Mr. Seán Armstrong:

As for sustainable transport, compact urban growth is a key measure in Housing for All. There is a national sustainable mobility policy led by the Department of Transport. The Department has worked closely with our Department in developing that strategy and has set out actions to promote walking and cycling. The Department of Transport is supportive of all the provisions for additional bicycle parking in the EPBD, but the EPBD is at a building level rather than an area level. The Departments of Transport and Housing, Local Government and Heritage support the provision of bicycle parking spaces in buildings. I think the design of areas and of developments is part of planning policy and the national sustainable mobility policy. I know that it is part of the objectives but I would have to come back to the Deputy with the detail of that from our planning side.

He mentioned one thing about the disclosures. The directive states, "Member states shall ensure that the life-cycle Global Warming Potential ... is ... disclosed through the energy performance certificate of the building." That is the provision in the draft directive.

I will let Mr. Hughes take the question about the impact on skills.