Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 7 March 2024

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed)

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I will respond when we get further down the line. I know the Deputy has amendments regarding zoning. We are delivering affordable housing. We are actively managing our land bank through the LDA. I could make political points, which I have made in the Dáil - I will leave it for there - in relation to where others stood regarding the LDA and its activation of land and, indeed, the Affordable Housing Act. It legislates for cost rental, which is being delivered, along with affordable purchase through local authorities and the first home scheme and others. I want to see affordability permeate the market. It is referred to very clearly in the Bill and pointed to. If we are to put it to a planner - this was mentioned by Deputy Boyd Barrett earlier - to define "viability" or "affordability", that is when it gets very tricky. Deputy McAuliffe's point was very valid. You can add other considerations; for example, we want cultural spaces and better open spaces.

I put it to the Deputy that the developments we have seen over the past ten or 15 years are much better than they were previously. There are and continue to be excellent developments out there. We have to balance the additionality people want with how that will affect affordability and viability. I will come back to it in the next session, but I am not accepting the amendment.