Mr. James Benson:

Affordability was mentioned earlier. Zoning, infrastructure and planning, or ZIP, are key. We will unlock greater delivery by tackling all of those key elements.

On the Chairman’s question regarding economic viability assessment and why someone would continue in a process where there is uncertainty, I will give two examples to illustrate my answer. For homebuilders and those within the industry, certainty lies when we get to site. We know from our members that they can deliver a home pretty much in 16 weeks, from putting in foundations, to a key being turned in the door and having a unit conveyanced. Unfortunately, in advance of that, there can be a process of years or decades for zoning and infrastructure to be put in place and to get through the planning process. That all takes time and money, both in monetary and resources terms.

Infrastructure is a well-documented issue. The removal of water and wastewater services from the remit of the local authorities in 2017, together with the lack of funding forthcoming for Irish Water, means a number of significant infrastructural upgrades are required in the public area to allow for connection to private or publicly delivered developments.

In some cases that can cost anything from zero to €25,000 to €30,000 per unit. In a lot of cases that information will not be known until after going through the planning process and after confirmation of feasibility is received, and then a detailed survey, procurement, tendering and bill process follows. Only at that stage will it be known what-----