Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. Importantly, the Part V exemption supports compact growth and the first of the ten national strategic outcomes of the national planning framework. It is also critical to the transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient society as outlined in the Climate Action Plan 2019. It underpins successful delivery of Housing for All in helping meet housing supply targets, incentivising the regeneration of small sites in towns and cities and making housing more affordable and sustainable in the longer term. The exemption facilitates development of very small brownfield and infield sites in particular, in turn creating new homes, regenerating inner-city areas, meeting housing needs, building economic activity and reducing social decay. While exemptions for the development of five or more houses on sites of 0.1 ha or less are more prevalent in larger urban settings rather than rural ones, the number of such exemptions granted is still quite low. Removing the exemption would probably only marginally increase the yield of social and affordable housing for the State, even in Dublin city, and may result in unintended consequences and stifle much-needed development in housing supply. However, as the Minister has outlined earlier, the Housing Agency has been asked to consider the matter with a particular focus on larger urban areas and report back with its conclusion. His Department will consider actions and next steps.

I wish the Deputy and everybody in the House a happy Christmas and I thank the Acting Chair for all his work.

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