Results 6,501-6,520 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Why would Mr. Jordan say there is only some interest? Why is there not a lot of interest? Perhaps that was just the phrase that he used. Is there a lot of interest?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: We will now move on to the second Green Party slot, which I will take. I picked up on something one of the members said, namely that cost rental is not Government policy. Maybe I got it wrong.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: It very much is Government policy, and we did legislate for it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: I just wanted to correct the record if I correctly picked up what was said. May I talk about dereliction and vacancy? The committee has done a body of work on this. We had a series of four meetings on dereliction and vacancy and bringing life back into towns and villages rather than having the constant sprawl we have seen over the past 30, 40 or 50 years of planning. The strategy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: On that issue, the Land Development Agency, which has appeared before this committee a few times, has placed cost rental front and centre of its delivery. We know it is being delivered from various angles.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: One of the issues that arose in the discussions we had on dereliction, vacancy and the CPO process was that the regulatory process involved can be quite expensive. The costs involved in the regulatory process can make it prohibitive to bring a second and third floor of a property back into use and provide two or three dwellings. Did the Housing Agency find that was the case in the research...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: What do third-party charges involve?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Regarding the financing of derelict or vacant buildings in town centres, is it financially attractive to invest in that? Does it provide bigger challenges?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Would it be fair to say local authorities have been slow in addressing the issues of dereliction, vacancy and the CPO powers they have? What puts them off doing that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: If Mr. O'Leary were to analyse the data of local authorities or approved housing bodies seeking funding, would he find that nobody is seeking funding to bring derelict or vacant buildings back into use or is it the case that it is very low in their list of priorities?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: In terms of setting targets for local authorities to achieve, and Senator Cummins is a strong advocate of those, or setting targets for the number of vacant or derelict units to be brought back into use, there is a target of 2,500 CPOs up to 2026. Should we seek a higher target than that? Should we get the local authorities to turn their focus to that? It is not only about providing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion (22 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Having spent some time on that issue, I would like to continue that discussion. I will move to Senator Boyhan.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: 274. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a site and development for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13573/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (10 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: 275. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to concerns among parents and school management in an area (details supplied); and if sufficient planning is in place in order to avoid a repeat of the challenges faced in getting first year secondary school allocations for September 2021. [13575/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (10 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: 317. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the recent closure of the Wicklow town citizens information centre (details supplied); if her Department proposes to fund a new centre at another location in the town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13576/22]

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Members will recall that we are discussing amendments Nos. 36 and 37 together.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Is the Deputy suggesting that someone should be struck off for any breach of building control regulations? I know the example he gave is a very flagrant abuse, but is he talking about anything?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Mar 2022)

Steven Matthews: Just for my own clarification, the Deputy's proposed amendment would cover failure to comply with anything in the building control regulations.