Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

To reiterate, and this was debated extensively during Committee Stage of the planning Bill, it is the responsibility of local authorities and the planning authority, which is included in the development plan. Local authorities are required to develop a strategy for the provision of housing for the existing and future population of their area. Section 95 of the 2000 Act further requires:

... a planning authority shall ensure that sufficient and suitable land is zoned for residential use, or for a mixture of residential and other uses, to meet the requirements of the housing strategy and to ensure that a scarcity of such land does not occur at any time during the period of the development plan.

Obviously, under section 96, the development of housing under Part V of the Act is included as well. As I recall during the debate, the issue the Deputy is seeking to try to raise again through this question-----

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