Results 8,181-8,200 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Local Government (Directly Elected Mayor with Executive Functions in Limerick City and County) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Do you wish to direct that to anybody in particular, Senator Byrne?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Local Government (Directly Elected Mayor with Executive Functions in Limerick City and County) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: That brings us to the end of the slots for members and we have a couple of minutes left, so I will invite each of the witnesses to make a closing remark if they wish to do so. I thank them for coming along. As I said at the closing of the previous session we had with the Department, Limerick is such an ideally placed city, being on the western economic corridor and given all the potential...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Local Government (Directly Elected Mayor with Executive Functions in Limerick City and County) Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Having met and worked with many people from Limerick, I would entirely trust the locals to make the right decision and I have no doubt but that if the right policy-driven candidate is found for what is a very exciting job, he or she could make a significant difference to Limerick and set the bar for the rest of those areas that might look at a directly elected mayor for their regions. I...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: This legislation is particularly welcome by the Green Party, not just because it will address the delivery of affordable housing but because it enshrines in legislation for the first time cost-rental housing. We have long advocated for this form of housing, based on the Vienna model. We met Green Party colleagues from Austria recently to learn from their experience and craft that European...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Referendum Campaigns (24 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: 8. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the referendum on the right to housing as set out in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33361/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Referendum Campaigns (24 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: The programme for Government commits to a referendum on the right to housing. When I raised the issue in the House with the Tánaiste two or three months ago, he indicated that a commission on housing will be tasked with dealing with that process. What is the position on the commission on housing, will the referendum be a priority for that commission and when can we expect to see a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Referendum Campaigns (24 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister of State for the positive news that progress is being made on the matter and that the commission will be active in September. A couple of months ago the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage had a good engagement with Home for Good. We fully understand the complexity of changing the Constitution. Later today, we will debate the Affordable Housing...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Referendum Campaigns (24 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: I welcome the Minister of State's comments, which are very positive. I assure him that the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage is available and willing to engage on this matter when progress is made on it. I understand that the Department is under a great deal of pressure as it develops legislation on marine planning, housing and many other issues. I hope there will...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Building Regulations (24 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: 22. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the Departmental working group that was 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....

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Bodies (24 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: 485. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1196 of 15 June 2021, the basis for the Irish Deer Management Forum being disbanded following the publication of its 2015 report; if he plans for a similar group to be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34044/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Mortality in Single Homeless Population 2020: Engagement with HSE (24 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Dr. O'Carroll for attending and for presenting his report at short notice, which we really appreciate. When the committee was formed back in September or October of last year, we set out work themes we wanted to address and one of them was homelessness, particularly the issue of deaths in homeless services. I was not aware of Dr. O'Carroll’s work and I regret that we did not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Interim Report on Mortality in Single Homeless Population 2020: Engagement with HSE (24 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: I take Dr. O'Carroll's expertise and guidance on that and I thank him for answering my questions. The committee will discuss the issue of his attendance at the launch and engage with him outside of this forum in that regard.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (22 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister, who raises an important point. Often, when we go to see a show or we go to be entertained, we see who is standing on the stage but we have to recognise that many more people are operating front of house, backstage, in production, in decor and in everything else it has taken to get that entertainer on the stage. It is important the schemes recognise them as well. In...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (22 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: I was not made aware of that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (22 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: 63. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of successful and unsuccessful applications for the music and entertainment business assistance scheme to date; if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of sectoral interests regarding the qualifying criteria for the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33214/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (22 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: The music and entertainment business assistance scheme, MEBAS, was launched recently. I know the Minister and her officials put a lot of time and effort into it and met with a broad range of people involved in the music and entertainment sector. The Oireachtas committee meets regularly with them as well. At our most recent meeting, they expressed concern about some of the complexity...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (22 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister for the update. If I read the reply correctly, only three of 300 applications have been refused, which is a refusal rate of only 1%. That would speak to the scheme having some success. I note that the Minister mentioned the other scheme that was launched recently as well, providing €25 million for the live performance support scheme, which will provide an...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Budget 2021 (22 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: 97. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of the €50 million awarded in Budget 2021 to support the live entertainment sector; and the details of the applications and awards made under schemes announced by her Department. [33232/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: I welcome everybody to the committee this morning for our final session on pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the electoral reform Bill 2020. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, back to the committee this morning. Members will be putting some suggestions and perhaps some questions that have arisen from witnesses who have attended so far. We have had a number of...