Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her question. I did not say that the declaration of a climate emergency by this House was merely symbolic. The Deputy used the word "merely", so I guess that was merely disingenuous. I said it was symbolic but that symbols and gestures do matter but they have to be followed up with action. The climate action plan published last week outlines those actions clearly.

Project Ireland 2040 designates Galway as one of the cities we want to see grow its population by 50% between now and 2040 into a city with compact urban growth, most of it happening around the centre, which makes sense for transport reasons and for reasons of climate action to move away from the sprawl of the past towards livable, densely populated urban centres.

I am told that the port company is due to start a public consultation regarding its lands. The Deputy knows those lands very well, and the inner harbour in particular where there is huge potential for new housing, employment and amenities right in the middle of the city centre. NUI Galway has similar plans in respect of Nun's Island.

The idea of a master plan is a good one. Generally, such plans are local authority-led. The Deputy will be aware that Cork, for example, developed the Cork area strategic plan, CASP. I believe Limerick has done something similar with Limerick 2030. The Government would certainly be happy to co-operate and be part of that but usually these plans are best led from the city or county rather than being imposed by central Government. A master plan makes sense. That is a very good suggestion.

On the LDA, the purpose of the agency is to use mainly publicly owned land, and private land, to deliver more housing for everyone. It includes social housing for people who have been waiting far too long on the housing lists such as the family the Deputy mentioned; cost rental housing for people who need affordable rent; and private housing for people who want to buy a home. More than 70% of people own their home. Home ownership is a good thing and we should not be embarrassed about using public land to provide people with their first home. I want to make sure that people who are in their 20s and 30s can aspire to buy their own home. I do not think it is wrong that Government policy, and public land in some circumstances, should be used to enable people to own their own home for the first time.

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