Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Like the previous speaker, I commend Deputy Catherine Murphy on her introduction of this Bill. It is interesting that the Bill has come from an Independent Member of the Opposition.

The issue of planning affects all aspects of our lives, how and where we live, where we socialise and how we travel. This Bill attempts to address some of the damage done by previous Government policies and by developers during the boom and to address the legacy issues left behind by these. Specifically, it attempts to deal with unfinished estates and to hold repeat offenders to account. In Laois, in my constituency, we have unfinished estates in Graiguecullen, Portlaoise, Mountrath, Mountmellick and across to Portarlington. We have them throughout the county. This needs to be addressed and we must never allow this to happen again.

We have seen major inquires find fault with politicians from all the major parties. Some former Deputies and Minsters were sent to jail as a result of these inquiries. However, unfortunately, the legacy and the damage done by bad planning and corruption remain for all to see. One only has to drive around some of the suburbs of this city or drive out to Kildare, Laois or other counties to see the rotten consequences of bad planning decisions. While the public inquires and those attending them grabbed the headlines, what has not grabbed the headlines is the long-term effect of the lack of policy. We see sprawling unfinished estates with no proper infrastructure - no lights, no footpaths, no proper water supply and no proper sewerage systems. In some areas, 50 or 60 houses are serviced by a single septic tank. This is the reality in many of our communities. It is a legacy of the economic boom.

Sinn Féin wants to see local authorities developing a planning process with citizen participation so that ordinary citizens and communities can formulate and partake in plans for sustainable economic and social development. This Bill is a step in the right direction and deserves the support of all parties here in the House. However, we would suggest some changes, which Deputy Ellis mentioned. We feel that Part 4 of the Bill would centralise the setting of development levies, but we believe this power should be retained locally because of the different economic circumstances in each local area. These and other social circumstances and commercial factors affect development in the various areas in each county.

We have serious concerns about Part 9 of the Bill because of the implications for Part 8. One of the positive aspects of local government is that councillors can make decisions and be democratically held to account for projects of social and economic benefit such as roads, social housing or bridges.

This is transparent at present and we must protect it. It has not been altered in proposals for reform of local government as far as I can see, and I scrutinised it very well. I welcome this and we might see how it can be developed further. We will oppose the section but this can be done on Committee Stage.

The Bill calls for the establishment of a State-wide planning compliance register which is a good idea. It would contain information relating to enforcement notices issued by local authorities. This would allow for greater transparency and access to information about past offences. The register would be accessible to the public and updated regularly, which is a very welcome provision. The Bill would allow for the information contained in the register to be used during the planning process. We all know of cases where this should have happened, and the case history of developers should have been used during the planning process. The Bill would introduce a new requirement to restrict severely the practice whereby some local authorities have attempted to extract development levies from those residents already being peeled for an overpriced mortgage on an overpriced house. Approximately a year ago there was a terrible case in County Wicklow. This is an excellent provision in the Bill and I welcome it. It would be great if we could get it over the line.

The Bill is a serious attempt to address head on many of the problems in our planning system. This is solid legislation. It is almost automatic that the Government and Opposition oppose each other's proposals although I have supported some of the Government's measures, including parts of the local government Bill. This is an opportunity as this is a good Bill. Let it go to Committee Stage, take on the legislation and address the issues. It would be a great legacy for the Government and the Dáil if we introduced a Bill such as this.

See this speech in context