Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will speak next, followed by Deputy Gould. I can give the three organisations an opportunity at the end to reiterate their wish list, which was Deputy Ó Broin’s question.

There was a suggestion in one of the opening statements that we should shorten or consolidate apprenticeships. I tend not to agree with that outlook. We are training people in a highly technical and skilled industry and an apprenticeship should take time. People need to learn and hone their skills on and off the job. I would be reluctant to see any reduction in or condensing of apprenticeship durations.

I do not agree with the analysis on zoning – that is fine, as we can disagree on it – because, at the end of the six years, we will not take out the duster, clear the chalkboard, all the zoning will be gone and we will start again. The witnesses will have a fairly good indication that, if land zoning is correct for that use, it will more than likely continue into the next local area plan. That should provide surety as well as a lightning rod for services. I disagree with the comments on the six-year plan. I am open to being persuaded that it should be extended or whatever, as we can improve any system continuously, including the planning system, but I disagree with the planning system being held up as a reason for delays and costs.

I have a question about profits. There was a suggestion in one of the opening statements that was submitted – I did not write down which it was, but I believe it was the CIF’s – that, once pre-tax profits started going below 10%, there was a difficulty in securing finance. Did I read that correctly? What is the cut-off point? Is it 9% or 8%? If we go back a decade or 15 years when house prices were high as well, what kind of profit was being won then and what was the cut-off point?