Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I think I have a few more minutes. We need to differentiate when it comes to people letting out their house on a short-term basis, and it was always on a short-term basis, and who need to move back in or even people who had enough money to buy an apartment so their children could live in it when they went to college so they would not have to commute from Clare to Dublin or Clare to Cork. I went to college in Cork. It simply would not have been possible to commute. I do not think it would have been particularly beneficial to anybody. We need to differentiate between this group and huge real estate funds.

Planning is a significant issue. Deputy Harkin and I put forward an amendment to the Government motion to the effect that, in the very short term, planning would not be required for temporary housing developments or for converting houses back into stock, which was something the Minister did with regard to Ukrainians and can be done with regard to everyone else in need of housing.

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