Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Instead, according to a reply given by the Minister and repeated in the House today, only 1,294 dwellings have so far been produced under Part V, or just 4% of the potential number which could be provided. The failure of Part V to deliver on its potential can be explained by the fact that the Government never wanted it to work. It has delayed its implementation. It has riddled it with loopholes and out clauses and made its administration unnecessarily cumbersome for applicants and developers.

Indeed, the Minister is now raising another possible out clause. I saw recently that he is talking about developers being able to exchange their Part V commitments in return for sites for school buildings. It has more to do with facilitating the developer than providing for the educational needs of our people.

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