Mr. John O'Connor:

On master planning and the role of the LDA in that regard, I agree with other speakers that it is best when local authorities make detailed plans. As part of devising local area plans, they do more detailed master planning, although that is not currently the case throughout the country. It is done to a limited extent but there needs to be more of it. If the LDA has control of large tracts of State land, it can assist in the master planning. While it will have to work with the local authority in question, it will have the ability, and potentially the funding, to deliver the infrastructure upfront.

On affordability and affordable housing, we often get caught up with the market value and the market rent. We should approach it with the intention of determining the cost of delivering the housing. If land has been provided at no cost, we should seek to determine the minimal cost of building a house while ensuring a high quality and that the long-term maintenance costs are low. We should consider it from a cost base, rather than be sucked into viewing it from the perspective of the market and trying to discount from there. We should focus on the cost of delivering the housing and on the builder, who wants to be paid a normal return with a modest profit.