Results 2,761-2,780 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Projects and Operations: Iarnród Éireann (24 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: The western rail corridor connection from Claremorris to Athenry and the reconnection of Waterford to Wexford would appear to make sense from a freight perspective, so it is not all going through Kildare and Dublin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Projects and Operations: Iarnród Éireann (24 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: Perhaps we could talk about the driver training programme. More fleet equipment can be ordered and built. There is a lead-in time, but it can be delivered over time. If the drivers are not in place, though, there is not much point in having extra trains. How is recruitment for drivers, as well as for maintenance staff and apprentices, progressing? We hear this is challenging.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Projects and Operations: Iarnród Éireann (24 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: That is very good to hear. It is forward-thinking. These people will be the staff of the future, including, perhaps, the future chief executive who will be sitting here at some point. Turning to the heritage aspect of our railways, we talk about modernising the railway and the national train control centre, NTCC, for example. In this context, we have signal cabins around the country...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Projects and Operations: Iarnród Éireann (24 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Meade. I failed to mention my own constituency but I trust all is in order with the DART extension to Wicklow town-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Projects and Operations: Iarnród Éireann (24 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: No.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Projects and Operations: Iarnród Éireann (24 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: I want to thank Mr. Meade, Mr. Kenny and Mr. Hendrick for their participation today and for answering all of those questions. They can see the level of interest and support there is among Oireachtas Members. I thank them for their contributions today, and I ask them to pass our thanks and acknowledgment to the staff throughout the network as well for the work they do.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: 347. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the review of the qualifying criteria for well-water grants administered through local authorities; if an instruction can be issued to allow for the inclusion of applications for premises that are soon to be lived in following renovation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: 348. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to examine the existing qualifying criteria for the septic tank grant; if an instruction can be issued to allow for the inclusion of applications for premises that are soon to be lived in following renovation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2581/24]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Schemes (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: 349. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to examine the existing qualifying criteria for the domestic lead remediation grant scheme; if an instruction can be issued to allow for the inclusion of applications for premises that are soon to be lived in following renovation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2582/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: 394. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding the rollout of hot school meals to all DEIS schools; the percentage of DEIS schools that have applied and have programmes up and running; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2655/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: 395. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding the rollout of hot school meals to non-DEIS schools; if it is on schedule to commence in April 2024; how schools can apply to be included in the rollout once it is operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2656/24]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Business of Joint Committee (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: I welcome everybody. Today, we are meeting representatives of the Land Development Agency. Before we proceed with our meeting, members have expressed a wish to discuss the invitation extended to the Peter McVerry Trust, Department officials and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive. Members will remember that we issued an invitation to the three organisations quite some time ago because the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Business of Joint Committee (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: We have carried out a series of meetings on homelessness and published a pretty good report. We had a number of service providers, statutory providers and voluntary service providers. The Senator is correct that the Peter McVerry Trust did write to us to say it was upset it had not been invited in, and it was on two occasions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Business of Joint Committee (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank members for their observations on this process. We have written back to the three bodies requesting again that they attend and reminding them of the powers that exist with this committee under Standing Orders to compel witnesses to appear. We will wait for the responses to come back but I would be of the mind that if the responses are similar to those we have previously received, we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Affordable Homes, Public Lands, Strategic Planning and Projects: Land Development Agency (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: We are back in public session. We are meeting with representatives from the Land Development Agency, LDA. I apologise to the witnesses for the delay in starting. We had other business to deal with. I welcome Mr. John Coleman, chief executive officer, Mr. Phelim O'Neill, head of property, Ms. Dearbhla Lawson, head of strategic planning and Mr. Enda McGuane, head of asset management. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Affordable Homes, Public Lands, Strategic Planning and Projects: Land Development Agency (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Coleman. He probably is aware that some committee members visited the Shanganagh site just before Christmas and saw some of the work that was going on directly on the ground. I monitor the progress on the new DART station every morning as I pass it at Shanganagh; it is a welcome addition. It is a transport orientated development and that is what we should be about. Mr. Coleman...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Affordable Homes, Public Lands, Strategic Planning and Projects: Land Development Agency (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: Sorry Ms Lawson, I must interrupt you there as we are a little bit over time but I am sure we will return to that. I will go next to Deputy Ó Broin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Affordable Homes, Public Lands, Strategic Planning and Projects: Land Development Agency (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: We need to bring this session to an end. Deputy Ó Broin has had 13 minutes there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Update on Affordable Homes, Public Lands, Strategic Planning and Projects: Land Development Agency (23 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: I will take the next speaking slot. The two Acts that we passed in 2021, the Affordable Housing Act 2021 and the Land Development Agency Act 2021 are, to me, probably two of the most significant pieces of legislation that have been passed by this Government. It takes time to deliver, and I appreciate that. Sometimes I think people have these massive expectations that we can just build...