Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Planning was mentioned. I ask the Minister to do something about the planning scenario that has deprived young people from having a home. At present, rural areas are treated as areas under urban generated pressure. The policy was adopted to stop people leaving towns and building in areas outside of towns. The policy also stops a person in a rural area who buys a site 300 yards away from getting planning permission to build a house for himself or herself. I refer to a person who is already in the area, and has been born and reared in the area.

He is deprived of getting planning permission for a site he could buy that is 350 m away because it is an area under urban generated pressure. There must be some way of addressing it and of giving some direction to the local authorities. It was raised in Kerry County Council last week and got no hearing in the world. It has to be sorted out nationally.