Dáil debates

Wednesday, 14 December 2022

Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage

 

2:40 pm

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will not even name Santa Claus in this debate because there are no presents being given out in this legislation.

We know Dublin has suffered the consequences of bad planning. Even though we are in a housing crisis, we need to get it right for the next generation. Much land is zoned already that needs to be built on. I have never had a problem with high-rise or high-density buildings in certain areas. For instance, the area I represent has been zoned for high-rise construction by the city council for more than 15 years yet no high-rise buildings have been built. The only ones suggested so far would tower over the very few houses that existed rather than down the road. There is a need, therefore, but there is a need for that to be accelerated.

The problem we have seen with An Bord Pleanála in the last year has shown the need for it to have proper independence but, obviously, oversight to ensure any of the controversies do not come back to haunt us in the future. We need to properly resource An Bord Pleanála. We need to ensure our legislation and laws are such that they do not invite people to end up in judicial reviews. That is what the strategic housing developments did. I accept and agree with the Minister that the Government got rid of it but that is where An Bord Pleanála got caught and stuck in the courts. That is at an end but it will take a number of years to overcome that stupid mistake by the previous Government which, in fact, was supported by Fianna Fáil at that stage.

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