Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I have a final question. I am conscious of the time. In the submissions, there were serious concerns about excluding citizens from engaging in the planning process with this new Bill. Residents associations do fabulous work but I think the point was touched on earlier. When it comes to people who are renting and people from big social housing developments, many of them do not have residents associations or, if they do, they do not have the same expertise or numbers. I am worried this Bill makes it harder for citizens to put in submissions. There might be some residents associations that have strong associations and might have a fighting chance. However, my worry with the new regulations is that renters or people in social housing would not have the depth and strength of associations or the ability to have their voices heard in the planning process.