Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy is correct. This will be a radical move. The legislation is currently being drafted. We have a long way to go to perfect it. The legislation will radically alter the situation. One can subject land to compulsory purchase order for specific purposes but one cannot do so simply because people are sitting on it. Where it is perceived the land is being sat on, which is a handy way of influencing the market, this device will be used. The Bill will dramatically change matters and will provide local authorities with significant additional powers to intervene either where people have taken land into their ownership or where people bought options in order to stymie development. I do not believe it will be necessary to use this on a wholesale basis. However, the mere fact this legislation is being introduced should give those with ideas of holding land for negative purposes pause for thought.

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