Results 6,901-6,920 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: 62. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the delay in processing passport applications for first-time passports for children and new citizens; the steps his Department is taking to alleviate this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3909/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I welcome everyone to the committee. Today we begin pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the monuments and archaeological heritage Bill. We are joined by the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Noonan, who I welcome. He is accompanied by officials from the National Monuments Service: Ms Emer Connolly, director; Mr. Michael...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I will be happy to do that. There is absolutely no problem. For the meeting today I ask that we concentrate on the pre-legislative scrutiny and the general scheme of the Bill before us. Members can use examples to highlight something in the general scheme.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: The Deputy asked how the Book of Kells is classified.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: We will move to the Fine Gael slot.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank Senator Seery Kearney. She has raised an interesting point. If the site has a requirement for an environmental impact assessment, EIA, it might trigger some kind of archaeological or cultural assessment. If a site does not have such a requirement, what triggers the EIA? It may not be there. We may have sites which depend on the guy with the JCB identifying that they are of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I will move to the Green Party slot, which I will take. This is welcome legislation for the reasons the Minister of State outlined in his opening statement. It will replace, or tidy up, the 1930s legislation. The committee recently dealt with other 1930s legislation, which was the Foreshore Act 1933, where the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 was brought in. The new Act is fit for purpose,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: There was mention of wrecks and ship wrecks. The national marine planning framework mapped the shipwrecks around the coast. Is that information drawn from National Monuments Service sources or from somewhere else that requires the service to pull that into the database now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: Is there mention of classes of sites of archaeological interest? With our protected structures category, it is either protected or it is not. In the UK they have a different grading of protected or listed structures. Is it proposed that we would have classes of archaeological sites that would have different levels of protection or different works that might be carried out on them or close by?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: Following from Deputy O'Donoghue's question, when county development plans or local area plans are being prepared, they will always show a map identifying the structures in the area that are listed in the register of protected structures. Is it compulsory to include mapping of archaeological sites in county development or local area plans? Will these two designations of general protection...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: This is something the committee might consider in the context of the review of the planning system that is ongoing at the moment in order to assist and add to what the National Monuments Service is trying to do in this Bill. I thank Mr. Kirwan and will move on now to Deputy Cian O'Callaghan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: The Deputy asked about landscapes. Does that come under sites?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I suggest that the Senator include her request as part of the recommendations on the PLS report. Next is the second Sinn Féin slot and Deputy Ó Broin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: It is a good point and it is something we could consider in our pre-legislative scrutiny report.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I will take the second Green Party slot. I refer to licensing. It often takes a long time to obtain a licence to carry out work. That may deter people from seeking such licences. Is there a currently a need to seek a licence to carry out work on a monument?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: Through the Bill, we are seeking to improve that process and make it more effective across the board. Under the section relating to licensable activities, I see reference to application to the Minister for a licence. How long will it take for a licence to be issued when the Bill is enacted and there is a fully resourced heritage, monuments and archaeological department?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: It is important for people to be aware there is a relatively short period to seek a licence to carry out the work and to do it the right way. As many of those present will be aware, heritage officers in local authorities do a significant volume work and have a massive remit across the board. They are involved in planning, heritage and archaeological and biodiversity interests. Do our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I only realised when the Bill was brought forward that some local authorities have an archaeological officer. I have added that to my wish list of what all local authorities should have, along with a county architect, a biodiversity officer and a cycling officer. I now have a fourth role to add to that team. The Minister of State may be interested to know that we have invited the network...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: It is often the case that infringements on protected structures take place at the weekend, when there is nobody available or no way of chasing it up. Irreparable damage can be done overnight. I am sure the same also applies in respect of monuments. It is important that if notice is served or the Department is notified of a suspicion that unlicensed work affecting a monument or other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Monuments and Archaeological Heritage Bill: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: Currently, if it is proposed to take the site in, is there public consultation or is it just with the landowner?