Results 6,461-6,480 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I am sorry but I must interrupt because we are well over the time for the slot. There will be a third round and Deputy Ó Broin has indicated a wish to speak again. We can return to his questions at that point. What remains now in the round is a second Green Party slot and slots for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. We will then get to the third round of questions, and the first slot in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: That is agreed and funded. It is interesting to know. There was mention of a single-stage process and a figure of €6 million. There were concerns about cost overruns. Is it the case that there would be a request to increase the €6 million to a higher level and would that give some comfort on the cost overruns? Is that purely related to the inflationary spell we are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Is it the case that the limit was set at €2 million for so long and there may be a gearing up to get to that level and start looking at those projects? Is that part of the process as well?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: There is also the question of staffing levels. We often hear that local authority staffing levels are under pressure and we know they are in various areas. There was a figure of 200 for architects, surveyors and planners. Is it something that is taking a little time to gear up as well so as to get those people in house and start with social own-built or directly built projects?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I would agree with Mr. Taaffe on that. We are mostly sort of focusing on scheme projects, that is, projects over a certain number. In terms of the local authorities or even the approved housing bodies, AHBs, looking back into our town centres and those smaller infill sites that might deliver, say six to ten units or even fewer, are the local authorities doing that? Are they starting to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I would agree with Mr. Taaffe on that because it is good when a local authority or an approved housing body can start that process where others look at it and say, "I will do the same". There can be that good mix of tenures as well as a good mix of owner-occupier and public housing. That is my time slot finished now. I will move onto the final Fianna Fáil slot with Deputy McAuliffe,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Was it for the same number of units for both developers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I will let Mr. O'Connor finish as we are over time. Deputy Cummins can come in again in the third round.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank Ms Loftus.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: We are almost up to the ten-minute mark. The Deputy had quite an introduction.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I ask Mr. Curran to be brief with his answers and then we will move on to other members.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Curran. I call Deputy Ó Broin, who indicated first for the third round.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Deputy. Who would he like to address his queries first?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: We will compile a report after these three meetings. If something has occurred to someone during or after the meeting and he or she wants to submit a written observation or answer to a question that was not answered, we will gladly include that in the report. That could be one of those questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Has the contribution the Land Development Agency, on which we passed legislation last year, is making been noticeable yet? That is probably a question for the CCMA. I always reference the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, report on the establishment of the LDA and how important the function for which the LDA was set up is, to assist local authorities in the land management, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: A comment was made earlier about apartments in that the only people interested in apartments were housing authorities or investors. Is that because of the design of apartments? Is it because of their location? What do we need to do to make apartments more attractive to owner-occupiers? Why are only investors and local authorities interested in apartments?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: It could well be to do with the reduction in standards and sizes over the years brought in by previous Governments. As well as that, there was a lack of signalling to apartment owners that apartment living is not just a transition to owning a house. Owning an apartment could be a very viable way of living as well. We failed to protect apartments when we protected houses and duplexes from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I am out of time. I would welcome a written submission from the Housing Alliance and the CCMA as well on what we need to do, step by step, to get cost rental at scale.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: The witnesses can address this in a written submission as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: That concludes our time. I thank Ms Cosgrove, Mr. O'Connor and Ms Loftus, as well as Ms Geraghty, Mr. Taaffe and Mr. Curran. I add my congratulations to those expressed by other members on Mr. Curran's appointment to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. Obviously, it is a loss to us in Wicklow. I refer to the cross-boundary projects we are working on. I thank our guests again. If...