Ms Áine Stapleton:

I just want to mention that the Department's architectural side has issued a design manual to the local authority sector that is currently out for consultation. That will be most helpful in achieving a shared understanding of the approach. We are also working with the local authorities to build up their housing delivery teams, particularly in the context of ensuring that they have sufficient competence on the technical side. A combination of measures, together with us continuing to look at the approval processes, will help address some of those issues.

In answer to a question that was asked earlier, we are beginning to see some increasing use of the single-stage process as it has gone to the €2 million ceiling and recently increased to the €6 million ceiling. Therefore, there are a combination of factors that will help address some of those very practical issues.