Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill and I commend Deputy Cowen on bringing it forward. Like the Deputy, I am from a rural area and in many towns, there are many vacant properties that might be put to use at our time of need when there is a housing shortage. The biggest problem that is stalling many people from doing this type of work is the rigmarole they must go through in the planning process for change of use. I have seen the exact opposite of this proposal where the owners of a house wanted to turn into a small restaurant. They had to go to hell and back with the council to sort it out and it took a long time. That type of thing puts people off.

We have an opportunity here and it is welcome that the Minister is not objecting to the Bill and, from what I hear, there seems to be unanimity in the House that this needs to be done. There must be a quick system. The one thing I worry about was mentioned earlier. I know we need a fire officer who will sign off on the relevant parts but will people make these decisions quickly or will they pass the buck and say its a decision for someone else? We need to make sure that it is done quickly. There are many towns across the country where at one time there might have been 20 or 30 pubs but now there are only three or four. Many of those buildings are empty. Some of them are in an average condition but it would be a good thing if there was an incentive so people knew they would not have to go through the rigours of the expensive planning process. It does not matter what a person is building, it is an expensive process. It would be one thing to help people in certain parts of the country to put a badly needed roof over their head.

I welcome Deputy Cowen's Bill. When it goes to committee, we should progress it as quickly as possible so that it is up and running and those in planning offices are scratching their heads wondering when it might be enacted.

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