Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Let us take the example of agricultural land valued at €10,000 an acre. If a council or other public body makes the decision to rezone it for residential use, the value might increase to €400,000 an acre. Is the Minister agreeing that the profit of €390,000 profit an acre should go to the owner of the land? As Judge Kenny asked when the matter came before the courts 40 years ago, why does the landowner deserve all that profit from a decision relating to the public good? If this is to encourage, as the Minister stated, the supply of zoned land, have we not seen the folly of those ways over the past 50 years and the corruption to which they give rise?