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

I thank the witnesses for their opening statements. Other members have referred to the importance of active land management in terms of delivering housing that is affordable and ensuring there is a pipeline of land for housing that is affordable and within reach of people. Will Tailte Éireann have the ability to have a land price register so there is transparency around what price land is bought and sold for? Costs are a key challenge for us in terms of housing and housing construction and there is no transparency around land costs for development. We know how much people laying bricks, plastering and engaging in carpentry are getting paid; how much the materials cost; and how much the homes are being sold for but we do not know what price the land is being exchanged for. Because of that, we cannot see a full breakdown of costs and where the costs are coming from. It is worth noting that we have some of the highest home costs in Europe yet our material costs and labour costs are not higher than those of comparable European countries. Will there be efforts to include a land price register as part of this? What are the witnesses' thoughts on that?