Results 1,921-1,940 of 9,814 for speaker:Steven Matthews

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I would like to get a response on those first because the next bunch of amendments are quite similar.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: Amendments Nos. 710 and 712. They have to be read with amendment No. 661 as well.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: Amendment No. 661 refers to page 216, and that relates to applications for permission for development in material contravention of a development plan or a national marine planning framework, which is section 96.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: That is a somewhat positive response, so I look forward to considering this very seriously. There has been so much discussion about delays in the planning system, and I do not particularly agree with some of the commentary about delays in the planning system. We have a very good, participative and democratic planning system, and I do not lightly suggest amendments that would contravene a...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I think other members have indicated to speak on these amendments.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: In response to Deputy Boyd Barrett, all planning decisions should be made in the interests of proper planning, sustainable development and the common good, so my amendment is not that any planning application would be granted just because it is in the furtherance of climate objectives, but it would have to meet the high bar that we are going to set in this Bill for sustainability, common good...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: We could consider many different scenarios and cases. I have full trust in the planning officials in a local authority and in the commission to make the right decision. This just gives them a greater option where objectives in the development plan may have been changed midstream, which we have seen. It is to allow that greater flexibility in the decision-making process. However, all...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: He was looking for answers from me.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I have done so.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: The rest of my amendments in this grouping are on environment and climate and the checks and balances that need to be applied. Amendment No. 724 relates to consultation prior to a request under section 135, which relates to extensions and alterations to planning permission. Section 134(5)(c) states: (c) advise the person who made the application under subsection (1) regarding the...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I accept what the Minister of State has said. When we are writing these amendments we probably do not craft them in the way they should be written to go into legislation. I will withdraw amendment No. 763 and I may introduce tighter wording on Report Stage. I am also willing to withdraw my other amendments in this group based on the Minister of State's responses.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: That concludes discussion of the grouping. I will now put the question on amendment No. 131 in the names of Deputies Duffy and O'Callaghan. Is the amendment being pressed?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: As it is now 8.15 p.m. the committee will adjourn. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, and his officials for their attendance. I will see everyone tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Steven Matthews: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, and his officials. We will start where we finished yesterday a the large group associated with amendment No. 120. We have gone through all of the amendments in that group as far as amendment No. 168.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Steven Matthews: Amendment No. 170 is mine. I cannot move or speak to it from the Chair. I will ask the Minister if he will read the response to that and I will not speak to it at all.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank Deputy Duffy for stepping into the Chair. I think we all become aware during our time here - some of us have been here a shorter time than others - that when drafting an amendment, it needs to be written in a careful manner because it becomes the law. When we discuss things in this room about amendments and insertions, although they are well intentioned and the thought behind them...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Steven Matthews: Is that covered in the legislation? Does it state that?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Steven Matthews: I accept that the submissions come in, they are gone through and they are assessed on whether they are relevant to the plan. Often submissions come in to a plan that are not relevant to that particular plan but are well intended. If we had somewhere in that process of public consultation a submissions period and then the production of a draft plan-----

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Steven Matthews: -----we could also have, in between those processes, what we might call a "respond to" document which acknowledges and collates the submissions we have considered around that. It must be done anyway in order to create a draft document, so there must be such a document somewhere.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Steven Matthews: I appreciate that.