Results 1-20 of 1,966 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Steven Matthews

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Land Issues (16 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: I want to discuss the issue of public rights of way in the country. I expect this is a matter for the Department of Justice but I nonetheless want to thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for being here tonight to take this issue. The background to me raising this, apart from having some experience in dealing with rights of way issues where we have tried to include them in county...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Land Issues (16 Apr 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister of State for the response. Having spent nine weeks and 126 hours so far in the basement dealing with the new Planning and Developing Bill, I believe that many of those sections referred to by the Minster of State will no longer be relevant because of the new section numbers of the Bill. I take the Minister of State's point on this. I have been through county...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: The Minister's response is very positive and the figure of €156 million for 1,700 projects is impressive. I am glad she mentioned the requirement for buy-in from local communities. Going through that participative process is key to success. I am sure if she had time she would have mentioned Blessington in my constituency. It has a beautiful wide main street, a beautiful square and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: I am delighted the Minister mentioned Newtownmountkennedy, which is the home town of my father-in-law, Noel Doyle. He is a very proud resident, as are all the other residents. There is a scheme to rejuvenate the main street, which is another example of a wide street. The town has seen considerable population growth, which is a good thing. Many houses have been built throughout north...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: The town and village renewal scheme under the Minister's Department is a fantastic scheme to invest in our rural towns and villages. I was delighted to see the Minister's announcement last month of a €4.5 million package for our rural towns and villages. Will the Minster outline any analysis her Department is conducting on those investments to ensure we are achieving what we set out...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Schools Building Projects (13 Feb 2024)

Steven Matthews: 78. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the planning permission applications for two schools (details supplied); if they are being prioritised by her Department to reflect the shortage of secondary school places in the wider area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6257/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Schools Building Projects (13 Feb 2024)

Steven Matthews: I wish to ask about two school extension projects in the Kilcoole and Greystones area. Coláiste Chraobh Abhann has planning permission and is waiting to go to the stage to build the extension. The other is Temple Carrig School in Blacklion in Greystones which is waiting to go into the planning process. The Minister will be well aware of the issue we have with schools in the Greystones...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Schools Building Projects (13 Feb 2024)

Steven Matthews: I am delighted to hear the Minister refer to 1,000-pupil Greystones Community College project which is also part of the of the building mix required in Greystones. However, my question related to the extensions for Temple Carrig School and to Coláiste Chraobh Abhann. They are all part of the mix. As the Minister knows, every year we go through this frantic process of trying to find...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: In respect of the energy upgrade for schools and the pathfinder programme, a further 14 schools were announced for inclusion. When will those schools be notified that they are part of that programme? Obviously, the free solar panels we are putting onto schools throughout the country are beneficial in the context of their energy requirements, but the energy retrofits will be quite important...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (18 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister of State for that response. It is good to get it down on paper, especially since I had not realised that €145 million had been invested in infrastructure in County Wicklow schools. When I go around the county and see those new schools being built, such as St. Coen's in Rathnew, or St. David's, as the Minister of State referenced, I realise the advancements that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (18 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: This is also related to education and schools and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Heydon, for dealing with it. I was informed that the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, would not be available today. I accept that and trust that the Minister of State will relay my comments and requests back to her. Since I was elected I have been engaging with parents in north Wicklow,...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: It has been a long process to get to this stage. I feel like I have been working on this for approximately two years, possibly longer. It is significant and major legislation, as people have noted. I suspect I am not the only person who will speak today who has not read the publication we received recently in its entirety. We all agree that while the 2000 Act served well in many areas,...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I got involved in politics because of my interest in planning and because I understand that if we do not have a proper planning system, everything else fails. When you get planning right, people generally do not notice, because things are good, but when you get it wrong an entire generation or generations can live with the legacy. We see some of that in the urban sprawl we have seen in the...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I look forward to tabling a number of amendments and discussing them with the Minister. I will not need any books over the Christmas period. I have my reading list sorted now.

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (30 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: That is what the Christmas break is for.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: The organic farm schemes in this country have been quite successful and quite attractive to farmers, with the increase in their incomes and the better impact on our environment. I pay thanks to the work of the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and the Ministers of State, Deputy Heydon and Senator Hackett. When will the organic farm payment be paid out? It is coming close to Christmas and...

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: Will the Minister of State wrap up then?

Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: The Bill is the Government legislating for the recommendations of the Electoral Commission. The Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage was presented with the general scheme of the Bill and given an opportunity to carry out pre-legislative scrutiny of it, but we waived that opportunity because committee members felt that the commission was an independent and objective body...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Septic Tanks (9 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I raise the glamorous subject of septic tanks or domestic private wastewater treatment plants, as they are properly known. My Green Party colleague, Deputy Ó Cathasaigh recently raised some important questions at the Committee of Public Accounts about rates of inspection of septic tanks. Will the Minister of State outline the number of septic tanks there are nationally, the number of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Septic Tanks (9 Nov 2023)

Steven Matthews: I thank the Minister of State. I completely agree with him that we need to raise public awareness of this and of the substantial grant increase that has been introduced by the Minister. I did some research and worked out that there are probably approximately 500,000 private domestic wastewater treatment systems in operation. However, a report published by the EPA in June suggests that only...