Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There are four hours of debate on this matter scheduled this week. We almost had another two-hour debate only Government statements were removed. If talk could build houses, we would have plenty of them.

There are some who prioritise implementing a recovery plan for An Bord Pleanála with immediate effect. Severe backlogs in An Bord Pleanála are hampering the construction industry's ability to deliver much-needed housing. We can talk all we like about eviction and eviction bans, but we will go nowhere if we do not have the supply.

On reforming the planning process through legislative change, the draft planning and development Bill 2022 presents an opportunity to enact legislative change concerning the process itself and the need to reduce lost time on site. Bureaucratic inefficiencies play a large role in slowing down the provision of new units to the market. Several short-term, non-legislative reforms could have an impact, with minimal work required on the part of the Government. That is simple. Why the Government cannot see the reforms needed, I do not know. It has special advisers.

I have to lay some of the blame on high-up Department officials and the Secretaries General at the top because they have been in office with the plethora of recent housing Ministers. We were promised the sun, moon and stars but nothing has been delivered. Who is holding them accountable?

With regard to increasing residential housing targets, there is a disconnect between the national planning framework and Housing for All regarding unit output that is compounded by conflicting messages and the wrong population projections in both policies. This must be addressed immediately. We have too many conflicts and vested interests, and there is a lethargic, inept and feeble attempt at building houses. There is plenty of spin and there are plenty of announcements. The Labour Party announced this week the building of a million houses. People are sick, sore, sorry and tired of that.

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