Mr. Joe Corr:

Not to reiterate what my colleague stated previously, the feedback we get is that the public consultation process involved here is not popular. People believe that there is something taken away from them.

I might reiterate the point on density because there was specific mention of local area plans, LAPs, that are not in line with their core strategy. They should be really but perhaps that is not why they are reviewed or renewed, and that under those circumstances fresh LAPs are required.

The density, if I can go back to that, can be achieved. It does not need to be apartment blocks in the areas on the outskirts of towns or anything like that. Certainly, the density of 35 to the hectare can be achieved with terraces and duplexes.

In terms of what was mentioned, with the local authority and the public participation process, in the conclusion of our submission we urged the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government to restore planning powers to local authorities for large-scale housing development on or before December 2021. We are watching this. As planners, we deal with what is presented to us. It is an unfortunate cliché that we are where we are, but that is the case. We must work with what we have.

On the reference to site constraints in terms of Irish Water, etc., there would be merit in a screening process. That is carried out somewhat in a pre-connection query or something like that with Irish Water. It is only a snapshot. It is not telling a person what he or she can do or anything like that. That comes at the person's application stage for his or her connection agreement. There are merits in a screening process for that, maybe during the section 247 or the pre-planning stage. I hope that answers that.