Mr. Padraig McNally:

I have no doubt that it should be. Perhaps there is a need for legislative changes but I believe that is an obvious point. I would guarantee a big uptake because there are private developers seeing no great light at the end of the tunnel. They may have paid over the odds for land. In many cases it would provide them with employment and give them a need for the land they have been sitting on for ten or 12 years. That area could be looked at.

Everyone mentions voids. There is one reason for the number of voids. I come from a county which is among those with a level of 2%, and therefore it is not a major issue for us. However, there are many for whom it is an issue and they blame the lack of finance. Roads and voids were the two areas hit. Everything else had to be paid for. It was decided that those were the two things to be put on the back burner. That is what happened to a disgraceful extent.

My last comment relates to speeding up the process. Certain schemes need to go to An Bord Pleanála. Something has to be done with An Bord Pleanála. An Bord Pleanála was quicker in turning around decisions during the boom than it is today, and that is unacceptable.

It can take 12 to 18 months to get a date for a decision but inevitably another letter will arrive to say it has been delayed for two months. Something has to be done about this. I mentioned it in person to the Minister last week when we met with him. An Bord Pleanála has to be examined, not with a view to changing how it does its work but the speed with which it does it.