Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am disappointed with the Bill. The Bill has a massive volume but there are gaping discrepancies in it. With regard to rural housing, the rural planning guidelines introduced in 2005 have proved excessively restrictive, especially with regard to the urban influence. They are obstructing young families from realising their dream of building a house on their own land and in their own countryside. The Minister of State represents an area that has some rural areas in it and he should know this. It denies young people the chance to build their own homes.

Fine Gael pledged to introduce new guidelines prior to the previous general election, with the Government promising their publication by the end of 2021. What happened? The Green Party is holding it up and will not allow it. This is quite clear. It is scandalous that the guidelines have not been published. The situation is regrettable and represents a significant setback for rural communities. I do not see anything in the Bill about the guidelines.

The Government has failed to actively support young families building homes or to sustain rural communities, including essential institutions such as schools, sports clubs and churches. The current trajectory seems to be funnelling people predominantly into towns and villages. These areas, such as my own village, do not have sewage treatment plants. There are 30 other villages in south Tipperary that do not have one either. They would be at capacity even if they had one but they do not. It is like the flight of the earls from the land: drive them off the land. Cromwell did that with "To hell or to Connaught". The Government is saying to hell or into the towns or nowhere. We have 13,000 people looking for houses. These are people who have the capability to get a mortgage and they have a site but they cannot get planning permission. It pure and utter madness and blackguarding.

An Bord Pleanála being renamed will not do much. The proposed reforms and transformative changes embedded in the expansive Bill include renaming it as an coimisiún pleanála. Is maith liom an Ghaeilge, as the Ceann Comhairle knows, but changing a name as we did with Uisce Éireann means nothing. There is also the cost of it. We have to change every headed paper, every building and every bit of equipment it has. It is lunacy. It makes it look good. I wonder who dreams up these things. I wonder whether they went to the Gaelcholáiste in Ring or to Dún na nGall or Connemara.

The Bill mentions a ten-year development plan. People have lost complete faith in An Bord Pleanála with the scandals and the delays. My county of Tipperary is trying to survive. We have a fabulous racetrack and perhaps the Minister of State has been there. It is Tipperary Racecourse in Limerick Junction.

See this speech in context