Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

What is happening on the ground can be seen across the country, including in Deputy O'Callaghan's constituency in Dublin. We have not seen anything like the number of homes and apartments under development since 2007. Progress is being made. The residential zoned land tax is a big change in how we manage land and how we will deal with reducing speculation on land and people hoarding land. It is already having an effect in advance of it coming in. Lands have been sold back into the market by agencies and we need that. The State itself, through the land acquisition fund which we established, is buying land for local authorities and approved housing bodies to build up their own land banks so we can develop more. Those activation measures are working. I already explained in my initial response that no extension to planning permissions will be given unless substantial works have been undertaken and that we are introducing a requirement to use a development. The measures that we brought forward are taking hold and working this year. I believe the residential zoned land tax will further help and is already helping in activating land and reducing land hoarding, which none of us want.

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