Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with previous speakers about consistency and guidelines within local authorities. There are huge issues there. We have to wonder whether planners realise the effect they can have on people's lives when they make decisions that they just cannot stand over. Young people who have emigrated to America, Dubai and so on and want to come home are faced with obstacle after obstacle. We should have a plan in place to bring back our children to this country when they want to come and encourage them. Instead of that there is obstacle after obstacle. There are huge issues. In rural Ireland where there are farming communities, two sons and a daughter might want to build on the family land but every time there is an issue and they are told they cannot live here or they cannot be there or there can only be one house on it. We need to have a look at the whole system in all the local authorities.

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