Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the context of such legislation, surely the Minister, as a member of the Cabinet, would have been briefed by the environment Minister on the necessity for emergency legislation or amending the planning and development legislation to allow the housing units be placed in whatever locations have been intimated. Even if we want to put a portakabin on a piece of land, we need planning permission for that. To say that legislation might be required does not cut it; it demonstrates the inaction and blasé attitude towards this issue. If the Cabinet sat around the table and had this proposal put to it, these questions should have been asked and answered in a forthcoming way. I have no reason to believe that was not the case but I wonder if it was the case, having listened to the answers I heard earlier.

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