Maria Bailey (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This committee has always worked very well with the Department and this time last year we passed the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2017 which allows us fast-track any application for a development of more than 100 units. When we talk about speeding up the process, vacant homes are only one area of many in Rebuilding Ireland. There are applications for 4,000 homes, 2,500 apartments and 5,000 student accommodation units before An Bord Pleanála at the moment. By working together we can see that we are speeding up the process. This is another measure for vacant homes and there is consensus on this. It is a question of how we work together and tease it out. I know there is an urgency. While the witnesses mentioned only two meetings, I know multiple daily meetings are happening in this area. Do Mr. Sheridan or Ms Neary want to respond to any of the questions Senator O'Sullivan and Deputy Ellis raised?