Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

But where is that document? When we talk about the planning Bill, the housing strategy is done at local authority level, but there must be a higher level housing strategy document that goes hand in hand with it. Is that something to be done under Housing for All?

We must challenge those who provide housing to build housing, and we must say what we need and what we want. It is not about what they want to build or what they think they can sell, which, in a way, the State has subvented. There are supports at one end, such as the shared equity scheme for the purchaser or in Project Tosaigh where developers are provided with assistance to get stalled projects going. The State is working at both ends - with developers and purchasers. We must be stronger on it because I am concerned.

A figure of 40% was given for the built-up footprint, which means 60% will be outside of that. Naturally it is easier to build the 60% that is outside, so that is where we will get the development and the 40% will not happen. At what point when we are reassessing this do we say we have all the growth in the 60% area and we are not getting any in the 40% area? That leads into climate issues and affects the provision of public transport as well where the development is no longer compact.