Results 9,001-9,020 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: Is Deputy O'Donoghue present?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: That is not my understanding. I am trying to take every member in and give every member an opportunity and then I will allow members-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: That is my interpretation and I am chairing the meeting, Senator Boyhan. I call Deputy Ó Broin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: We have 15 minutes left. As I said, we have Deputies Ó Broin and McAuliffe and the Senator. If everybody sticks to five minutes, the Senator will get in. He is wasting time now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Deputy. There are just three minutes left on that slot now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: I call Deputy McAuliffe and ask that he stick to five minutes for questions and answers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: I want to bring in Senator Boyhan at this point. Time permitting, the witnesses can respond later to the Senator's question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Dr. Suiter and Dr. Reidy for their attendance, for their insight and knowledge on this matter and for their previous contributions to the committee. Their work has led to us getting to this stage. I thank them for that and for their recommendations on people to engage with. The meeting will suspend until 12.15 p.m., when we will reconvene in private session.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank the witnesses for their participation. My first question is for Mr. Walsh and TII. He provided us with an extensive list of large projects and significant expenditures under the national development plan, NDP. It concerns me that they relate to an area with significant carbon emissions and a fossil fuel dependency. I will ask a couple of direct questions on that point. What is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: A number of projects in the list are costed. When TII assesses a project, does it measure the embedded carbon and the likely carbon emissions from the project over its lifetime?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: Good. Will that practice be applied to some of these projects as we consider the new NDP?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Walsh. It is a good thing to do. I appreciate that it has not been perfected and there is much to work out. Climate action needs to be at the front and centre of every transport decision that we make. We need to recognise that even if we are in the process of design or various stages of a plan, we need to consider the possibility of locking ourselves into future carbon...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: Why is Tramore not included in the Waterford metropolitan area?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: With the size of the population and proximity to Waterford city, it should probably be considered as part of the metropolitan area for the transport strategy. I will get parochial for a moment and talk about the N11 in Wicklow. I know that there is a proposal for express buses on that road. I suggest that the express bus can work well if it operates from departure point to destination...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: The safety improvements proposed along the N11 in regard to the exit and entry ramps, drainage and upgrade of the road in certain places are to be welcomed, as is the express bus service. This needs to be done in tandem with development of a really good service along the eastern spine in Wicklow, serving all of those population centres. I thank the witnesses for their time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: I have a question for the NTA representatives. Irish Rail has an order of intercity railcar units ready for delivery some time next year. If the company were to increase this order, would that allow it to roll out increased capacity on, for example, the Cork, Galway and Wicklow services or to operate them at greater frequency?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Creegan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homelessness: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: The committee is meeting this morning to discuss the issue of homelessness. I wish to remind members that, since they are attending remotely, the Debates Office has asked that each speaker be clearly identified by name to help ensure the accuracy of the Official Report. If members clearly identify themselves and state that they are within the confines of Leinster House, it would be helpful...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homelessness: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: I invite Dr. Una Burns to make her opening statement on behalf of Novas.