Results 7,901-7,920 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: 157. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the Departmental working group set up to investigate potential amendments to building regulations to require changing places (details supplied) in suitable public buildings; the number of times the group has met; if he plans to meet with the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46211/21]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: 258. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of persons currently on the waiting list for the standard driver test in test centres in County Wicklow; the mechanisms being put in place to alleviate this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46341/21]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Planning Issues (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: 323. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of times between January 2017 to August 2020 that the board of An Bord Pleanála overruled the recommendation of case inspectors with regards to decisions on planning applications and appeals in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47135/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Ó Coigligh for going through the briefing on the heads of Bill.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: Head 5, dealing with shares, at (f) states: The ... [Ministers] may, in respect of the shares in Irish Water for the time being held by either of them, exercise all or any of the rights and powers from time to time exercisable by the holder of such shares. Will Mr. Ó Coigligh kindly explain to me what rights and powers the holders of such shares might exercise?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Ms Groarke for the clarification. On head 12, and heads 10 to 13, inclusive, relate to transfer, just to reiterate and it has been stated already, there is no provision in this general scheme relating to transfer of local authority staff. This is purely Irish Water staff and Irish Water being separated from Ervia’s current set-up. Can that point be clarified again for me,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: My last question deals with where Ervia consists of Irish Water and Gas Networks Ireland. When Irish Water is separated out, will Ervia continue to exist in any form or will it be required?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: These will then be stand-alone public utilities, nationally owned. I thank Mr. Ó Coigligh.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: Deputy O'Callaghan has raised an important point. In a lot of documentation we see, there is a failure to use gender-inclusive language. This instance relates to just one Department, whereas this should be applied across all legislation and heads of Bills. As a committee, we will write to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. Is that the office responsible for such drafting?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: The purpose of this meeting is pre-legislative scrutiny of the water services separation Bill 2021. We are joined by Mr. Feargal Ó Coigligh, assistant secretary, water division, Ms Shirley Groarke, principal officer and Ms Karen Flynn, assistant principal of water services governance, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Members have been circulated with the briefing,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: I am sure the Department will note the comments of Senator Cummins. To be fair to witnesses, I urge members to keep the discussion on the Bill before us and not to stray too far into other water-related matters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Ó Coigligh. We are out of time on that slot. I again remind members that pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the water services separation Bill 2021 is what is on our agenda. To be fair to the witnesses, that is what we have invited them in to discuss.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: I am not sure if Mr. Ó Coigligh, as an official in the Department, can answer on behalf of Irish Water.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: That is a relevant point and we as a committee will take that up ourselves and write to that grouping.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: Deputy O'Donoghue has raised an important point. When we ask questions of witnesses in committee, those witnesses often do not have somebody writing down those questions. When members are looking for written answers back, it would be helpful for them to follow up. I am sure we brought it up and Irish Water representatives committed to meet the Deputy at Croom or I cannot remember where we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: I know I did. I think it would be helpful to follow up with a written reminder of the commitment they made. We have been through the third round of questions and there are no further questions to be asked of the departmental officials. I thank Mr. Ó Coigligh, Ms Groarke and Ms Flynn for their attendance today to assist us in our scrutiny of the heads of the Bill. We will now...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: We are out of time. We should be sticking to pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill before us.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Quality and Infrastructure and Small Town and Villages Growth Programme: Discussion (23 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: I welcome members and guest to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and remind them to mute their microphones. We are here this morning to discuss water quality and infrastructure and the small town and villages growth programme. We are joined by Mr. Feargal Ó Coigligh, assistant Secretary, Mr. David Flynn, principal adviser, and Ms Joanne Walshe, principal...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Quality and Infrastructure and Small Town and Villages Growth Programme: Discussion (23 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: Yes, I can hear you.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Quality and Infrastructure and Small Town and Villages Growth Programme: Discussion (23 Sep 2021)

Steven Matthews: Unfortunately, we seem to have lost the connection to Mr. Ó Coigligh. The connection is now back. Will Mr. Ó Coigligh commence from the start? We lost you at the opening line.