Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I hope that members of the public are not tuned in to this meeting today because so far, it has been an example of politics being put ahead of problem solving. The problem that needs to be solved is the housing crisis. Allegedly, that is the shared priority of us all but here we are, discussing ideology, political positions and specific developments in people's back yards. Deputies are engaging in political posturing instead of looking at this national legislation as a real opportunity to deliver the affordable homes that we all so desperately want. The LDA is a key part of the Government's solution to the housing crisis and that is a fact. The Bill before us is key and this is an opportunity for colleagues in opposition to shape the legislation instead of just opposing it at every turn. Indeed, they have already shaped it to some degree because there are lots of left-leaning elements in there already, including the taking back of power from developers and the utilisation of land that has been effectively frozen by stagnation. This is all about something that we all allegedly agree on, that is, delivering homes for people who need them. Surely we all want to make the most of State-owned land that is lying idle. That means engaging in active land management which is exactly what this Bill sets out to achieve. Its aim is to make sure that State land deemed appropriate for housing does not lie idle in the middle of a housing crisis but is used to deliver affordable and social homes for people who need them.