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

I apologise, Chair. We dealt with the human health and well-being piece in some detail. I refer back to a commitment I gave under amendment No. 154. We will do that; we will look at that and revert. In that instance, without in any way dismissing the import of the issue or the manner in which it was put down and presented, we will look at that and I will come back on it.

I will get to all of the amendments but the most relevant one I want to deal with is affordability with regard to affordable housing. We had a decent discussion on this in the first session as well. I refer Deputies again to Part 7 of the Bill, housing strategy, which clearly and rightly points to the Land Development Agency Act 2021. The Land Development Agency will develop 100% social and affordable housing on State-owned land in Cork and Dublin. The utilisation of State lands is happening, and that is a good thing. That is reflected here and the LDA's output is increasing year on year.

Part 7 also points to the Affordable Housing Act 2021. Underpinned in principle right the way through this is to deliver affordable homes. Cost-rental dwellings are also mentioned in Part 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021. Social housing is also mentioned under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009. Coupled with that, we have a process that the housing need and demand assessments, HNDAs, are published and put together. These are for all tenures of houses within housing authority areas. Social and affordable encompasses both affordable purchase and cost-rental homes and private homes that we need.

On the discussion around viability, viability and design, which are one of the main drivers, are linked. Let us take the example of the difficulty with being able to build apartments to purchase in our cities. We rightly have very good and exacting standards but that has led to significantly increased construction costs. As a result, the Government and I took the decision to bring forward the apartment activation fund and the Croí Cónaithe cities fund, which, in fairness, the Deputies opposite were very critical of, as is their right. We now have some of the biggest apartment schemes for purchase. Deputy Gould may be aware that two apartment schemes have started in Cork, one of which involves 274 apartments for purchase. We are now able to do that. This shows the challenge that is there. Everyone wants affordability to permeate the housing system. The State must step in and is stepping in because there is an affordability challenge in many parts of our country. That is why I have brought forward certain policy initiatives that are working now. That is a policy discussion for another day but Deputies will be aware of it.

The sustainable residential development and compact settlement guidelines were not just about better, own-door design but also to try to deliver affordability. There will be better design and better pepper-potting of open spaces, as well as safer design, to which Deputy O'Callaghan referred.

That will have a real impact of being able to have the appropriate homes and developments built in the appropriate areas. The previous guidelines were unworkable in many areas because they tried to deliver high densities which meant, in some areas, there was a housing development and permission for a large apartment block that was never developed. There is no point in that. I agree with Deputy Boyd Barrett. There is no point in granting permissions for things that will not be built. The conversion rate on planning permissions to developments is in the region of 30% to 40%, depending on where you go. There is a low conversion rate. That can be for many reasons. There is a challenge for a planner to define affordability. We are delivering affordable schemes. Part V of the original planning Act has been changed to 10% social and 10% affordable and there are affordable-only developments through the LDA and local authorities. About 4,600 homes have been approved on those schemes. I will be interested to discuss those matters when we get to Deputy O'Callaghan's amendments regarding affordable zoning types, which he referenced. That is the affordability matter. I am not in a position to accept it.

I will look at the human health and well-being aspect. Concerning amendment No. 206, on cultural spaces, I genuinely do not believe the amendment is necessary. I understand the point Deputy McAuliffe made that in many cases we are doing this pretty well with new developments. With respect to night venues, my Department participated actively in the night-time economy task force set up by the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin. The support for and future development of the night-time economy is a matter for planning policy rather than a specific reference in legislation. This is due to the varying considerations that apply to the night-time economy depending on where you reside in the State. On cultural strategy, I am of the view that cultural strategy genuinely is not appropriate to a planning Bill in view of the many non-planning and wider societal inputs needed in that regard.

On amendment No. 210, which I think was from Deputy McAuliffe, also in respect of the promotion, protection, improvement and delivery of strategic utilities, I do not consider this amendment necessary. It will be covered by other provisions in the section, for example, the pattern, layout and format of development, type of development and the promotion and regulation of renewable energy development. We believe that is already well covered within the Bill. I will leave it at that.