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

I thank the Labour Party for opening up the debate but I do not agree with the proposal that seeks to give local authorities authority to issue compulsory purchase orders, CPOs, for land in order to build houses. That is wrong. The Planning Regulator is dezoning land. I believe we should zone more land around towns and villages or, otherwise, not zone any land but let every planning application go through on its merits, whether that is through the local authority or An Bord Pleanála. Dezoning land is giving a monopoly to the developer.

When the developer has that, the price will be more expensive for the couple trying to buy a house. I am not in favour of CPOs.

Kerry County Council has not been able to buy land for over 20 years and all its plots of land are gone or built on. Instead, it is getting money from the Department to buy built houses and that is actually competing with young couples who are trying to buy houses. The local authority has 165 voids and it does not have enough money to bring them back to the standard which is being demanded. As to the cost of materials, we know what is happening with timber as we cannot cut a stick. Small builders have to carry the full cost of building houses because there are no stage payments. Between them, levies and regulations are detrimental to progression.

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