Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

With regard to the scale and nature of the physical development which has taken place over past decades, there is common cause in this House that it is not good enough that, as has happened in the past, we built without putting the infrastructure in place. Certainly, nobody can suggest that I have any less interest in this than anybody on the benches opposite because I have a record on the matter over the years.

Building sustainable communities means delivering quality dwellings in quality developments with a proper transport infrastructure, social services, schools etc. Expanding communities need education and health facilities, child care services and so on. Departments and regional and local authorities have been working, and will continue to work, together to ensure the unprecedented rate of population growth and housing development being experienced in Ireland is planned for in a manner that will support more balanced regional development and the creation of sustainable communities.

In planning for housing provision, we need to ensure high standards are applied and this will be done through quality development plans and local area plans. The Green Party has members on local authorities which make those plans, and the party can make an input there.

Reference was made to the issue of urban sprawl. I am not familiar with a case in which the Green Party has favoured higher density developments.

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