Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Governments have to make decisions. The regulation of the institutional bulk purchase of housing was one such section 28 guideline that did not go out for public consultation. There was an urgency to bring that in straight away. It might be to do with a pandemic or how the system would run but generally, the intention would be that if we are doing a national planning statement we would be looking to see if there is an SAE requirement. There is a formal process for this in terms of a public consultation. However, the intention is, as it is now in practice, in legislation to go out for public consultation on section 28 guidelines. We have to allow the Government flexibility on it. That is one such example and I have no doubt the Deputy will agree on that section 28 guideline on institutional investors and the bulk purchase of houses.