Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My brother declared an interest. I do not know what we has or does not have but I must also declare an interest. He does not tell me anyway. The Minister and the Government have said all along that money was not the problem in the building of houses, but it must be a problem. In Kerry, we are limited to building two rural cottages a year from 2016 to 2021. That is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. That is not enough for us and there is, therefore, something wrong in terms of money.

There was much talk this morning between the leader of Fianna Fáil and the Minister on the stages of approval required by the Department. As I understand it, a single stage approval can only be given if the project does not cost more than €2 million. Is the Minister listening to me? A single stage approval is possible only if the project does not cost more than €2 million. That would amount to eight houses in Kerry, but it may only build four houses in Dublin, I do not know. Single stage approval, however, does not comply with the Department of Finance guidelines on value for money. The Minister is aware of this and if he is asked the question properly, he must tell the questioner this.

In every other instance there are four stages of planning approval. We highlighted this to the previous Minister but he obviously did not listen. This is why time has been lost. In Kerry, if a development exceeds eight houses, it needs four stages of planning approval. In Dublin, that may apply to developments of only two or three houses. The Minister must review what is happening in the Department in this regard. It is very wrong of the Minister or anybody else to blame the local authorities. There were murmurs here this morning blaming the local authorities. They are not to blame. The Department is to blame for the delay with the stages of planning approval and that is where the delays must be tackled. The Minister is in charge of the Department and he must bring it to task and bring it around because that is where the delay is.

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