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

When the original provisions were being discussed the Dáil, I clearly stated that we would be back at a later stage with this being rolled out further. The Minister at the time gave all sorts of assurances that it would not happen. We were told it was time-limited and once-off and that it would not be rolled on, yet here we are with it being rolled on. It is a surprise to absolutely no one. We were given assurances at the time that it would not happen. The question arises whether there will be another Bill in the next year that provides for a further extension. At what point does something that is meant to be time-limited stop?

Will the Minister of State give us a commitment that this is the last extension that will happen in this regard and that we are not going to get further extensions?

Second, what is the evidence of the impact this is having on provision, because a lot of work goes into the planning design procurement process for local authority housing development or social housing? What time is being saved here by taking out the public consultation and participation? That can be run at the same time as the other work is going on. In my local community, for example, there is a social housing project and the issues around the planning and design of it have been going on for years. That is not the consultation; it is just the design work. I saw this when I was on the Traveller accommodation committee in my local authority. The engagement going back and forth between the Department and the Traveller accommodation section of the council in the context of providing Traveller-specific social housing was going on for years, and aspects of design were being discussed. When the rationale put forward is of wanting to get housing in place as quickly as possible, who could disagree with that? However, when we look at a lot of these projects, we see them going on for years in terms of the design process and engagement going back and forth between the local authority and the Department of housing. Is there any evidence that these measures are speeding up delivery in any meaningful way? I have also many times seen useful things coming out of the public consultation and public engagement process, which are then lost in terms of what is being done here. That can be important. Good feedback from the local community can be taken on board and can sometimes be about the need for some additional small pieces of infrastructure. In an area, for example, where more houses are going in there may be a deficit of playgrounds. I have seen at times in the public consultation process that this has resulted in a much-needed playground being put in. While this is quite a small investment in the wider scheme of the budget of the housing going in, it is important in integrating new homes into an area and how that has worked and how the community works. You can go to these areas years later and it is just a playground but it has a transformative effect. That is what will come out of the public consultation processes. It has come out of the feedback from residents and how that has been taken on board by the councillors and so forth. Where is the evidence this is providing additional housing faster? How much housing has been provided specifically as a result of this measure? Is there any evidence that such housing would not have been provided or that it is being provided any quicker? Has analysis been done on that, and if so, will the Minister of State share that analysis?