Results 9,401-9,420 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Referendum on Right to Housing: Discussion (3 Nov 2020)

Steven Matthews: Is Deputy Higgins and Senator Seery Kearney sharing time?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Referendum on Right to Housing: Discussion (3 Nov 2020)

Steven Matthews: Yes, if one person wants to go first and have five minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Referendum on Right to Housing: Discussion (3 Nov 2020)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Deputy for his comments on that. I have a question on other jurisdictions. Ms Hennigan mentioned Finland. Did it start from the same position as Ireland in having a private property right enshrined in its constitution? Are we starting from the same place as Finland or the other international examples she gave? I do not have the wording in front of me but I refer to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Referendum on Right to Housing: Discussion (3 Nov 2020)

Steven Matthews: In their submission, the witnesses state that a change to the Constitution such as this would also offer security to current homeowners. Could they expand a little on that, please?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Referendum on Right to Housing: Discussion (3 Nov 2020)

Steven Matthews: I have one minute left. Our primary concern here is homelessness and the provision of housing. If this right is put into the Constitution, could it go further in terms of adequate housing, in areas such as universal housing design, adaptability, future use etc.? Could it be called on that it is in the Constitution that we provide adequate housing and housing of an adequate size where we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Referendum on Right to Housing: Discussion (3 Nov 2020)

Steven Matthews: I might just hold off on hearing that answer because we have a few more members to get through, and I do not want to go over my allocated time. I call on Deputy McAuliffe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Referendum on Right to Housing: Discussion (3 Nov 2020)

Steven Matthews: We are over time on this particular point. The Senator raised an important point that will need to be examined further. There are only two minutes remaining. I will allow a brief question from Deputy Ó Broin, followed by Senator Mary Fitzpatrick.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Referendum on Right to Housing: Discussion (3 Nov 2020)

Steven Matthews: I thank Deputy Ó Broin. I call Senator Fitzpatrick.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Referendum on Right to Housing: Discussion (3 Nov 2020)

Steven Matthews: We are out of time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Referendum on Right to Housing: Discussion (3 Nov 2020)

Steven Matthews: I was going to suggest, as Deputy Ó Broin requested, that the committee write to the Minister and ask him to meet the Home for Good Coalition to discuss this further. It is a good suggestion that we also write to the Minister providing him with an outline of what was discussed by the committee today and asking him to set out how the Department is progressing that action in the programme...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (22 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: 115. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide clarity regarding the pandemic unemployment payment amendments announced in Budget 2021; if a person in receipt of this payment was fortunate enough to earn over the €480 in one month for any reason, the knock on implications for their PUP payment. [32088/20]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (22 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: 116. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if consideration has been given with regard to those in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payments and their ability to join full-time retraining courses that would allow them to upskill in which their current employment is adversely affected due to Covid-19. [32089/20]

Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: I, too, thank the Minister for the considerable amount of engagement he has had with Members regarding this Bill on this difficult subject matter. I refer, particularly, to the briefing yesterday which clearly outlined the intention behind this Bill we are discussing today and the difficulties with the existing commission legislation. The legislation being considered today has an...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: 59. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide clarity with regard to the new CRSS scheme; and if there is flexibility in the qualifying criteria which refers to annual turnover of less than €2 million to reflect businesses such as travel agents that may have significant turnover but the vast majority contributes to other business endeavours rather than their own. [31902/20]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Lending (21 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: 60. To ask the Minister for Finance if he has held further talks with the main lender banks with regard to the provision of loans and mortgages to those in receipt of EWSS or the pandemic unemployment payment (details supplied). [31906/20]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Governor of the Central Bank (21 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: I thank our guests for their attendance and their submission. I turn to economic forecasting, which, as they admitted, is very difficult because of a number of factors, such as Brexit, Covid-19 in Ireland and how other economies will perform in respect of Covid. Personal savings have accrued throughout the economy over the past six to seven months. I do not know what the exact figures are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Governor of the Central Bank (21 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: Mr. Makhlouf is quite correct that the recovery will come. That brings me to my next subject, mortgages, which has been covered by a number of other members. In supports we have applied to business and enterprise in this country, we have applied a standard of vulnerable but viable and have sought to support, assist and get people through until we reach that recovery stage, which will come....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Governor of the Central Bank (21 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: I agree that they should and it would be really nice if they did. Is there any mechanism that is stronger than just suggesting or requesting that they should do so? In terms of the overall long-term prospect for the economy and young families starting off, they have their whole lifetime of working through this economy, so it is wrong to put in a stumbling block that could last for 18 months...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 31 – Transport (Revised) (21 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister of State for her attendance at the committee and for her detailed submission. It is very welcome to see the increase in the Minister of State's departmental budget, which is a significant increase from budgets before. It is reassuring to see the focus on investment in public transport. As a country, we planned around cars for the past 40 or 50 years. As such, we have...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 31 – Transport (Revised) (21 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: Will the Minister of State come back to me on the electrical vehicles suggestion?