Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

In response to the points I made, the Minister stated they were matters for the development plan. I do not agree. While these issues could of course be covered in a development plan, they are also issues that are covered in the guidelines issued around apartment sizes, heights, densities and design. I have not heard anything from the Minister to suggest the national planning statements and policy statements are not going to cover these issues as well. Yes, development plans speak to these issues but the issue I raise is there is a huge concern about people living in newer developments with increased density as a result of these guidelines where they are getting the increased density but they are not getting the amenities and infrastructure needed to go with that to make the communities work successfully. It is fine to have the national planning statements and national guidelines and policies on this but there is an accountability deficit where these are not working on the ground.

Getting Oireachtas and Oireachtas joint committee involvement in order that we can specifically discuss the gap between the national policy and what is actually happening on the ground in terms of a lack of delivery of much-needed community infrastructure, such as youth facilities, transport infrastructure, open spaces and everything else needed to make these newer developments work really well and thrive as communities, is missing from the process.

Public consultation can be part of this and that is all fine but where is the accountability on this for the gap between the national policy and guidelines and how they are translating into people's lived reality? I would be much happier as a public representative if we were able to get that right and to get the legislation around this right. Then I would not need to put in any submissions in my constituency about the lack of community spaces or childcare facilities being changed and not being delivered in line with the development plan standards by developers and so forth. If these issues were done correctly through national legislation, I would not need to put in any submissions. I rarely do but when I do, they are on those sorts of issues. I would like not to be able to do that as a public representative, if the national legislation and policy on this issue was right.