Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Without question, the EPA rules on water pollution have a very negative impact on planning permissions, not only in County Leitrim, but in my own county of Roscommon and other counties in that region. They are also having a negative effect on a number of midland counties. I want to compliment Deputy Martin Kenny on bringing this Bill forward because it is quite positive legislation. We can get it through. I acknowledge that his councillors are with him, as well as the planner involved in this, Mr. Francis Davitt. It could reverse a situation that is now causing quite a lot of depopulation in parts of my region and parts of Leitrim. That depopulation is affecting local schools, athletic clubs and GAA clubs. It is having a really bad knock-on effect.

A lot of money is spent by couples or individuals who seek planning permission and are turned down. It is a very expensive process. Often, people who are turned down cannot afford to go back and seek planning permission again. That should be taken into account. I would also say to the Minister that these really are not extra houses. It is the next generation that is moving in. The old homestead is there. There may be nobody living in it. It is dilapidated. It is not a house that can be done up. A lot of the people who are refused planning permission are only trying to put down their roots on what was the family farm. Very large areas of the west of Ireland in particular will be left without anybody living in them if this policy is not changed.

I know the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, said in his address to us that some of the provisions contained in the Bill may be unnecessary as local authorities are not currently precluded by law from granting licences for surface discharge. I challenge that statement. It is really down to the interpretation of those laws, and in reality there is very little chance of that applying to single houses. It might be granted for five, six or seven units, but it will not work for a single rural house. Again, I very much compliment Deputy Martin Kenny and I am glad to be able to support this Bill with my party members. I ask the Minister to seriously consider withdrawing the amendment he is proposing.

This matter cannot be held up. It is a matter of time. We should not be discussing this in 12 or 18 months. In a few short months we should have moved this through the Stages so that the Bill can become law and allow some of those people who have been refused planning permission to reapply, get discharge licences and put down their roots where they want to put them down, in rural Ireland. We must not depopulate the whole area. Forestry is happening in Roscommon, Leitrim and Galway and we are driving people out of the area. We need to rebalance all this, and what Deputy Martin Kenny has brought forward is a way of doing that. There is widespread support for this within the House.

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