Results 6,921-6,940 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

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: Thank you, Mr. Kirwan. We have reached the end of our normal round of questions, so there is a third round. I call Senator Boyhan.

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: You have the floor.

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 are no further hands raised for the third round. Perhaps the Minister of State might wish to offer some closing remarks on this. I note that Part 8 refers to research and promotion of knowledge and awareness. When one has a great interest in or passion for something or experience with it, one is sometimes unaware that other people may not have that. We can raise greater awareness 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 concur with the Minister of State's praise for his team, who have laboured for many years. Perhaps our archaeological and built heritage was not as appreciated as it is now, and hopefully more into the future. We will have further meetings on this and we will invite other expert witnesses with an interest and experience in archaeological and heritage matters. We will also be examining...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I was listening in to the Dáil debate on the same subject at the same time because I am speaking on it shortly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: Of course. I welcome the NBI team to the meeting and thank them for the regular updates we receive. They are really useful when we are meeting and dealing with constituents. Naturally, they all ask when they will get their high-speed broadband. Those updates are helpful in that, as was our recent visit to Kilcoole. As I am criss-crossing County Wicklow, I have learned to spot ducts up on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: If NBI gets a lot of pre-orders from a particular area, would that make it consider doing that particular ribbon next?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: Fair enough.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: When this network is finished, and it will be finished, and everybody is passed and has the potential for connection and we have this extensive fibre-optic network throughout the country, is there future planning for the maintenance staff who are going to be required to maintain and keep that network updated and running for the next 20, 30 or 50 years? I do not know what the life expectancy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: The service providers are responsible for faults users may have in the home. Are they responsible for the connection to the pole as well?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: That should make fault-finding a lot easier than some of us experience.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: The main companies have difficulties in finding faults at the moment. In looking at a project such as this, one should always keep an eye on the future and ask whether it can be expanded somewhere. This is a national roll-out of fibre to the home. I live in an urban area where I thought I had good fibre connectivity, like lots of us did, until everybody started using devices at the same...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: In urban areas at the moment, which are on copper, if someone is getting less than 30 Mbps, NBI will serve them. However, if they get over 30 Mbps, they are deemed to be served. Do you think the mark will become then if someone is on copper, rather than speed, they will be able to get fibre?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: On the broadband connection points, BCPs, 185 schools have them installed. Is that the full number of schools?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: On the public BCPs, is there follow-up on that side as well, such as what difference it has brought to a particular town or part of town?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank the representatives from NBI for their time today. I hope they keep up the good work and keep rolling it out.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: Does NBI follow up with the schools after they have had them for a while to see if it has been successful or how it has made a difference to the school?

Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: If this is a 20-minute slot, I will not take the full ten minutes. I thank the Minister of State and the Department for bringing this legislation before the House. Registration and regulation in any industry and sector is to be welcomed and it is a positive move. It is positive for those engaged in construction and building work because it levels the playing field, with everybody operating...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister's officials for the briefing yesterday on NIFTI. It was very clear and concise and explained to a lot of people what NIFTI does and does not do. My understanding is that it does not choose projects, but it was described as a lens through which to assess a project and how it fits with national strategic objectives in terms of planning and other infrastructure. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Solar Energy Guidelines (25 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: 76. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the draft interim regulations on solar panel installations; if he is conscious of the need to expedite this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3302/22]