John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is very much an inherited difficulty. However, at the moment there is a great demand for social housing. There is a cap for buy-to-let arrangements and so on of up to €220,000. We all have strategies but what people want is immediate action. Strategies can take a long time in terms of planning, design and rezoning. Many of these lands have been taken out of the zoning area. Has any consideration been given to a private public partnership? Let us consider the position in Sligo, where €30 million went to the housing agency for lands. Apparently, they are worth only €2 million now. Would it not make economic sense in respect of the construction sector and job creation to get activity going in those sites as against an indefinite strategy that will ultimately see few houses being built?