Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Land Development Agency now has 56 ha, most of which is located well outside the city boundaries and does not have established facilities, schools and so on. Surely the Minister recognises that if we are to develop that land into sustainable communities, the Department of Education will have to change its policy whereby it will not build until five or ten years after the need has been clearly established. That is too late if we are to allow them to become strong communities. Likewise, we cannot wait to roll out the public transport until years down the line. That is a challenge. We recognise green and sustainable climate consciousness has to be embedded in our NDP, but I do not think it is at present in the practice of many Departments, and I look to Deputy McGrath as, perhaps, the best Minister to challenge the coherence of that.

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