Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to get this opportunity to raise a few issues that are preventing people from obtaining planning permission to be able to do the most basic thing in life, that is, to build a home and put a roof over their heads. At a time when the Government is struggling to house massive numbers of people who are on the social housing list and people from other countries who are fleeing wars and conflicts, it is ironic that the Government and its agencies are doing their level best to prevent people building a house which does not cost the Government a cent.

They actually contribute to the Exchequer with the VAT and other tax collected from them.

A short few weeks ago I asked the Taoiseach in this Chamber about the restrictions preventing people from getting planning permission where they wish to have exits from their houses and where an exit already exists onto national primary and secondary roads in Kerry. The Taoiseach agreed with me at that time that a blanket ban was not the correct way to administer restrictions that were put in place back in 2012 by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and signed by the relevant Ministers, one of whom was Deputy Varadkar. This forced councils to administer these restrictions on national roads with speeds of more than 60 km/h. We have more kilometres of national roads than most counties, with 100 km of national primary roads and 300 km of national secondary roads. We have more than most counties and others have motorways and their former national roads are now regional roads, for which these restrictions do not apply. We have no motorways in Kerry and the Ring of Kerry road was built in the 1800s. In the 2015 to 2020 county development plan, we agreed exemptions with Transport Infrastructure Ireland for some of the secondary roads but it objected to these in our new 2022 plan. The sons and daughters of farmers cannot get planning permission if their exiting roads are not in the charge of the local authorities.

The planning regulator has insisted that under the new county development plan, more areas are to be designated to be under significant urban influence. These areas are expanded, which means that many applicants who have been born in or lived in an area for all their lives cannot get permission to build homes there. Where are these people to go? They are over the income thresholds for social housing and they cannot afford houses on sites in towns like Killarney, Kenmare, Killorglin or Dingle. Where are they to go? I am asking the Taoiseach what the Government will do to help these people.

The Government will have to do something about anonymous objectors. They should be made to identify themselves and they should have to pay a more realistic fee. With the way application and building costs have gone, €20 is not enough. They should be charged from €500 to €2,500, and maybe that would make them cop on a bit.

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