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

No question. The planning exemptions are pretty clear. The process is relatively simple. We have published the Part B draft fire regulations. That took a significant amount of work with stakeholders. A lot of this will allow us to unlock the space above shops in particular and older homes. That is out for public consultation now. I do not know whether the committee has looked at it specifically. There are some proposals in there that I believe will make a significant difference.

We are looking at what other jurisdictions do with older homes, in particular the issue of separate access and egress and the amelioration measures for fire safety, versus what we do because there is not a one-stop shop right now. Sometimes there can be a conflict between what the fire officer may say and what the planning exemption allows. In some instances that hinders the delivery.

I am given some hope by seeing the number of units that have come back in through repair and lease, which is not an easy process. I would expect those changes to be in place this year and they are needed. Many people are now able to buy vacant houses that were derelict and do them up to bring them back into use. Of the 1,600 applications that came in, approximately 600 have been approved. That has resulted in 600 families in 600 homes and we can do much more than that. The Part B regulations are out at the moment.