Results 5,041-5,060 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Performance Indicators and Public Spending Code: National Oversight and Audit Commission (17 Jan 2023)

Steven Matthews: Mr. McCarthy's comments about the career progression from county councillor to Deputy or Senator are interesting. To me, they are very different jobs although people often cannot take themselves out of local issues. We still have national politicians getting very much involved in local government issues and we have local government politicians getting involved in national politics. We need...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Performance Indicators and Public Spending Code: National Oversight and Audit Commission (17 Jan 2023)

Steven Matthews: By the time the next local elections come around in May 2024 the Local Government Reform Act 2014 will be ten years old. Will the trends in the turnover or the workload of county councillors be looked at? I remember before the Moorhead report a questionnaire about workload was sent around to councillors. Is there analysis on that trend? If the workload is so overwhelming and people have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Performance Indicators and Public Spending Code: National Oversight and Audit Commission (17 Jan 2023)

Steven Matthews: I have a similar question for the council executive as well. When many of the town councils were done away with, places that had autonomy, their own budgets and oversight on how they were going to develop within their towns had those things stripped away. That was certainly the sense I got regarding staff morale as well. Is there ongoing work into looking at the workload of the executive?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Performance Indicators and Public Spending Code: National Oversight and Audit Commission (17 Jan 2023)

Steven Matthews: Regarding the functions that could be carried out by a municipal district and those that could be carried out by the full plenary council I remember there was a schedule of three, one that could only be done by the plenary, one by the municipal and one in the middle that they could decide either way. I remember at the time that it was not really briefed out to members and it was probably...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Performance Indicators and Public Spending Code: National Oversight and Audit Commission (17 Jan 2023)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Boyd Barrett is next.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Performance Indicators and Public Spending Code: National Oversight and Audit Commission (17 Jan 2023)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Boyd Barrett is very welcome.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Performance Indicators and Public Spending Code: National Oversight and Audit Commission (17 Jan 2023)

Steven Matthews: I have three quick questions before we round up. First, I was glad to hear Mr. McCarthy mention the climate aspect coming into it now as well because as we know, each local authority has to have a climate action plan and I would expect this is something we will see further reporting on and indications of who has got good plans and who has not. Similarly for energy efficiency, I remember...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Performance Indicators and Public Spending Code: National Oversight and Audit Commission (17 Jan 2023)

Steven Matthews: Along the lines of that as well, we have this very high target of retrofitting of housing stock, both private and social, throughout the country. Is there a comparator there which we can look at to see how each local authority is doing in terms of either bringing stock up to the B2 standard or doing the warmer homes schemes? As we know, a great deal of that is being paid out of carbon taxes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Performance Indicators and Public Spending Code: National Oversight and Audit Commission (17 Jan 2023)

Steven Matthews: That is grand. I thank Mr. McCarthy. I do not have anyone online and I do not have anyone indicating. I thank the witnesses for the work they do. A lot of what we try to do in here is enacted and the interaction with the public takes place at local authority level; that is where the rubber hits the road. The staff across our local authorities do a tremendous amount of work. They are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Welfare Service (15 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: 231. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details regarding resources for educational welfare officers allocated to County Wicklow; if all posts are currently filled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62891/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services (15 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: 391. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 17 of 8 December 2022, the details regarding a timeline for the establishment of a local community neurorehabilitation team for CHO to be based in Bray, County Wicklow; the stage that the recruitment process is at for these roles; when it is expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63131/22]

Water Environment (Abstractions and Associated Impoundments) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: I think this was probably the first legislation on which the committee carried out pre-legislative scrutiny, in October or November 2020. It is no coincidence that the amendments submitted by Deputies Ó Broin and O'Callaghan and me are all virtually identical. I suggest that is because we met, and carefully considered the proposal with, representatives of An Taisce and the Sustainable...

Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Murphy can put his hand up and speak through the Chair if he wants to.

Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I appreciate that. I will continue. It is important that the committee reports in some shape or form. I believe everyone present is agreed that the board has been badly shaken in the past 12 months. There are incredibly good, hard-working people in An Bord Pleanála, so whatever we do in this legislation has to support them and the good people working...

Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022 [Seanad]: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: I always think that the language we use when we discuss planning is incredibly important. There is often commentary that labels people objectors when in fact there is no such thing. There are people who make observations, be they negative or positive, or maybe request conditions to be attached to decisions. Similarly, in the debate that has surrounded this, some of the language has been...

Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Members of Local Authorities) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (14 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: For once, I find myself in total agreement with Deputy Mattie McGrath on his comments. He said it well. I commend the Minister of State on bringing this legislation forward. When it went through the Oireachtas committee, it was one item of legislation on which there was full agreement with regard to the spirit of it, the way it was written and the various areas it covered and catered for....

Confidence in Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Motion (13 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: The housing crisis is the foremost challenge we face. I notice that most of the Opposition Front Bench is missing, including its spokesperson, deputy leader and leader. It is a pity they did not stay for the complete debate.

Confidence in Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Motion (13 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: We need to build thousands of houses.

Confidence in Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Motion (13 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: I cannot speak with these interruptions. I hope the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will stop the clock.

Confidence in Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Motion (13 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: That tenure mix will consist-----