Results 4,541-4,560 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: We are out of time, but we will come back to that matter. There is a weakening when it comes to the protection of structures. We will come back to it. I will take the next slot. I want to go back to the national policy statements. These seem to be matched. A national planning statement will be accompanied by guidelines for local authorities regarding implementation. Will that assist...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: Is it the addition of the requirement for guidelines or for guidelines on how to interpret the guidelines?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: I was to move on to another part of it but if Ms Uí Bhroin wants to add to that, she may go ahead.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: I thank Ms Uí Bhroin. I want to move on to Part 9. I have a question on who can take a judicial review. What do the witnesses think of the changes being proposed here as to who can take a judicial review?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: We have concerns regarding different aspects of section 249. There were reports before Christmas, when this draft legislation came out, that certain groups would not be able to take judicial reviews. For the benefit of people who may be watching, can Dr. Logue explain what is proposed in as simple a way possible? Are restrictions on who can take judicial reviews being introduced here?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: We have the Department coming back in here for the last session. At that point, we will try to iron out some of the issues that have arisen. I do not think we will do it in three hours. That is the amount of time we have for the session. The Aarhus Convention unit from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications will also be coming in to address us. Dr. Logue has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: I thank Dr. Logue. I am out of time. The next time slot is for Senator Cummins. Can I let Ms Uí Bhroin in just to finish that point?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: I will put Senator Cummins down for the next round.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: If we have more specifics and detail around what an urban area plan or priority area plan is, could that lead to smaller pockets of more detailed planning?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: If a proposal for a national planning statement is issued and the country development plan is corrected to reflect that, is that a positive move in Dr. Logue's view? There should be scope for ministerial guidelines in many things. Will it remove that material contravention issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: I am out of time now as well and will move on to Senator Boyhan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: If we had time that would be fine but e-planning has taken up quite a lot of time already. Senator Boyhan raised it previously. We might get a chance to return to it later but I need to stick to the seven minute slots for now. I am going to take the next slot myself. My first question is for Dr. Logue. At the moment, under section 8, which used to be called section 5, it was open to a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: If further information becomes available there could be a different declaration.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: We would be of the view that section 5 should remain as is but maybe we need to tease out one or two of those complications. Section 28 deals with ministerial guidelines and has been well discussed previously. IEN refers to "untrammelled powers of the Minister". Indeed, I think I have heard the network use that phrase once or twice previously. At the moment the Minister can issue a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: Before Dr. Logue responds, I want to add to my question in order to get better value out of the answer. There should be a level of oversight and scrutiny, akin to pre-legislative scrutiny, on the statements, with the committee making recommendations. Where a ministerial guideline is issued, local authorities must rectify their county development plan to comply with the national planning...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: To follow on that, it would be advisable, I would suggest, that Ms Uí Bhroin make that submission to the Department but, certainly, send it to the committee because we will be taking on board all of the written submissions we receive. We have received unsolicited submissions at this stage as well. We take them into account because they are from competent and experienced people and it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: On the paper the RIAI produced on low-rise medium-density housing, I note the committee intends to have one or two meetings, probably in April or May, looking at design, density, delivery and all the different factors that impact that. We will be exploring that further.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: 722. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the position regarding a review of the CLÁR funding programme to expand the qualifying criteria to allow more rural groups to apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10220/23]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (28 Feb 2023)

Steven Matthews: 723. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 746 of 21 February 2023, if the CLÁR programme will be expanded to allow groups, including an organisation (details supplied) qualify for funding, due to its membership living in a variety of locations in County Wicklow. [10221/23]