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

I move amendment No. 353:

In page 102, line 14, after “area,” to insert the following: “based on demographic projections, including average household size,”

This is an amendment to the section 44(1) obligation to prepare a housing development strategy. Section 44 states:

(1) A planning authority... shall prepare a strategy for its functional area which— (a) distributes planned population and housing growth within the area,

My amendment would there insert, "based on demographic projections, including average household size,". I think we are all aware that household sizes have changed significantly over the years. Household sizes are getting smaller all the time, so with regard to housing strategies and the housing development strategy, it is very important that it takes into account smaller household sizes and does not just look on planned population and housing growth. Compared with the number of homes that were needed for the population 20 or 30 years ago, it is considerably more when you have got smaller household sizes. The size and variety of households needs to be taken into account in these strategies as well. That is what the amendment seeks to do.

I will listen to the Minister of State's response but I think the key question for us on this amendment is that if he does not believe the amendment is needed, where does he think that is properly captured in section 44? I assume the Minister of State will concede the point that household size and demographic projections need to be a key part of this. Ignoring household size or changes in household size is not going to work, so the Minister of State might address that point in particular.