Dáil debates

Thursday, 12 November 2009

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: From the Seanad

 

1:00 pm

Photo of Ciarán CuffeCiarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)

The amendment is very important and linking in proper planning and sustainable development should be at the heart of what we are doing with these loans. I see a strong commitment from the Minister to examine this about which I am pleased. In some cases, it is not expressed explicitly and in others it is contained in the legislation. There is scope in the composition of the board of NAMA and in the sub-committees that NAMA may establish to ensure that proper planning and sustainable development are at the heart of what NAMA will do.

The NAMA Bill, which is essentially a financial Bill, must be considered in the context of the significant changes that are coming through the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 that my colleague, Deputy John Gormley, will bring through the Houses. Contained in that is a radical reshaping of how we address the issues of zoning and rezoning and what is proper planning and sustainable development. I am not convinced that on the other side of the Chamber there is a commitment to proper planning and sustainable development. Councillors on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council are throwing out rezonings like snuff at a wake. In the foothills of the Dublin mountains adjoining Fernhill Gardens and Kilternan they are simply reproducing the mistakes that were made in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s by Dublin County Council.

When we discuss sustainable development and proper planning, I ask Fine Gael in particular to examine what its elected representatives are doing at local level——

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