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

I understand the Senator's point. In large swathes of the country as well, there might be infrastructural deficits that need to be dealt with and some of that will include road infrastructure. I will not comment on Galway but people will understand the issues in Galway.

The sustainable and compact settlement guidelines are very important. They need to be updated because the guidelines need to be able to unlock good development. Previously that was not always the case. Local authorities, through their development plans, have a very important role in that as well. In fairness, the Office of the Planning Regulator, with me, oversees to make sure that development plans are in line with the NPF and our compact growth objectives, which is what we want to see. I assume the committee will take specific interest in the sustainable compact settlement guidelines because there is a real opportunity there for us to get this right and to be able to unlock development in the right places where we need it.

I would not underestimate the significance of the Croí Cónaithe cities scheme, which we will make announcements for later this year, on very specific schemes that have not been built and that should have been built in our cities, close to public transport and close to amenities, where we will be able to unlock good apartment developments for people to buy or, indeed, rent through cost rental. We are focused on that.

Without question, we have a role within planning. Part of that, I am sure, will come up later. I might cover it with resourcing of An Bord Pleanála. We have made big strides. We have 15 board members in place now. We were as low as five in the middle of last year. We have approved up to 300 posts in the board as well. There is a lot happening.