Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On page 58 of the amendments' document I want to pick up on Deputy Leddin's line of questioning so that I understand it. Table 4.1 on page 58 contains the amended population-growth targets by region. Two things jump out when I look at the tracked changes. While the range for population growth in Dublin city and the suburbs remains as it was at 20% to 25%, in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford, there is no range. It is downgraded slightly to a 40% increase from the previous 50% to 60%. Then when we look at the projected population growth in terms of numbers of people, Dublin is just above what had previously been the top range, so it is 296,000 from 293,000 previously. However, the four other cities are at the bottom or outside what was the previous lower range of population growth. I am really interested to know why. I am not making a comment as to whether I think that it right or wrong but it stands out to me. Perhaps someone could explain both the percentage change for the four other cities and the changes to the numbers. It is a higher number for Dublin and it is at the bottom or below the bottom range for the others. That is my first question and I have three or four others.

If only we could have had such a tracked-changes document for the planning Bill. It would have made everyone's life so much easier.