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

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. The concern is that this Bill could become the planning and developers (amendment) Bill 2015. Most people would agree that the quality of the units built during the boom was pretty poor. I was in an apartment in my neck of the woods, the main living room of which was shaped like a banana, and when I sat on the couch in that room, the back of which was to one of the walls, my feet were able to touch the skirting board on the far side of the room, and I am of average height. Work that one out. That development unit was passed for planning because it had the required number of sq. ft. but the developer thought it was a good idea to shove in another apartment within the frame of the building, which is what was done, and it was rented out. There is a funny side to it but it was anything but funny for the people who had to live in that apartment. Such cramped living conditions affects people mental and physical health and it not good for children.

I am disappointed that my three amendments were ruled out of order and I question why they were. My amendments Nos. 2, 8 and 16 oppose the Government's amending of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and propose to amend that legislation by inserting other provisions that would have strengthened the provisions, as provided for in Part 5 of the 2000 Act, for social housing and provided safeguards against the use of substances that were not up to standard in the building of houses. We know the importance of that in terms of pyrite and the other material that was found in Donegal.

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