Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

If parties were agreeable to this, we could have 1,200 affordable and social homes being delivered quickly in Donabate. If we are to get the kind of delivery we need, selling off that land to a private developer and not getting those badly needed 1,200 affordable and social homes is hugely regressive in terms of what needs to be done.

The Minister stated the amendments in this group, including my amendments, go against the intent of the Bill. My amendment No. 240 provides that part of the function of the Bill is the creation of sustainable development and sustainable communities. For clarity, the Minister is refusing my amendment because he believes the creation of sustainable development and sustainable communities goes against the intent of this Bill. That is what he said. He should explain why he does not believe the Land Development Agency, as part of its remit, should be interested in sustainable development and sustainable communities because that is exactly what my amendment is about.

To be very clear, he also said that amendment No. 258 goes against the intent of this Bill. Amendment No. 258, if passed, would provide that all homes delivered by the Land Development Agency on public lands would be sold at below market prices, not just a portion of them. The Minister has confirmed that the intent of this Bill is that only a portion of homes delivered by the Land Development Agency on public lands will be sold at below market prices. That simply does not tally with his earlier comments because by rejecting this amendment, he is clearly showing that he does not agree that all homes should be below full market prices on public lands delivered by the Land Development Agency. I will certainly be pressing both amendments.