Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This meeting has been convened for the purpose of the consideration of Committee Stage of the Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015. The meeting will continue, if necessary, until 9.30 p.m. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The aim of this Bill is to prevent land in areas in which housing is required, or areas that are in need of renewal, from lying idle or remaining vacant, to establish a register of vacant sites in those areas, to provide for a vacant sites levy, to amend the Derelict Sites Act 1990, to amend Parts II, III and V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and to provide for related matters.

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Paudie Coffey.