Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)

I am happy to speak on this motion, and while I fully support its thrust, I have one small caveat. I would not want to suggest that all builders and developers should be tarred with the same brush. There are those in the construction sector who are not corrupt and do not pass brown envelopes to people but who make a vital contribution to the economy.

However, there are ongoing and shocking revelations in tribunals. Part of the problem may be that we are so used to hearing such revelations that they are no longer shocking, and ordinary people simply shrug their shoulders with grim acceptance of a totally corrupt situation. In that context, I fully understand, accept and support this motion's intent. I was not a member of Dublin County Council in the dark days referred to by the Green Party. In that context, I commend those who stood up and were counted, shedding some light on this dark and corrupt corner of Irish life. We owe those people a debt, since they put their heads above the parapet and risked ridicule, which at times was heaped upon them.

There have been far too many instances of unacceptable methods being used by certain developers seeking the zoning or rezoning of land. There has also been an unacceptable accumulation of large land banks by a small number of developers who have been placed in a position to dictate the excessive cost of housing throughout the country and especially in the Dublin area. Land acquired for development should be built on within a short time or surrendered at an equitable price to be used for its zoned purpose. If that mechanism existed, we would not have the current, totally unacceptable situation where numbers of social and affordable houses built are massively short of Government targets. It reflects once again the unacceptable influence of developers on the Government.

I see particular merit in the Green Party's call for greatly increased efforts to create properly planned communities. In recent years, there have been some improvements, but they still fall far short of what is needed. We are still building housing estates without adequate infrastructure, especially social infrastructure. There is not adequate community space, indoor or outdoor, for communities to meet, flourish, integrate and create their own sense of identity and pride of place. Communities need adequate child care and recreational facilities. Otherwise, we are actively destroying them.

In this House we speak of children on the street and childhood obesity, yet we are guilty by omission. We have community and voluntary groups and local associations raising money and lobbying every politician in sight, writing tonnes of letters and generating hundreds of Dáil questions and answers. It happens because we still allow developers to build estates and developments without providing the community space. We must live as communities and not as individuals in boxes all in a row.

When we speak of sustainable communities, we must ensure we include rural ones. Given that one third of people live in the country, we must ensure that the choice remains for those who wish to continue to live in rural areas. Current rural housing guidelines are still too restrictive and will not allow rural areas to regenerate themselves or maintain a balance between rural and urban living. I urge the Minister to revisit the current rural housing guidelines——

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