Results 1,681-1,700 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: We have covered amendments Nos. 442 and 444. I suggest we take amendment No. 456 now and then I can sit in to discuss my six or seven amendments that are sandwiched between.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I think we have a considerable number of votes to take after we do this section. I do not imagine we will get to those amendments. If I read the brief correctly, once we are finished with this group of amendments, I have approximately 18 votes to take. If I do not have full attendance, that will take about eight hours. Deputy Boyd Barrett may come back on Tuesday week.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: We will not get to those tonight in any way at all and possibly not even tomorrow. It will very much depend on whether everybody attends the committee. In that case we would probably get through the votes in a much more timely manner. Does Deputy Ó Broin wish to speak to amendment No. 456?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I have seven amendments that I would like to speak to. I am trying to get somebody to take over the Chair for me. If you like, we can move to amendment No. 476 until I have somebody to come in. Would one of the members be willing to step in?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: Here is the gavel that Deputy Ó Broin could not find earlier, in case the Acting Chair needs it. The amendments I have are amendments Nos. 445, 446 and 450. They are not related but perhaps we can just work through them. Amendment No. 445 relates to section 52(5)(c). My suggestion is to add “district heating systems” to “energy”. We had this discussion...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: At the moment, I do not feel we have enough attention on district heating systems and I feel they will be very much part of our energy and climate transition. However, it is covered under “energy” in that the Minister of State will accept that.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: On that basis, I will withdraw amendment No. 455. I wrote amendment No. 446 prior to the biodiversity action plan becoming a statutory document. We have had much discussion, especially with the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, on this. The Minister will review how we look at biodiversity protection and consultation in relation to it. On that basis, I am happy to withdraw amendment No....

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate that. It sounds quite positive. The reason I ask that the Minister set it out regulation is so that we have it standardised across the local authorities. I will move on. My grouping of amendments is amendments Nos. 459 and 460. I ask the Minister of State to give me a moment to get my bearings. Amendment No. 459 relates to section 53 on...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: Yes. It is all about just a little more oversight in bringing the public into the addition or deletion of protected structures.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: That is fine, and I totally accept the point that you cannot put a site notice on somebody else's land and that it is up to the applicant to do that. Some sort of public notice is what I meant. It is just in order that the public are aware that something is happening with the structure or that it is being added or deleted. I think that would be beneficial.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: That is what I am trying to do here. It is under paragraph (7)(d).

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I just want to be sure on amendment No. 463. It relates to the following passage in the Bill: Where, in making the development plan ..., the members of the authority do not comply with any recommendation made by the Minister or the ... [OPR] ..., they shall so inform the Minister or the ... [OPR], as the case may be, as soon as practicable by notice in writing which notice shall contain a...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: Yes, but the Bill states "by notice in writing". The decision not to comply with it might be made in public or at a public meeting, but then a notice in writing which "shall contain a statement of the reasons for not complying" must be provided. What I want to know is whether that written notice is a public document.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: Would it be available on the local authority website, say? I am just wondering how somebody would have access to the written notice stating, "We will not comply with the recommendations of the Minister."

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: And it would be made publicly available on the website.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: That is fine. Amendment No. 466 relates to material alterations. This is under subsection 53(12). A report is to be produced listing all persons who have made submissions and providing a summary of the recommendations and submissions made by the Minister and the recommendations and submissions of the Office of the Planning Regulator. I am suggesting that there should also be a summary...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: If the wording is changed to "elected members" to cover it, then I will be happy. That is precisely what I mean. It is the elected members, rather than a public representative maybe.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I would take it as referring to the list of persons who made submissions. If the interpretation here is that a submission can be written or verbal at a meeting, then section 53(12)(c)(ii) requires the provision of a summary of the recommendations and submissions made by the Minister and recommendations and submissions made by the Office of the Planning Regulator. In this context, I am happy...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: Well, it could refer to any written submissions by elected representatives in respect of the process. I would imagine that the report of the chief executive would, though, encapsulate submissions made at a meeting as well.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: It would not.