Mr. John Sheahan:

I return to the Senator's points on the question of the 3,000 and 5,000 limits.

The vacant site levy has to be viewed in the round, in conjunction with the derelict sites levy and the levy on vacant properties for rates purposes. All of these levies have been introduced to try to kick start things, but they will not work unless we pick strategic sites and target those who are sitting on properties and could well afford to develop them but who are not doing so because they want to wait until the potential return increases. There is no point in chasing the fellow who does not have a bob in his pocket and telling him to develop his site. There is no point in this if the individual does not have the wherewithal to develop it. That is why I suggest we allow the current local area plans to run their course before the new system kicks in. That said, local authorities should flag all strategic sites in areas proposed for development with 5,000 people or more well in advance of finalising future development plans. In that way, nobody would be able to cry and say, "it was not in the plan before." We should start on a new playing field. If the economy recovers in the way we hope it will, that will affect the areas with larger populations first. We will have more success in pursuing the development of vacant sites in these areas than in in areas with smaller populations.