Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I thank Mr. Jones for that. As he has said, the matter has come up at previous meetings. I am just very concerned that if we have the best legislation in the world without the resources and staff to implement it, we are at nothing.

I am involved with a GAA club and community groups but do not know one person from them who has ever gone to college to study planning. Believe me, I have known hundreds of people over the years from coaching teams. It was said that more work needs to be done in schools to get people interested in the subject of planning and to pursue it at college. Having capacity of 70 to 75 this year, with a lower capacity next year, suggests we need to be acting with the colleges now to have courses in place in August, September and October. Even at that, there would be a two- or three-year lag before the planners graduate. If we wait another year, we may not fail but there will definitely be a delay in the system.

I want to refer to an issue that Senator Cummins talked about. I come from an area of very high social housing density. More social houses are being built in areas that already have a high density of social housing. The argument some make is that developers and builders will not build private houses in certain areas because they are not as attractive and the houses do not make as much profit. The developers might say they make no profit. It is about getting the tenure mixture right. I live on Cathedral Road and my house was the closest one to Knocknaheeny that I could buy, Knocknaheeny being where I am from. Gurranabraher has houses built over the years by Cork City Council, the local authority. What I am saying is that in developments in the likes of The Meadows and Fairhill, I just see more social housing. Is there anything in this Bill that will help us to get the mixture right? It is all about having private, affordable, cost-rental and social housing. What is happening concerns me. From people in my club, St. Vincent's, and people such as those in Na Piarsaigh, I hear that no private houses are being built in Knocknaheeny, Farranlea, Fairhill, Hollyhill and such places. All the young people who come out of college or get a good job leave their community because no private houses are being built. It is about getting the mixture of cost-rental, affordable, social and private housing right. Is there anything in this Bill that will help get the balance right?