Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I absolutely agree with the Deputy on the potential benefits of the town centre first strategy. Following on from the earlier discussion, building bypasses and bringing life back into the centre of towns is such an attractive prospect because it is a wonderful way of addressing our housing crisis. Getting families and young people back living in towns means they can access services. The 15-minute city concept is also a 15-minute town concept. Refurbishing beautiful historic buildings and bringing them back in a variety of different ways is going to be a much more economical, low-carbon and socially progressive way for the State to bring back communities. That sense of living within the centre of that community, of that town, is something we can turn around. I understand the working group is due to complete at the end of July or in that time period. There are four working groups which are close to completing their work. I look forward to delivering it.

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