Results 9,421-9,440 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

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

Steven Matthews: I do not want to name a particular brand but I will send the Deputy the details of one that was announced this month.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: 368. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will carry out a review of ongoing issues related to Covid-19 in a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow. [31626/20]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: 426. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if clarity will be provided regarding the parental leave extension announced in budget 2021; if there are provisions that would allow parents to take the extra leave in advance of the proposed timeframe of April 2021; and if the rationale for the timeline can be outlined. [31623/20]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: We will now deal with item No. 6 on our agenda, that is the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020. We are joined by Mr. Feargal Ó Coigligh, assistant secretary, and by Ms Emer Connolly, principal officer, at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. Members have received a copy of the opening statement, the general scheme of the Bill...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: I thank Ms Connolly. We have agreed an order for questions and Fianna Fáil is first. Do Senator Fitzpatrick and Deputy McAuliffe wish to share time?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: Members have five minutes to ask questions and hear answers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: We are just out of time, Mr. Ó Coigligh, and I am pretty sure that other Deputies and Senators will raise the Dublin supply.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: Sinn Féin is next and I call Deputy Ó Broin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: The Deputy can get more answers in the second round.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: We are out of time on this question. We may come back to it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: The water framework directive requires us to have a licensing and regulation system in place. That is a good thing because we can see from the documentation there is a lack of accuracy and knowledge in terms of how much water is currently being extracted. We have data from some local authorities but much of it is out of date and has not been followed up on. It surprises me to hear that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: It is possible to have a series of 24 cu. m abstractions that do not need to be notified. The cumulative effect of that could be quite significant. Regarding being onerous in recording the use or abstraction of water, we have been careless with our water resources for far too long and that is why we find ourselves in a situation where there is extreme pressure on our water sources and our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: I thank Deputy O'Callaghan for keeping well within his time. We will now proceed to the second round of questions and answers, returning first to Senator Fitzpatrick.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: We know leakage is part and parcel of every water system throughout the world, with significant losses occurring through it. I do not know if 25% or 30% is best practice on leakage. Is there a requirement in this Bill for licensed, notified or temporary extractors to manage leakage to a certain level? Many have raised the issue of it being a finite resource and that overabstraction can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: I thank Ms Connolly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: We can now go to a third round of questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: Will Deputy Ó Broin explain which head he is referring to?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: I will bring in Deputy Murnane O'Connor and Senator Fitzpatrick if they would like to share this slot.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: I will come back in on this round again. My point follows from what was mentioned by Deputy Ó Broin mentioned early. Head 13(1)(e), which relates to "the case of a licence issued under head 13", proposes to provide for "consideration of the effect of the abstraction" on a number of listed categories, including human health, soil, land and the water environment. Head 13(1)(f) proposes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Environment (Abstractions) Bill 2020: Discussion (20 Oct 2020)

Steven Matthews: Under head 12 - "Licensing of abstractions commencing after the prescribed date" - an environmental impact assessment is required.