Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy spoke to amendment No. 5. It provides for home builders in the application for an extension of duration to set out reasons the development cannot be completed as envisaged. I will accept that amendment if the Deputy believes it will add value to the process because it is a good amendment.

I will speak to amendments Nos. 6 to 8, inclusive, together. This is the idea of the default position being one year. That might open up the risk of them needing a third extension, which we are not providing for in this legislation, if the default position is only one year. The other risk is that if the lapsing of the first extension were to happen after the date that has been proposed by the Deputy in his amendment, they would not be caught by this. However, in terms of the simplicity we are trying to bring to this to make sure that people who are currently building can finish the development secure in the knowledge that they will have the permission and the funding to do so, this will create a further doubt because it is only one year in terms of finding that certainty for them. We believe there are risks in accepting those amendments to the Bill.

See this speech in context