Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is an interesting concept and I agree with Deputy O'Callaghan I have not seen any delivery, in an accelerated sense, in my constituency. The exact opposite seems to be happening. Looking at the Dolphin House regeneration programme, people are being told it will be 2035 or 2036 before the project will be delivered. St. Michael's Estate has gone on for however many years. I could list more, but I have not seen acceleration. There is a question there, because I was trying to figure out whether this excluded developments the council is purchasing from a developer from plans. There are a number of those. The proposed new section 155(1) states "The chief executive of a local authority shall, before the carrying out of a local authority housing development ... inform the members ...". However, is that a local authority housing development if the authority is purchasing it? It is only a query. I am not opposed to it. Quite a lot of people in the constituency are benefiting because Dublin City Council is very proactive and has purchased part of apartment blocks or ensured the completion of blocks or apartment complexes that were in abeyance.

I have another question. There is a list of public authorities. I was speaking yesterday in our committee about Gaeltacht housing. Údarás na Gaeltachta announced last year it was going to have three pilots to build in different Gaeltacht areas to see whether it can be involved in the delivery of housing. It is not listed as a public authority. I do not know whether that is an oversight or, as Deputy O'Callaghan said, a continuation of something prior to the údarás getting involved at this stage. Before the údarás Gaeltarra Éireann was involved in housing and the údarás has announced, with the backing of the Government, that it will look at using some of its lands to facilitate the provision of social and affordable housing in Gaeltacht areas. The údarás has announced three sites. It would be interesting if they were precluded from being accelerated. Maybe they are better off not being accelerated if there is no benefit.

Another point at this stage is on where the amendment says "public infrastructure and facilities". It mentions roads, footpaths, public lighting, foul sewers, surface water drainage and water supply. One of the factors in some of the council schemes is the charging network. It seems to be an afterthought in most of the public housing developments, which is a pity. It is likewise with solar panels and so on. Are they part of a public network in those schemes? Fibre optic should also be in those schemes. We have had difficulties with provision in some of the schemes that that have opened in recent years in the area.

My last point is while community facilities are mentioned earlier on, in that "housing development" includes "the provision of open spaces, recreational and community facilities", community facilities in particular should come into the list of "public infrastructure and facilities" in relation to these developments. Maybe it is duplication.