Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies very much for raising those points. In regard to planning, they will be aware of the major initiative that is currently under way, which is led by the Attorney General. We are expecting new consolidated planning legislation later this year, which is a very significant step that we believe will help to ease some of the blockages that currently exist in the system and reduce the legal risk of successful judicial review applications being made.

On why schemes focus on new properties as opposed to second-hand ones, the logic is that they are designed to try to stimulate supply as well. We are seeing signs that it is working with the number of commencements increasing significantly. It is of the order of 33,000 to 34,000 on a rolling basis over the past 12 months. Supply is coming through, but that does not necessarily mean that the affordability gap is bridged, because we are seeing significant construction inflation and that feeds into the cost of delivering homes at this point as well. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is particularly keen that people who are not first-time buyers, but people who need a fresh start, for example those who have gone through a legal separation or people who have come home to Ireland, are also given an opportunity to avail of the schemes that are being brought forward. That is an important reform too.

See this speech in context