Results 9,061-9,080 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: I agree with Mr. Kingston. It makes sense to have an independent investigation unit, such as the rail accident investigation unit or the air accident investigation unit. It is perfect sense that it should apply to the marine as well. Could a fully constituted board pursue that matter or would it be a matter for the board?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Kingston and Mr. McCarthy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister for attending in order to assist us with our scrutiny of the legislation. We discussed the legislation with witnesses at an earlier session. I will confine my questions to the legislation before us. I asked the witnesses if they agreed that this legislation addresses the European Court of Justice's ruling or decision and if it would give the MCIB the independence it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: No, I am finished.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Departmental Schemes (27 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: 225. To ask the Minister for Finance the details regarding the uptake of the stay and spend scheme to date; and his plans to extend the existing deadline for the scheme or reintroduce a similar one to incentivise domestic travel and spending once it is safe to do so. [4290/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (27 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: 598. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to engage with course directors in third-level institutions to discuss ongoing concerns particularly in relation to practical aspects of course work that has either been restricted or completely cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. [4152/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Business of Joint Committee (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: I want to go into private session for a couple of minutes. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: The committee is meeting today to consider the report on the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and to begin pre-legislative scrutiny on the general scheme of the Electoral Reform Bill 2020. I advise members that the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has contacted the secretariat in relation to its statutory role to input into legislation with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: We are experiencing some technical difficulties. Please bear with us. We will go into private session until we sort out the technical details.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: I apologise for the technical glitch we had there. We have it all sorted now and I am delighted to invite the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, to the committee. I do not know if the Minister of State heard the introduction I had given, but he is very welcome this morning to discuss the electoral reform Bill. I had just said that we acknowledge the work done by the previous committee on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister of State for his opening statement. He has outlined some of the important issues in the Bill. They are really sensible, particularly the pre-registration of 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds. We often get somebody who has just turned 18 years of age several days before an election asking if they can register. Unfortunately, we have to tell them that they had to register...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: You are just hitting it now, so please be as brief as possible.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: We had a technical glitch at the start and I do not know if the witnesses heard our opening address but they are very welcome to the committee this morning. I thank them for their responses. I can see hands up on the screen but I will follow the usual rota we have in committees. Is it Deputy Gould or Deputy Ó Broin that is going next?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: We have run out of time on that. I believe three of Deputy Ó Broin's eight questions have been covered. I hope we can get back to the remaining five, if that is okay with the Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: Head No. 14 indicates that the commission can appoint consultants or advisers to assist its work on voter education which is important, as Ms Woods has outlined, and inclusion and research, which members have asked about. It is subject to available financial resources and no longer requires the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. It is good that it has independence...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: On that, when local electoral areas are being set, where there are obvious geographical boundaries or historical, cultural or societal links to a certain municipal district there is a little bit of flexibility in that. It will not come down purely to the numbers. It will still take that into account.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Ryan. I had questions on this in reference to appointments to the commission and the suggestion that at least one member of the commission, and perhaps more than one, should have expertise in online information - digital information - from that web of complex layers that lie within online political advertising. What are Mr. Ryan's views on that? Is that too prescriptive? Does...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: I thank Mr. Ryan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: The next-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Treatment (Abstractions) Bill 2020 and Electoral Reform Bill 2020: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: Go ahead. The Deputy still has 30 seconds.