Mr. Simon Murray:

Regarding what Deputy Fitzmaurice said, planning is an issue. Senator Ó Clochartaigh covered the problems with Leader, of which there are many at present. It is a huge issue. I live on Inishbofin Island, which is an SPA and an SAC, and is designated category five. We practically needed to give a kidney to get planning, that is basically the long and short of it. I was waiting 20 years to get planning on a house across the road that I own myself, and I live on the island. It was a house to do up for my son and it was an existing dwelling. At the same time, the council built two houses on brand-new sites. It could do what it wanted, but I could not do anything. There is a huge discrepancy in how the planning law is actually put into practice in areas with a high designation. This has consequences for the people who live there. We build for the future and what we hope for, but if this is militated against by the actual planning authority itself it has serious consequences.