Results 8,361-8,380 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Mental Health During and Post Covid-19: Statements (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: A number of months ago, I was contacted by a GP in Wicklow who wanted to let me know about the difficulties she was experiencing in trying to refer patients for mental health services. Following this contact, I organised a meeting with a representative group of GPs in Wicklow. Across the board, all of the GPs expressed the same concerns to me on the availability of psychiatry and psychology...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: I want to confirm that Deputies Ó Broin and Gould are withdrawing amendment No. 58 on the understanding the Minister will come back to them on Report Stage to work on it.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Amendments Nos. 59 to 70, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: I am satisfied the Minister of State has addressed the amendments in his name. I ask Deputy Ó Broin to address amendment No. 61 and Deputy O'Callaghan to address amendment No. 62.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Duffy is no longer on mute. I ask him to mute his microphone in order that Deputy Cian O'Callaghan can resume his contribution.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Amendments Nos. 71 to 74, inclusive, are related and may be taken together.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Boyd Barrett has two amendments in this grouping as well, amendments Nos. 72 and 73. I invite him to speak on those.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: I invite the Minister of State to respond on amendments Nos. 71 to 74, inclusive.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Sorry. I cannot have members speaking across other members. Raise your hands and speak through the Chair, please. I also ask members to stick directly to the amendment before us as much as possible. We have a lot to get through. Sorry, Deputy Gould. Please continue.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Flaherty is indicating. I will let him in as he has not spoken yet. Deputy Boyd Barrett, is that a hand up again to speak on this?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Sorry, Deputy Boyd Barrett. I will let you back in briefly - this will be your third time in on this point - but I will go to Deputy Flaherty first. He had his hand up first. Then we will go the Minister of State and then to Deputy Ó Broin to press the amendment if he so wishes. We really need to stick to the points before us, members. I really would appreciate your co-operation on that.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Boyd Barrett, I ask you to be as brief and as direct as possible, please, and then I will go to the Minister of State.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Deputy Boyd Barrett, you have made that point and I do not want to get into repetitive arguments. I also do not want to get back into political to-and-fro between members of the committee. I will ask the Minister of State to respond to some of the comments that were made and to try to answer some of those questions and then ask Deputy Ó Broin to press the amendment if he so wishes.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: We have agreed to have a committee meeting on construction costs, based on the ESRI report published today. I expect to have that session shortly. We will engage with the Construction Industry Federation on that. That might answer the Deputy's question, if that is acceptable to him.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: There was discussion on amendments Nos. 83 and 86 and I think the Minister indicated he would be accepting or coming back to No. 83 on Report Stage. Will Deputy O'Callaghan please clarify the position as I was not chairing the meeting at the time?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: For clarity, I ask that Deputy O'Callaghan would withdraw amendment No. 83 on the understanding the Minister is going to address it and amendment No. 86 on Report Stage. Deputy O'Callaghan has the right to reintroduce the amendments.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jun 2021)

Steven Matthews: Amendment No. 91 has already been discussed with amendment No. 5. Is it being pressed?