Results 5,161-5,180 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Okay. I am trying to give people out there confidence we have a whole range of safety nets to stop this material ending up in people's homes. Let me get this clear in my head again. If somebody's product fails to meet the standard for the level of sulphurous materials in it, will they notify the bodies present of that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: They will not, okay. How then do we know how that stuff got into the product without our testing where it came from? Our guests probably cannot answer that because they are not aware of it. Is this a concern to anybody here? We have a product that did not meet the standard because a deleterious material is present. We get rid of that and we do not have to tell anybody about it, but where...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Who is the obligation on to inform a geologist to go and test where our source product came from?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: It is the manufacturer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: It would be good if Mr. McGrath could. I am just trying to understand. I am not trying to catch somebody out here; I am trying to understand the chain.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Great, okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Okay. Forgive me if I get this wrong again but with this product that has failed the test, the obligation is on the manufacturer to then go back and notify their source quarry or the manufacturer has to get a geologist to check their source product.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: We are depending on the quarry management skills there because Mr. McGrath said there could be one part of the quarry that is suitable for this product and does not contain deleterious materials or contains levels that are okay and other parts of that may not. We are depending on the quarry's management of its aggregate, fines and so on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Thus in theory, we could have quarries that have this aggregate that may not be suitable for certain concrete products and through mix-up, poor management or quality control, or whatever it might be, that aggregate could end up in a product that fails to meet the standard. That is a possibility, is it not?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Okay. I thank Mr. McGrath. Mr. Butler is indicating.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Okay. I thank Mr. Butler. Deputy Ó Broin wanted to come in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Higgins is next.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Deputy O'Callaghan is next.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank Deputy Ó Broin. To clarify who is coming back with what, there is the question on how many full-time equivalent building control officers. Are these all departmental? Can the Department supply the answers to these?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Can the total number of products withdrawn be answered by the Department as well?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Yes, maybe junior certificate students.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: Ms Neary wants to come in on it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Relating to Quarries and Deleterious Materials: Discussion (6 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: As I do not have anybody else indicating to ask any further questions, it leaves me to thank the officials for their time today. When I said at the start it was complex and technical, I was not lying. It is a difficult area. I thank the officials for their patience and expertise, and their assistance to us in improving our understanding of the system. I note Mr. Ó Coigligh's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (1 Dec 2022)

Steven Matthews: 98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an engagement that he has had with the offshore renewable sector; if he is conscious of the need to ensure a steady pipeline of qualified graduates for this sector; if he will consider establishing a training centre of excellence in a college (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59452/22]