Results 1-20 of 1,728 for at speaker:Steven Matthews

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank the witnesses for their submissions and their time here today. I would not be so familiar with mica and the issues that people are suffering in Donegal, Mayo and Clare because it is not really prevalent or even existent in my own county, as far as I know, but when there is a hugely expensive scheme such as this, at over €2.2 billion to assist people, I have no doubt there will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: My point related to the possible effect in cases where somebody is waiting for the findings. All good research should lead to more research as well. We do not know what the conclusion will be and we may well have to look at something else. I suppose that is the nature of the work that is being done. The witnesses think the timeframe for the findings is that they will be available by the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: That is very good. Ms Gleeson referred to legislation from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage being required. Is that an amendment to existing legislation or is it new legislation? Does she know what stage any legislation might be at?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Steven Matthews: The grant gets paid at different stages.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2024: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (30 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: This will be a brief meeting that will run to 2.45 p.m. We meet following the referral to this committee by both Houses of the Oireachtas of the Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2024. My understanding is that this is the fourth year the committee has considered this matter. I welcome the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2024: Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (30 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister very much. We had agreed when the meeting was being organised that I might just outline some of the concerns. Members will have an opportunity, in any event, to contribute for a minute or two but we must finish at 2.45 p.m. I agree with the Minister that this is an important measure and that it helps businesses, which are struggling with costs. When we introduced it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I apologise for being late. I wish it could have been here from the start because I have been working on road safety since I started my career as a politician and even before that. The witnesses lead many of the numerous campaigns we have on education and modifying driver behaviour. I read earlier that another cyclist has died in Dún Laoghaire. I want to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Relating to Road Safety: Road Safety Authority (24 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: I am not asking the RSA to design engineering solutions. I am asking it to provide some leadership by submitting to those public consultations to say that the RSA supports the measures that the local authority and the district engineers are trying to implement, often in the face of opposition from councillors who speak out of one side of their mouth and then vote another way. I am asking...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: Everybody is welcome to the committee, which will carry out pre-legislative scrutiny on the general scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024. I thank the witnesses, who have been in touch with us previously, for their attendance. We are joined to assist in pre-legislative scrutiny by from Focus Ireland Mr. Pat Dennigan, chief executive officer, and Mr. Mike Allen, director...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: I suppose we are in a general scheme at the moment. It is not a published Bill or an enacted Bill. I presume that has been assessed and approached by the legal advisers here in the Parliament but Ms Heavey is stating it warrants further analysis.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: Ms Heavey highlighted the example of citizens of an EU state who were assessed as not being eligible but, once the lawyers got involved, that position was then reassessed. On the ground, while this may not be working, in practice such persons would be supported in that situation, although they need to go down the legal route to get that support. Does that speak to a need to have proper...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: I welcome everybody back to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. We are continuing pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024. I welcome the officials from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. We are joined by Mr. David Kelly, assistant secretary in the homelessness, rental and social...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: Approximately how many people are in emergency accommodation at this point?

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (23 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: 185. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the installation of new bus stops at Portmarnock train station; if local school buses will be permitted to use these stops for pick up and collection in addition to the assigned routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18018/24]

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: I submitted amendments Nos. 933 to 939, inclusive. They reflect a Private Members' Bill I have submitted that I think is on Second Stage at the moment. Essentially, this is an environmental protection measure in acknowledgement of sites in our local areas that are environmentally sensitive or of value. They might not meet the threshold to be designated as a Natura site or a natural...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: Does Deputy Bacik want to come in at this point?

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: The Deputy has a question relating to amendment No 954. We will then go to amendment No. 955. I propose we take a five-minute break at 12 noon, which we need to do.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: There are a number of sections on cost in regard to Chapter 2 and we will probably flesh out the discussions a little bit more at that stage.

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (18 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: Unless there are further questions on the ministerial amendments, I suggest that we suspend now and reconvene at 2 p.m. in this room. With that, I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, for his attendance this morning.