Results 981-1,000 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Sunderland. On the other experts who may wish to contribute, we are in a position to take written submissions on this. I do not think we will be in a position to hold further meetings, except for the one we have already organised, but we will take written submissions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: I invite Ms Carolan to respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: Would Mr. Sunderland like to comment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Sunderland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: Is that question for Ms Carolan?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Ms Carolan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: That brings us to the end of the session. I thank Ms Carolan, Mr. Murphy and Mr. Sunderland for their attendance and engagement, which has been very helpful. The meeting is adjourned until 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday, 30 March, when we will recommence in public session to carry out further pre-legislative scrutiny on the electoral reform Bill with representatives of social media organisations.

Ceathrú Chultúir 1916 Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (24 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: The next slot is being shared by Deputies Canney and Tóibín.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (24 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: 81. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of electric vehicle stations installed across the country by local authority since August 2019, when his predecessor launched the five-year plan for increasing public electric vehicle charging points; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13106/21]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (24 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: 321. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to driver test applicants who have full licences from non-EU countries currently waiting to be allowed to take an Irish test; and if consideration has been given to extending the existing 12-month allowance by which they can drive on Irish roads without a new Irish licence to account for Covid-19-related...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Maternity Services (24 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: 1885. To ask the Minister for Health the spend on the HSE breastfeeding action plan for 2019 and 2020; and the way in which this compares to that which had been budgeted for this area. [15789/21]

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Revised) (30 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister of State for his attendance and for his time recently to meet to talk about nature-based solutions, such as soft engineering projects upstream that can work with nature to alleviate the downstream flooding that we see in many towns and villages. It is apt, following the last exchange, that we look at the financial aspects of that. It is my belief that investing in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: It is great to be able to see people face to face in the committee. We have been used to seeing each other on screens for a long time, so it is great to have the opportunity to meet face to face in public. Today, we are continuing our pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the Electoral Reform Bill 2020. After this meeting we will suspend for 15 minutes for our private meeting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Costello. I will now move to members. I call Deputy McAuliffe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: If we stick to the time limits, we will have time to return to the issue. It is an important aspect and we should ask about it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Ó Broin and I invite Mr. Costello to respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Costello. I have a couple of questions arising out of submission from Facebook, in particular annex 1. Mr. Ó Broin said Facebook has difficulty with the definition of "political advertisement" and it is seeking a stricter definition to be applied to it. I note from the Twitter submission that it has a comprehensive definition of "political content". Would a tightening up...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: Twitter appears to be able to be objective in defining what constitutes "political content". Facebook could apply that same objectivity based on the definition applied by Twitter and inclusive of the suggested definitions of what it should include, as set out by Mr. Ó Broin. It is an issue that can be overcome in the context of this Bill.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Ó Broin. We will now move to head 122 and the concerns regarding the appointment of a responsible person. The term "responsible person" as set out in the in the heads of the Bill is a term already provided for in the Electoral Act as being a person in authority within either a third party or the accounting unit of a political party. Its inclusion in this Bill may be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: ^ General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Mar 2021)

Steven Matthews: Sure, but we are talking about a short timeframe in this legislation in terms of the couple of weeks of the electoral cycle. If we were to go with Mr. Ó Broin's suggestion that a responsible person should be just a point of contact, namely, a mere conduit that bears no responsibility. There has to be a responsible person appointed. Mr.Ó Broin spoke about developing a reporting...