Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have two questions on housing and planning policy. The Taoiseach will have seen the explosive allegations in the Sunday Independentby Mark Tighe reporting that ESB staff have been accused of seeking backhanders from companies to get works completed and new developments connected. We know there are significant delays in getting connections from the ESB for new developments. These are slowing down and obstructing delivery of new homes and other developments. The report said there was evidence of a payment of €10,000 agreed with an ESB engineer, among other such payments. This begs the question as to whether this is a common practice and if it extends to other public utility company. What does the Taoiseach and Government propose to do about it? Is An Garda Síochána involved? Will there be an investigation into this practice and will the Government set up a confidential reporting line so that those who may have been asked to make payments to speed up delivery of residential and other developments can report it without risking such developments?

The draft planning and development Bill is before the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage for pre-legislative scrutiny but the draft seems to have removed the requirement for local authorities to reserve land for use as allotments for cultivation. Many of our councillors are seriously concerned about this deletion. Can the Taoiseach assure us that it will be addressed?

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