Results 2,961-2,980 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: Senator Cummins has been called to the Seanad for a vote. No other members are indicating to speak, so we will adjourn. We have a meeting with the Department on Thursday at 1.30 p.m. The witnesses are welcome to jot down any questions that occur to them. I know committee members always welcome when someone has written out the questions for them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion (5 Dec 2023)

Steven Matthews: The timeline here is to have a meeting with the Department. We have also had engagement with the City and County Managers Association, CCMA, and with the Housing Agency and we are expecting some correspondence from both bodies. The Housing Agency has the cost rental and tenantin situaspect as well. We will consider all submissions, so please get them to us as soon as possible. We intend...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: It has been a long process to get to this stage. I feel like I have been working on this for approximately two years, possibly longer. It is significant and major legislation, as people have noted. I suspect I am not the only person who will speak today who has not read the publication we received recently in its entirety. We all agree that while the 2000 Act served well in many areas,...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I got involved in politics because of my interest in planning and because I understand that if we do not have a proper planning system, everything else fails. When you get planning right, people generally do not notice, because things are good, but when you get it wrong an entire generation or generations can live with the legacy. We see some of that in the urban sprawl we have seen in the...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I look forward to tabling a number of amendments and discussing them with the Minister. I will not need any books over the Christmas period. I have my reading list sorted now.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: That is what the Christmas break is for.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: 95. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the delays in the construction plans for a new building in a school (details supplied); the knock-on implications on the shortfall in secondary school places in the wider Greystones area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51704/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: 125. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the delays in the construction plans for the extension to a school (details supplied); the knock-on implications on the shortfall in secondary school places in the wider Greystones area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51705/23]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: 198. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the direction his Department is giving to the Irish Embassy at the UN in relation to drafting of the pact for the future document for the UN summit of the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52864/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I welcome the representatives from the various transport providers and the NTA. The last time they appeared before the committee, we had just come out of the Covid pandemic. I convey our thanks to all their front-line staff for the work they did during the pandemic providing essential services. What some of those front-line workers were exposed to last Thursday night in Dublin city was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I have one question for the NTA and I will get to that now. I cannot remember where I was in my rant.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: Politicians need to be brave and need to say we need to reallocate road space for pedestrians, for vulnerable people who walk around our towns and for public transport. It is a climate challenge as well and not just a matter of how we are going to get around. We have to rethink it and politicians need to be brave and stand up and say that they support road space reallocation and public...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: Ms Graham is right. Often, what is seen as a criticism of the planning system is related to the fact that we have an under-resourced system that is overloaded. Very complex decisions have to be made and these involve many interactions and tight timelines. In this context, you end up with mistakes that end up in judicial processes. Resourcing the planning system is the solution to a lot of it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Chair for the opportunity to come back in again. I want to ask about bus stops and bus shelters. I think we amended the planning laws recently so planning permission is not needed to relocate a bus stop. I want to ask about the process for adding a new stop along a route. I can think of examples in my own constituency where there have been a lot of developments and there will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I want to follow up on the point on local authority approval.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services in Counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow: Discussion (29 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: Does Mr. Ryan consider that if we were to remove the planning requirement for shelters, the same as for bus stops, that would speed up or help the process?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: The organic farm schemes in this country have been quite successful and quite attractive to farmers, with the increase in their incomes and the better impact on our environment. I pay thanks to the work of the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and the Ministers of State, Deputy Heydon and Senator Hackett. When will the organic farm payment be paid out? It is coming close to Christmas and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I will take the next slot. The Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023 goes to Report and Final Stages in the Dáil tomorrow, and then on to the Seanad. I think we will be okay to meet that deadline even if an election is called. I turn to the last point made by Mr. O'Leary. Is the pre-enrolment of 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds being monitored? Is he aware how much of that is going on at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I think there is a QR code to get people onto it. Would it be acceptable in the classroom to say that as they all have smartphones, they can use the QR code to go register?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local and European Elections 2024 and Subsequent General Election: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: Good stuff.