Results 4,181-4,200 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Foynes Port Company: Chairperson Designate (Resumed) (19 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: Is that another five-year term?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Foynes Port Company: Chairperson Designate (Resumed) (19 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: I apologise if Mr. McGarry has clarified that already but I was not sure. He was appointed last December.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Foynes Port Company: Chairperson Designate (Resumed) (19 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: Mr. McGarry's term runs until December 2023.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Foynes Port Company: Chairperson Designate (Resumed) (19 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: Absolutely, and Mr. McGarry is very welcome. I have met with representatives from the Shannon Foynes area as well because my experience is in rail and rail networks and I have obviously worked with my colleague in Limerick, Deputy Brian Leddin, who was instrumental in that key piece of strategic infrastructure, the extension of the rail line back to Foynes. I look at this on a more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Foynes Port Company: Chairperson Designate (Resumed) (19 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: It is great to hear Mr. McGarry talk about the advancements in the past two to three years. Obviously, we have had this vision for a long time and it is great to be in a position to be able actually to action that and to hear independent observers like him acknowledge that it is important to us. We then have to move on to that next step and look at it at that higher level. We have that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Foynes Port Company: Chairperson Designate (Resumed) (19 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: Yes, it is critically important that people have a vision for the next 20 to 30 years. We need next generation thinking at this stage. In general around the Limerick area, is there a sense that there is massive potential here and that there is a spotlight on Limerick now? We are all realising the potential that everybody knew the Limerick and Shannon Foynes area had. Is there a sense of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Foynes Port Company: Chairperson Designate (Resumed) (19 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: Absolutely. That is my experience of dealing with people from the area as well. It is important for the area that the rail line being built will accommodate passengers as well as freight when it reopens. This would open up opportunities all the way down to Adare. We will also be pushing for complementary benefits from the port as well to make sure that is done. When we are refurbishing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Foynes Port Company: Chairperson Designate (Resumed) (19 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: I am not sure of the need to double-track the line in order to realise that potential. It depends on the frequency of trains of course but trains can pass each other at stations along the way. The new station announced for Moyross will also be beneficial. I will leave it at that. I thank Mr. McGarry and wish him the best of luck for the remainder of his term.

Finance Bill 2023: Financial Resolution (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister, Deputy McGrath. It is broadly welcomed, generally, by everybody here today to see a VAT reduction in the supply and installation of solar panels. It has been brought in as a financial resolution and I thank the Minister for explaining that as I did not realise it is so that we can implement this on 1 May, prior to the Finance Bill being passed. This demonstrates the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: Good afternoon everybody, and welcome. We are continuing our series of meetings on Housing for All. We are joined by the following assistant secretaries from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage,: Mr. Feargal Ó Coigligh, housing policy, legislation and governance; Ms Áine Stapleton, social housing delivery; and Ms Caroline Timmons, housing affordability,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Ó Coigligh. Moving to questions from the members of the committee, we generally do this in seven-minute slots for the questions to be asked and answers to be received as well. I call Senator Fitzpatrick.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: In the planning Bill there is a streamlining of compulsory purchase order, CPO, processes as well, which will be helpful.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: I will allow a bit more.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: It is a scheme, which has been sought for many years. It is successful in many places. If we can iron out those lending difficulties I think we will see even more success with the Croí Cónaithe towns scheme.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: The committee would be agreeable to that. I thank Deputy Higgins, and I move now to Senator Boyhan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: It is my slot now. I will use my time to continue on that topic. As a committee, we recently visited Mount Lucas to have a look at some of the technology advancements there. It is highly impressive. The waste on sites associated with building using conventional old-fashioned means is massive. MMC are highly efficient. We are building the skills base we need to meet not only our housing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: I agree. It will take time. We met our colleagues in Vienna, which is obviously the poster child for the cost-rental model. There is a great number of people living in cost-rental homes there across the spectrum. With regard to Project Tosaigh and the stalled planning applications, while I do not want the witnesses to name any particular site or anything, what have been the main reasons...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: I am glad the sustainability aspect was raised. It is not purely about housing figures. Unless we can build at density and overcome affordability and viability issues, we will also encounter climate challenges. It is viable to keep building semi-detached houses on greenfield after greenfield. They could be built all day long and there would not be an affordability issue. However,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: Absolutely. Driving for three hours per day is an incredible cost to someone's pocket that would not be accounted for in the affordability of a house. However, it is a living cost. I could talk about that all day.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (18 Apr 2023)

Steven Matthews: I thank Deputy O'Callaghan. I will move next to-----