Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Section 2 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, set outs the interpretation and "house" includes apartments thus negating the need for the word "apartment" to be inserted in the amendment. That is the actual interpretation of "house" under the Planning and Development Act 2000 so the apartment aspect is covered.

To answer Deputy O'Broin, this is part of the owner-occupier guarantee. This is the first time that owner-occupier and home ownership have been recognised as a form of housing tenure. It has been a really important objective of this Government and of myself to be able to help people, should they so wish, to own their own home so it is really important that this provision is in this legislation.

When one looks further down through the section what it actually asks each local authority to do is that when they develop their housing strategy, and as part of their housing strategy, they would estimate the need for owner-occupier. Indeed, having a reference to first-time buyer will lead into, on top of a Part V provision, which is now increased to 20%, for them to designate an additional percentage for owner-occupier only, which I think it is a good thing.

As members will know, we have had issues with bulk purchasing. This is not just a reaction. This is something that we want by way of promoting home ownership and levelling the playing pitch. The remainder of the section will allow each local area to estimate so it may state the different requirements for housing in different areas within the area of the development plan. Once it is in the development plan then that underpins the decisions that each local authority can make at the planning application stage. Such estimate shall be deemed to be included in the housing strategy concerned, which will flow into the development plan and then flow into the planning permissions that are granted.

In response to Deputies O'Callaghan and Duffy, section 2 of the Planning and Development Act sets out the interpretation of a house and that does include an apartment.