Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will be as brief as possible. I would like to pay compliments to both organisations. They perform great services locally and nationally. I have a few questions. I am not sure of the wording here - I refer to the strategic housing development, the more than 100 buildings that go directly to an Bord Pleanála. It has been suggested that this body is almost as slow as the local authority, if not slower. Would the witnesses comment on that and on how that could be improved?

Moreover, I refer to the provision of strategic land bank moneys. In County Louth there is one scheme, and to my understanding it is no further along in opening up possible land developments. Granted, that is over two years. I am told it will take another three. How can those be improved?

Obviously there is a need for additional apprenticeships, but I have been experiencing particular difficulty with importing the skills and getting clearance for them. How can that be improved? People who are staying in hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation are asked for such items as household bills, which in the main they do not have. How can we fast-track that?

I have a serious concern about the issue of procurement in a pre-Brexit or post-Brexit situation. Mr. Parlon referred to the issue of road construction. The main players from the north east and the Border counties tend to operate in the south of the country. However, the massive players are Northern Ireland rural construction companies. What has been done to ensure that those gaps are filled? If standards are not the same, or if there is any deviation, we could be left with a dearth of opportunities to open and expand road construction.

I know Mr. Malone will not like to hear me saying this. WuXi Biologics and the various developments that Dundalk was able to attract were referred to. It was probably able to attract them because of the chamber of commerce and the excellent communication between the colleges and the local authority to bring about improvements. Is there a danger that places will become unattractive because of the unavailability of housing? That is a serious concern I have. We are dealing with students and an influx of people who are coming in from outside to help provide employment in these factories. Unless we do something strategically to ensure that the landbanks are there, I worry that places are in danger of becoming no-go areas because people will not be able to get accommodation.