Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The changes the Minister introduced to the vacant site levy are not adequate and have not tackled landbanking. I wonder if the Department has any interest in doing anything about it. The vacant site implementation report from Wicklow County Council shows that it looked at 158 sites. It highlighted a lack of clear understanding and interpretation of the legislation by internal staff in other local authorities and the Department. It referred to the lack of consistency in decision-making from An Bord Pleanála in regard to sections 5 and 6.

The Wicklow County Council report is very good, but the Wexford County Council one is rubbish; it only looked at four sites in the whole county. What is going on? Does it not have the staff to do it? Will the Department do anything about it? It does not make any sense. The Wicklow County Council one is comprehensive, but the Wexford County Council one is not. Perhaps it does not have the people. If it does not have the people maybe the Department would provide them to it. If the Department does not think the local authorities can do it, why not get someone else to do it? Perhaps the independent planning regulator should be brought in if the Department is not prepared to give the power or if the local authorities do not have the mind to do it.

There are 162 vacant sites in Dublin. I was the one who argued for 0.05 ha back in 2015 because the Government had it at 0.01 ha. When I look at the Dublin City Council report, I actually think I went too big. The Minister said it is only possible to put a couple of houses or apartments on 0.05 ha. I could put 12 apartments on 0.05 ha and it would be possible to put at least eight and maybe ten on 0.03 ha. It might be hard for people to get finance to build out a small site and that is very understandable. The local authority should look at buying the 162 sites and build them out itself.

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