Ms Alma Walsh:

On the national planning framework and our understanding of how to address wider housing distribution and spatial patterns in a rural context, we have examined the figures for 2001 to 2016, inclusive, in terms of what the system is dealing with.

In terms of one-off housing and the granting of planning permission as a proportion of planning permissions for residential dwellings, rural housing accounts for 84% of all planning permissions granted nationally as a proportion of all planning applications handled by local authorities. The system is handling quite a number of them and I can circulate the figures to members. The information is broken down on a county basis. We have a favourable system nationally that allows for this aspect. Having worked in planning departments in local authorities, we are fully aware of the intricacies of individual cases and the exceptional circumstances that can arise when assessing a planning application and a genuine need to live in the countryside.

Deputy Healy-Rae referred to the fact that villages will disintegrate if communities disappear. Evidence suggests that villages are disintegrating in spite of the fact that there are approximately 470,000 occupied one-off houses in the countryside. We suggest that when members of the committee reflect on the national planning framework and bring forward a draft that they are cognisant that what villages and towns in rural areas need is not necessarily more one-off housing.