Results 5,461-5,480 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: They are two separate schemes. Croí Cónaithe towns and Croí Cónaithe cities.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: It is coming up to eight minutes on the slot, so perhaps Mr. Burns could be as brief as possible, please.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: We are up to nine minutes, Mr. Ward. There is a further Fianna Fáil slot during which Senator Fitzpatrick can contribute. I will take the next slot, and I thank Senator Boyhan for offering it to me, because I have to speak shortly. I will set the timer and keep myself to the same time. First, there is a common theme when we bring in local authorities. We are aware of the staff...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: Does it take some of the leg work out if you have done the baseline stuff at SDZ stage and then you come along to detail?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: We brought in planning exemptions last year where planning permission is not required to bring town centre buildings back into use. Have either of the local authorities been notified of such cases at this stage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: I wonder about awareness of some of these things. The figures from Fingal, I think, on cost-rental are promising. I think it is up to 1,900 between Fingal cost-rental, LDA cost-rental and AHB cost-rental between 2022-26. I am conscious that we only delivered cost-rental into the legislation just over a year ago. It is a new concept. Where the local authority has a cost-rental scheme, is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: That is your understanding. It would be a local authority cost-rental but it would be signed over to an AHB at the end?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: I am interested in the data set analysis pilot project Mr. Burns spoke about. The committee did a comprehensive report on vacancy, dereliction and urban regeneration. There is a narrative that there are 160,000 vacant houses and we should be able to get people into them straight away. It is not as simple as that. If it was, we would be doing it and the county councils would be doing it as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Implementation of Housing for All: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: That is really positive. That was one of the top recommendations from this committee in the report about the gathering of data and - I cannot remember who made the suggestion at the time - the use of geographic information system, GIS, data and mapping systems and the condition of the buildings and how much work is needed. I call Senator Boyhan.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister for his response. It is positive that 124,000 people have been paid in recognition of the tremendous work that they did during the pandemic. It is not an understatement to say that many of us owe our lives or the lives of family members and friends to the work that was carried out by those organisations. I am glad that the Minister is progressing the payment for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister for the clarification. Essentially, this negotiation, as it were, it taking place between the HSE and those organisations. I might follow up this inquiry with the HSE directly just to support the particular worker to whom I referred. The case he has put to me seems to fit exactly with workers who were working in the exact same situation and are eligible for the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: 81. To ask the Minister for Health the reason employees from an organisation (details supplied) and other section 39 organisation workers were excluded from the Covid-19 special recognition payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52466/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: Some workers in section 39 organisations were not included in the group receiving the special Covid-19 recognition payment. I realise the Minister has made statements previously on this issue. The group I am particularly inquiring about is Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, the staff of which worked in similar or the same conditions as those workers who were included in the payment. Will he...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Cards (20 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: 172. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the dental treatment services scheme; if the additional funding allocated by his Department to this scheme in the past six months has led to an increase in the number of dentists accepting medical card patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52427/22]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Risk Management (20 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: 209. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 115 of 4 October 2022, if the attention of his Department has been drawn to any flood risks associated with a site (details supplied); if any previous flooding incidents took place that caused damage; if so, if this was considered when replacing oil tanks at this location; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services (20 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: 325. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding the Departmental review of the dental medical card scheme; if a timeline can be provided for its completion; his plans to alleviate access issues to dentists for medical card holders in the short-term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43851/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: 88. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the initiatives that he plans to encourage the recruitment of apprentices in the renewable energy sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51441/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: 131. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the initiatives that he has facilitated to encourage the recruitment of apprentices to the construction sector in order to achieve construction targets as set out in Housing for All; if he is considering any additional measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51440/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: 411. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 389 of 4 October 2022, if her attention has been drawn to an application by a school (details supplied) for temporary accommodation; if she will advance the approval of this urgent application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51129/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Environmental Schemes (18 Oct 2022)

Steven Matthews: 466. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if schools (details supplied) will be considered for future iterations of the Schools Energy Retrofit Pathfinder Programme; if this programme will be expanded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51846/22]