifetime of this Government, broken down by funding level, location and year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28714/24]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: 516. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of towns and villages in County Wicklow that have been awarded funding under the town and village renewal scheme in the lifetime of this Government, broken down by funding level, location and year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28712/24]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank members. We have received apologies from Senator Craughwell. The purpose of today's meeting, as per the invite, is for the joint committee to discuss the Government's new strategy to manage and reduce congestion, Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System. I welcome to the committee the Minister for Transport and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: Thank you. We move to questions from members. I call Deputy Crowe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: We could add that the 40th anniversary of the DART is also being celebrated this month. At the time, it was also referred to as a white elephant.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I will take this slot but if anybody wants to come back in for a second round I ask them to raise their hands. In his opening statement the Minister spoke about the Climate Change Advisory Council suggesting that swift implementation of these measures is necessary. I agree with this. For the past four or five years Deputy Ryan has been Minister for Transport but he has spent 30 years in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I agree with the Minister on that. People have many different reasons as to why they want to get rid of traffic congestion, and whether the goal is to reduce emissions, improve air quality or improve the economic benefits that accrue to an area all of these reasons add up. If we look at something such as the town centre first policy where we are trying to rejuvenate town centres, and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I agree. An example I saw close to my constituency is the work that was done on Dún Laoghaire main street. It was during Covid times, etc., but the local authority had planned it anyway. What is the Minister’s view on putting these measures in? People do not like change. One gets used to doing something a certain way and maybe one has a fear of change. I mean bringing in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: Under the legislation at the moment, under a Part 8 process to do interventions, for instance, or under Road Traffic Act section 38 interventions, it is within the gift of the local authority to make that time-bound decision and say that it will do these interventions for 18 months and then make an assessment. On assessment, one gets plenty of anecdotal information from people when you meet...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I was at a planning conference some years ago at which Fáilte Ireland was presenting. It said if one builds towns and town centres in places for the people who live there to make it nice for them, then one develops places that people want to come and visit. We often see that when we go on holidays to Europe where we think it is great when we are in a town centre with car-free zones and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I would be supportive of it going into the Department of Transport. It has that expertise. Then there is one issue in that school bus system, and it is probably a legacy issue. Once people over 70 years of age, there is an issue on driving the school buses. That might be a Bus Éireann contractual requirement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: Yes. It is just out of date and antiquated, and one of the biggest pressures we have on providing public transport is drivers at one end to operate, and good mechanics at the other end to keep that fleet maintained as it operates for 18 or 20 hours a day.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: Without putting anybody on the spot, I am a firm believer in research and evidence to direct how we do things. If the evidence suggests that is not a good idea, I would accept that but if the evidence suggests it is worth exploring, that is something we should look at as well. My time slot is up now, and I am going to welcome the real Chair of the committee, Senator Horkan, who is going...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I will be brief because I know we have to finish by 3.30 p.m. We spoke earlier about the Luas and the success it has been. When the Luas was being proposed, there were many detractors who said that it would be chaos for Dublin and that Dublin would be ruined by it. We know it has been a success. Similarly, as regards the DART, which is 40 years old now, there were many detractors at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Moving Together: A Strategic Approach to Improving the Efficiency of Ireland’s Transport System: Minister for Transport and Communications (3 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: It could have been the Hague. I thought it was Amsterdam. I do not know. There is a lovely old VW bus in the footage as well. They had those conflicts at the time, but anybody now who goes to any of those cities - Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Utrecht or anywhere like that - sees the cycling infrastructure in place. That takes time to deliver and takes people to be brave and say, "This is what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Waterways Ireland: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: Good afternoon. I welcome everyone to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Today's discussion is with Waterways Ireland. I welcome Mr. Éanna Rowe and Mr. Patrick Harkin back to the committee again. This is their third time with us in recent months, and the committee appreciates the level of engagement that they have shown. We are joined by many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Waterways Ireland: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Rowe. Before I go to members, could he outline what the next stage in this process is? Waterways Ireland has published the draft by-laws. What is the next stage? Does it go to the Minister to be adopted? What is the process there, for the information of members and for us all?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Waterways Ireland: Discussion. (9 Jul 2024)

Steven Matthews: I am going to go to members for eight-minute slots. That is eight minutes for the questions and answers. I call Deputy Joe Flaherty.